By Mary Ella Hastings
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
SOUTHLAKE, Texas — The Southlake Police Department awarded a corporal for saving a man from a burning vehicle and released video of the rescue.
Cpl. Joshua Swisher was presented with the Southlake Police Department’s Meritorious Conduct Award after his actions on June 7 that saved a man’s life, police said in a news release.
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Swisher was conducting a traffic stop on westbound Texas 114 when he was alerted that a car pouring smoke was heading toward him. He found the vehicle and directed the driver to the shoulder of the road near the 900 block of E. Texas 114.
As the car stopped, the flames intensified with the driver still in the car.
Southlake Police Capt. Blas A. Hernandez said Swisher broke the window “without hesitation” and pulled the driver out and to safety before the car was fully engulfed in flames.
The driver did not have any serious injuries, according to police.
The dashboard camera and bodycam video from the incident show how quickly it all went down.
Hernandez said the Southlake Police Department’s Meritorious Conduct Award is the department’s second-highest honor, and Swisher received it due to his “courage, decisive action, and commitment to protecting others.”
Police Chief Ashleigh Casey said that Swisher’s actions reflect the commitment and character that Southlake police officers bring to the job every day.
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