Video shows Virginia Beach officers saving driver from fiery car crash

Editor's note: The video contains graphic elements that some viewers may find disturbing.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.—The Virginia Beach Police Department is commending two of their officers for saving a driver from a fiery vehicle crash.

Footage from officers' bodyworn cameras capture the incident.

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Erika Craven

The following sequence of events was captured on camera, and additional details were provided by VBPD:

• An officer observed a car driving 88 mph in a 35 mph zone. When the officer put his emergency lights on, the car sped away and turned off its lights to try and elude the officer.
• The officer ended his attempt to stop the vehicle and turned off his emergency lights and slowed down. This is in compliance with the department's pursuit policy.
• The officer then saw that the car had impacted a tree, and the car was on fire.
• The car's doors were locked and there wasn't a point of entry. The officer tried to put out the flames with an extinguisher, but the fire wasn't dying.
• A bystander tried to help the officer break the glass window.
• A second officer arrived, and eventually, a hole was created in the glass large enough for the first officer to reach his hand in and unlock the door.
• Once the door was unlocked, they were able to drag the single occupant of the car out to safety.
• The fire department arrived and provided medical care to the man who was in the car and took him to the hospital.

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VBPD commended the officers for their bravery and commitment.

"They put themselves in great peril to rescue this individual," the department said.