Trending Topics

Video: Va. State Police trooper rescues man from burning Tesla

The doors would not unlock, so Sgt. S. Page had to break a window and cut through an airbag to pull the injured driver to safety

By Samuel B. Parker
Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.

CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. — Virginia State Police say a state trooper and multiple civilians on Friday saved a Maryland man from a burning vehicle in Caroline County.

Foday Kanu, 34, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was driving a 2024 Tesla Model Y northbound on Interstate 95 early Friday morning when he veered off the road and struck a tree, police said. Sgt. S. Page, who was also traveling on I-95, stopped to check on the driver just as the Tesla burst into flames.

| REGISTER: Training the brain: Turning stress science into automatic performance

Police said the vehicle doors were locked and could not be opened, forcing Page to break a window, cut the airbag and pull Kanu to safety. Multiple motorists also stopped to assist Page, police said.

Kanu was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries that are not considered life-threatening.

Police said road conditions from winter weather are considered a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.

Page, in an interview after the fact, said he went back to the vehicle afterward to ensure that there was “nobody else in the car.”

“I think it literally happened seconds before I pulled up,” he said. “If I hadn’t gone northbound, I don’t know if anybody else was going to stop.”

Trending
NYPD Chief Aaron Edwards tackled the suspect while Sgt. Luis Navarro ran toward a lit improvised explosive device to protect nearby protesters
This year’s survey examines what officers experience during a patrol shift — from call load and backup availability to reporting time and proactive policing opportunities
Free webinars and daily wellness resources will address injury recovery, mental health, resilience and agency wellness strategy
“I saw the device hit the floor...” Sgt. Luis Navarro said. “I knew that I needed to save lives. So I ran towards the people to make sure that nobody got hurt.”

© 2025 Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.. Visit www.timesdispatch.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Company News
Partnership establishes a powerful, cost-efficient alternative to incumbent solutions, combining Veritone’s leading AI capabilities with LeoSight’s data visualization to advance real-time public safety operations