Framingham, MA - Hero Cop Escapes Crash
Milford Daily News, By Jennifer Kavanaugh
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Framingham, MA - A routine traffic stop yesterday quickly turned into a life-or-death drama for a police officer when a sport utility vehicle careened toward his cruiser and flipped over trapping four occupants. Five people went to the hospital as a result of the 1:45 p.m., two-car crash at Concord and Sewell streets. And in the space of a few minutes, Officer Lester Baker went from trying to escape the crash to rescuing the four people from the Isuzu.
"He was a true hero, a life saver," said Lt. Paul Shastany, the department’s spokesman. "He was risking his life even though it could have exploded into flames at any time." Baker had pulled over a car on Concord Street to write a speeding ticket. After writing the ticket and sending the driver on his way, Baker sat in his cruiser finishing up the paperwork.
The Isuzu Rodeo was headed north on Concord Street, behind a van with one man in it. The Isuzu passed the van on the left even though there was only one lane, Shastany said. The Isuzu’s driver couldn’t pull in front of the van safely, and the two vehicles collided, he said. Baker saw the Isuzu hurtle toward his cruiser, Shastany said, and put the car in gear. He barely got out of the way before the SUV flipped and landed right where the cruiser was sitting. The van remained upright. When Baker got out of his cruiser, he saw smoke coming out of the Isuzu, and pulled three of the people out, Shastany said. He had to cut a seat belt to free the fourth person.
Assistant Fire Chief John Magri said one of passenger in the Isuzu was seriously, but not critically, injured. That passenger and another person were sent to an out-of-town hospital, he said, while the other three were taken to MetroWest Medical Center. He said it appears all five people in the accident were wearing seat belts.
The identity of the five people involved in the accident and details about their injuries were not available yesterday evening. The accident is still under investigation, police said. Shastany said the accident would have been worse if not for Baker’s quick actions. The incident earned him the praise of passersby, he said. "Les does not like this kind of attention," Shastany said. "He’s a very humble guy."
(Jennifer Kavanaugh can be reached at 508-626-4416 or at jkavanau@cnc.com.)
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