Off-Duty Cops Help Rescue Rockland Woman Trapped In Burning Car

SPRING VALLEY, NY — Eight Palisades Parkway officers — two of them off-duty — rescued a Spring Valley woman trapped in a burning car Thursday morning.

Officer Corey Patullo and Officer Antonio Megaro were both off duty and traveling home on the Palisades Interstate Parkway northbound in Alpine, New Jersey at 6:57 a.m. when they saw a car crashed in the center median and on fire, with the driver trapped inside, police said.

Patullo and Megaro called it in and were soon joined by on-duty officers Arturo Bellini, David Moscaritolo, Michael Collason and Edward Volmer.

Together the six pulled the unconscious driver from the 2016 Acura.

Parkway Police Officer Antonio Piedrabuena and Police Officer Gabriel Roldan arrived and assisted with lifesaving medical attention.

The driver, 26, sustained serious injuries, including severe head trauma, police said. She was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center by ALS and BLS units escorted by the Parkway Police. She is currently alive but in critical condition, police said.

Several of the officers are also New Jersey State emergency medical technicians.

"Undoubtedly without the quick lifesaving actions of the Parkway Police Officers on scene, the driver would most likely have not survived the accident," said Palisades Interstate Police Sgt. Raymond Walter.

The Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Detective Bureau is conducting an accident reconstruction of the crash.

The left lanes of the northbound and southbound PIP were closed for several hours following the incident.