COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two cars burst into flames after a crash, trapping one of the drivers inside. With seconds to react, two Columbus police officers jumped into action.
“I seen flames, the first thing I seen was flames,” said Renee Pesek.
Officers Jacob Smith and Nico Velalis had just finished up with another call when they came up to the crash Wednesday night at E. Dublin Granville Road and Forest Hills Boulevard in north Columbus.
“Doesn't even seem like they even thought about it. They just acted,” Pesek said.
Renee and Rashaad said the two officers didn't even hesitate — they ran towards that burning car, risking their own lives to save that man. They call the officers heroes.
“I don't think I consider myself a hero. I think I was just doing my job," the officers said. "We work in a department of heroes.”
“There was no hesitation. We knew there was someone trapped in that car. We had to do something,” Velalis said.
They tried to calm the fire with extinguishers, then broke out the window to get to the driver.
“As we moved around, the fire continued to grow. From the time we broke the glass and got him out, maybe a minute, if a minute had passed. The flames were 10 feet in the air and the car was fully engulfed,” Smith said.
“I think the adrenaline took over at that point and safety wasn't my primary concern. It's always at the back of our minds, but we had to get that person out or he was probably going to die,” Vevlalis said.
Even though the officers say they were just doing their job, Renee and Rashaad disagree.
“I said, 'That was more than a job to me.' I said, 'You are a true hero in my eyes,'” Pesek said.
“It's good to know we have people like that protecting us,” said Rashaad Harmon.
Off-duty SWAT officer Randy Rich also stopped and helped rescue the driver.
The driver who was trapped is still in the hospital, but is expected to be ok.