A Virginia State Police sergeant and a handful of Good Samaritans pulled a man to safety after his 2024 Tesla Model Y ran off Interstate 95, struck a tree and ignited in the predawn hours of Dec. 5. The trooper, identified as Sgt. S. Page, smashed a window, cut through a deployed airbag and dragged the badly injured driver away from the burning wreckage, actions that likely saved the man’s life. The driver, identified as 34-year-old Foday Kanu of Upper Marlboro, Md., suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
This harrowing rescue happened at the 111-mile marker of I-95 in Caroline County during dangerous winter weather when slick roads were being blamed as a possible factor in the crash. Video released by the Virginia State Police shows the car catching fire almost immediately, and responders racing against time while bystanders rendered aid. That raw footage is a reminder that brave men and women on our highways still answer the call when crisis hits.
Make no mistake: Sgt. Page deserves praise and a medal for jumping into action and refusing to drive by. His instinct to stop and check on a driver — something fewer citizens seem willing to do these days — turned him into the difference between life and death for that man, and it should remind every American that courage and self-reliance are not dead. The quick work of motorists who stopped to help is the kind of neighborly valor we should celebrate and encourage, not scold.
At the same time, this incident raises uncomfortable questions about modern car design and the so-called conveniences of connected vehicles when lives are on the line. Officials reported the Tesla’s doors were locked and would not open, forcing the trooper to break a window — a technical hitch that, in a burning car, becomes a life-or-death flaw and deserves scrutiny from regulators and the company alike. We should demand answers from automakers and safety regulators about why a vehicle’s safety systems or electronic locks would impede a rescue instead of facilitating one.
Hardworking Americans depend on first responders and decent sense to keep our roads safe, but we also depend on manufacturers to build cars that don’t trap people when seconds count. This was a close call that ended well only because a public servant and ordinary citizens refused to stand by; lawmakers and safety agencies should use the investigation into this crash to push for common-sense standards that prioritize escape and rescueability. In the meantime, let’s honor the trooper and the Good Samaritans whose actions embody the patriotism and grit that protect our communities.
