Sacramento police save driver after she eludes police, crashes and vehicle catches on fire

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Sacramento, CA - Sacramento police officers are being recognized not for chasing down a suspect, but for saving her life.

Body camera footage released by the department captures a brief chase that ended in a fiery crash on June 1. The suspect, who police say was driving a vehicle connected to an armed carjacking, drove through a chain-link fence near 35th Avenue and Freeport Boulevard, crashing onto Sacramento Executive Airport property.

“As soon as we saw the car on fire, it became more of a rescue mission,” said Officer Nicholas Duncan.

The short pursuit ended in dry grass, where flames quickly spread. Officers say they could hear the driver inside the burning car, screaming for help.

“We heard someone inside screaming, screaming for help,” recalled Officer Riley Start.

Officers Keegan Hironaka, Nicholas Duncan, and Riley Start scaled a fence, broke a window and pulled the suspect out, just as the fire intensified.

“Initially, there was fire around the car, but as we made our approach, the hood of the car was on fire and getting bigger,” said Officer Hironaka. “We didn’t have a lot of time, and we moved as quickly as we could.”

One officer is heard in the video shouting, “We have the sole occupant out, anyone else coming, we need fire extinguishers.”

They say the gas tank was a major concern. Hironaka said they were worried about the gas tank exploding.

“It became more of a rescue mission, and we really, really wanted to make sure that we could get that person out of there and make sure that everyone was safe,” Duncan added.

The suspect, who suffered leg injuries, is now facing charges in connection with the carjacking and pursuit.

Though the officers’ actions are being described by many as heroic, they see it differently.