Sept. 01--Barnegat officers rescued an 86-year-old man from a burning vehicle late Friday night.
Police said Agnelo Pereira, 86, of Waretown, was traveling on Route 72 at 10:35 p.m. Friday when the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into trees.
When officers arrived they found the vehicle was on fire and Pereira was trapped inside. Police said he appeared to have suffered a "medical episode" and was clutching the steering wheel unwilling to let go.
Patrolmen Nicholas Venuto, Andrew Parsley and George Martin eventually broke the window and spent one minute and 40 seconds entering the vehicle and pulling the driver out to safety, police said.
Pereira was airlifted to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center with severe burns to both arms, police said. He also had shoulder and rib injuries.
Venuto suffered smoke inhalation, and Martin suffered 2nd degree burns to his right arm, police said. But both officers returned to their shifts that night.
Police said Pereira had hit a ditch and damaged his right tire seven miles from the accident scene but continued to drive.
Copyright 2012 - The Press of Atlantic City, Pleasantville, N.J.
