Plano Police Officer Xavier Moreno is being honored for saving the lives of two men trapped in a burning car in September 2020.
A Plano police officer is being recognized for saving two men from a burning car following a chase and crash in September 2020.
Plano police were called to a fight in a parking lot along W. Parker Road, but as police arrived several vehicles were seen speeding away.
Police said the drivers hit 100 mph near the intersection of Independence Parkway and Hedgcoxe Road when two appeared to collide, sending one car into a tree where it burst into flames.
Officer Xavier Moreno ran to the car and noticed one person who had been ejected crawling to the side of the road. He then worked to free a passenger from the burning car, getting him safely to the median.
According to police, the last passenger was in the driver’s seat, frozen in place with his hands gripping the steering wheel. The car door was locked, and the flames were moving closer to the center of the sedan, so Moreno broke the car window using his baton.
He then unlocked the door from the inside and pulled the man from the car, police said. At first, the man wouldn’t move, dazed in confusion, police said. With the flames growing and moving closer to the driver, Moreno made one final attempt to get the man out. Moreno pulled the man's left arm from the steering wheel and got him out of the car and to the median with the passengers.
The passenger who was originally in the drivers’ seat appeared to be injured, police said. Yet, all of the men were safely out of the car.
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Moments after the men were brought to safety the flames quickly spread all throughout the car.
Though NBC 5 requested dashcam footage of the incident, the Plano Police Department is not able to share it due to the ongoing investigation.
