Watch: Lawrenceville police, Good Samaritans rescue teen driver pinned under car
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Terrifying moments were caught on camera in Lawrenceville after a driver was pinned and nearly crushed by his car.
Police say it all started on the night of Sept. 13 when a sergeant spotted a 2020 Toyota Camry speeding down State Route 316 doing 120 mph. Initially, turned on his blue lights and sirens to pursue, but the car took off and he abandoned the chase.
"It came to rest on its roof, flipped over on the side of the highway there," Lawrenceville Police Sergeant Michael Peterson recalled.
Moments later, the officer saw the same car flipped over, and the driver trapped under the vehicle.
"I could see there was definitely a gentleman still trapped inside the car. He had actually been ejected through the sunroof partially and his upper body as well his head was being crushed," the lawman said.
Police officer, bystanders lift car from pinned man
A group of Lawrenceville police officers help save a teen's life after a crash on Highway 316. The whole rescue was caught on bodycam video. The police sergeant who made the call to lift a 3,600-pound car off of the driver spoke to FOX 5 about the ordeal.
Officials say the driver had been partially thrown through the sunroof and his upper body and head were squeezed between the car and the road.
"He can't breathe. We've got to lift this car up right now," the officer is heard saying on his body camera footage.
Sgt. Peterson said he knew time was not on his side and he had to act quickly.
"He was motioning to me that he could not breathe," the supervisor said.
"I kind of rallied at the back of the car and said, ‘Hey he can't breathe, we need to lift this car up right now!" he exclaimed as he looked at many witnesses who had stopped because of the crash.
Officers and good Samaritans worked together to lift the 3,600-pound car off the man, saving his life.
"He's stuck. He's up under the car. Pull the car up. One, two three - come on guys. Come on y'all. We got this," the officer says as the group tries to rescue the 19-year-old driver.
The first couple of times were not successful, but once back up officers arrived, four police officers and the bystanders raised the car and the driver was able to get out.
"I truly believe he could not breathe and if we didn't act with the swiftness, it would have been a different outcome," the sergeant said
The teen suffered severe injuries and remains in the hospital as of Wednesday evening.
"The actions of the four officers and the good Samaritans likely saved his life," the Lawrenceville Police Department wrote on Facebook.
The driver faces charges of speeding, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane and fleeing and alluding police, which is a felony.
His three passengers were not injured.