Police Rescue Caught On Dashcam

Dramatic new video just released by Des Moines police shows officers pulling people out from a burning car during a fatal crash early Sunday morning.The dash-camera video shows officers arriving on the scene and working to put out the fire on the bottom side of a flipped car. The car is engulfed in flames as officers beat on the frame to try to get the doors open.A person inside the burning vehicle can be heard calling for help.The crash happened at 3 a.m. at the intersection of Southeast 14th Street. Police said a car traveling at a high rate of speed crashed into a Ford Explorer. Police said the driver of the car didn't stop at a traffic signal.

An officer just arriving at the scene can be heard calling dispatch, "We have people in the vehicle, on its side."The driver of the Explorer, Jennifer Garcia, 17, died. Three other occupants, Alexandra Cordova, 18, Irania Cordova, 14, and Alejandro Garcia, 20, were taken to a hospital with injuries.An officer can be seen exhausting multiple fire extinguishers trying to put out the fire.

Two occupants of the car, driver Michael Lomax, 21, and passenger Feliciano White, 22, were taken to a hospital.

Other officers are seen in the video climbing on top of the SUV and pulling out a people trapped inside. Another person was pulled out a back window after officer were able to break it out.

An officer is heard calling dispatch again, "Advise F.D. (fire department), we have several injured. We need several squads."

Two of the passengers in Garcia's car will have lengthy hospital stays: one will be in the hospital for three to four weeks while the other will remain for up to two months.

Police said Officers Aaron Cawthorn, Colin Boone, Jeremy Sprague, Robin Swank and reserve Officer John Carter were involved in the rescue effort.

Garcia's funeral was held on Thursday.

Police said Lomax was arrested and charged in the case when he was released from the hospital at 4 p.m. Thursday. Lomax is charged with vehicular homicide by recklessness and failure to obey a traffic control signal. se.

Police said they are waiting for toxicology test results and other charges could be filed in the case.

The crash remains under investigation.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• caught on tape
• raw video
• police rescue
• dashcam
• dashboard camera
• fire
• trapped
• des moines
• cops
• troopers
• crashes
• accident
• death
• injury
• injuries

[dubstiles82]

Good job officers god bless u guys

[goov47]

Wow, this is pretty sad - unfortunately, one life loss and her family grieving. Good to know that there are good cops out there who are doing their job. Too much police brutality everywhere, but at least good came out of this one. I highly respect these cops on the video who put their lives in the line.

[christinaah89]

Everyone makes mistakes it was an accident Mike would never do anything to hust anyone regardless if he made a poor judgement im pretty sure everyone has and to judge him for one simple mistake is just sad that girl was called apon by god everything happens for a reason and she is not the only one that lost her life that night Take into consideration his life as well

[bigduke240]

@achillies you need to speak on what the fucc you know. My lil brother never had no criminal record. My brother was a hard worker for Firestone and bought his car brand spanking new. Yes it is a tragedy that lil girl had died.  But it's not all my brother's fault. And fuck all who speaks negative about him.

[muscabeats]

the cop on the top is a hero. i dont know anybody who would jump on top of a burning car like that.

only problem is police are equipped with extinguishers that aren't specified for car fires. I figured that out at the fire department. Ive gone on several car fires, and the police just dont have the right stuff to put it out the first time.

great job by law enforcement though. those are a real group of heros.

[patrona78]

this is so tragic for both sides of the family too sad =(

cops did what they could

[bakertpaul]

A truly heroic rescue.

[bdc3427]

Dude to say they did a good job is retarded....my uncle is a cop...every cop has a fire extinguisher in there car....did u see how many cops stood their....God bless the ones that helped

[achillies0]

@gagsnet

Agreed... The description above sums up the events. I actually listened to the radio call for this response as it happened. The officers acted with a sense of urgency but remained calm.

Just ticks me off when I see negative comments that blame the police and not the suspect who committed the act. The other driver had a criminal record and it's important to remember that his actions killed a 17 yr old girl...very sad.

Take care.

[gagsnet]

Cops get bad name because of some bad apples. Must have been a head-on collision. Watch the car on the right smoking.