Rowlett officer rescues suspected drunk driver who crashed into his squad car
By: Rowlett, TX - Rowlett police say an injured officer whose squad car was hit by a suspected drunk driver managed to rescue that driver from his fiery vehicle.
Rowlett police were helping with traffic after a separate, dangerous incident on the same road.
The other investigation involves a police chase that started in Garland and ended in neighboring Rowlett.
The crash happened on the shoulder of Interstate 30 in Rowlett early Thursday.
Video from another responding officer shows Rowlett Police Officer Issac Gorskikh shattering the window of a locked and burning car to rescue the unresponsive driver.
"Not only does he get him out of the fiery vehicle, but he also drags him out and away from the danger," said Rowlett Police Cpl. Jaqueline Vergara.
Gorskikh then lifted the man over a concrete barrier to protect them from traffic flying by.
The twist of irony?
According to police, the man Gorskikh was saving was the driver who crashed into his squad car.
Investigators say 33-year-old Lyn Alan Smith was under the influence and rammed into the back of Gorskikh’s patrol car, injuring him.
"The officer immediately after being struck, exits his squad unit. And instead of doing a self-evaluation of his injuries, he doesn't think twice; his law enforcement instinct kicks in."
At the time, Gorskikh was assisting with a different call.