Tulsa Police Officer Pulls Injured Man From Burning SUV

A Tulsa Police officer pulled a man out of a burning car late Friday night, saving his life. Police say the single-SUV rollover wreck took place on the Gilcrease Expressway at about 10:30 p.m.

Witnesses say a man driving a Saturn View was just west of the Highway 75 overpass when his SUV left the expressway. It went down several culverts, landed on its roof and burst into flames, according to Sergeant Steve Stoltz, Tulsa Police.

A passing motorist called 911, and several people stopped but did not approach the burning vehicle, he said.

While witnesses waited for emergency crews to arrive, a Tulsa Police K-9 officer happened to drive by and see the wreck. Officer Chad Murtaugh asked the witnesses if anyone was inside.

When they said they didn't know, he took action.

"I just saw a pair of hands reach towards me and I could see like the wrists and the palms of his hands, and I was able to grab his palms and just pulled as hard as I could and pulled him out of the car," Murtaugh said.

"Officer Murtaugh ran down there, began kicking on the windows," said Sgt. Steve Stoltz, Tulsa Police. "He could hear someone inside screaming."

Murtaugh ran to the other side of the car and was able to kick a window out.

"He said all he could see was a pair of hands," Stoltz said. "Grabbed his hands, pulled him out and dragged him to safety. "Officer Murtaugh got him out literally as flames were engulfing the interior of the vehicle."

Murtaugh was in a dangerous situation, but the concern for another person took precedent, he said.

"[I thought] that if I wasn't able to get them out of the car that I'm going to hear this person scream as their being burned alive in the car," he said. "I mean, that was my first priority, you know, I need to get them out of the car. How am I going to live with myself if I can't get this person out of the car and I have to sit here and listen to them scream until I don't hear them screaming anymore?" Murtaugh said.

elieve the cause of the wreck was inattentive driving and/or speeding. Stoltz said Murtaugh's quick action clearly saved the driver's life.

The K-9 officer, who just happened to be nearby working traffic enforcement when the wreck took place, was uninjured.

"He told us, he actually did not hear the call go out, and literally when he drove up, he saw the vehicle on fire. It was an incredible piece of work on his part," Stoltz said.

An EMSA supervisor told Stoltz that the driver would have mostly likely have burned to death if he'd been in the SUV for another few seconds.

Murtaugh said he did the same thing any other officer would have done, and he's no hero. He's just a guy doing his job.

"I think that any police officer in my position would have done the exact same thing," he said. "I'm confident that anyone in this department would have done the exact same thing that I did."