Manorville, NY - April 1, 2014 - A Suffolk County police officer and a good Samaritan rescued a man who was trapped in a burning vehicle after it crashed into a tree early this morning.
Seventh Precinct Police Officer Denis O’Connor responded to a 911 call at approximately 12:30 a.m. after a caller reported that a 2013 Ford Explorer struck a tree on Florence Drive in Manorville. When the officer arrived, the vehicle was on fire and the driver, Brad Klaus, was trapped inside. Officer O’Connor used a window punch to crack the crack the rear window of the vehicle and used a fire extinguisher to subdue the flames. The officer, with assistance from Thomas Zelezny, a nearby resident, pulled Klaus out of the vehicle.
Klaus, 34, of Florence Drive, Manorville, was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Officer O’Connor suffered a minor hand injury.