News

Actions

Police detective's dashcam catches rollover accident as it happens

Posted
and last updated

BROOKSVILLE, FL (WFLA/CNN) – When Brooksville police detective Tracey Schofield left the gym this week, he hit record on his dashcam.

Moments later, a vehicle in front of him got hit by another car and rolled over several times before landing on its side. His camera caught it all.

Schofield raced toward the scene to help the 74-year-old driver.

“She was screaming, obviously in pain, and she's asking for help," the detective said.

Schofield jumped on top of the SUV to do just that.

"The vehicle was resting on its passenger side so she was trapped in her vehicle hanging on the steering wheel trying to keep the weight off,” he said.

“I was able to partially climb in through the broken window, get my left arm up underneath her body and then wrap my right arm up around her head."

Then, a Hernando deputy smashed out the windshield and got underneath the elderly driver.

"He was able to get in the vehicle and he actually climbed in underneath her, so if I couldn't hold her anymore, he was there to support her as well," the detective said.

No matter how long it took, Schofield said, he wasn’t letting go.

"At that point, her and I were very close friends, immediately, it was like my grandmother in that vehicle,” said the detective.

“We spent about 25 minutes holding each other until the fire department was able to cut the car open and get her out."

The elderly driver suffered several broken ribs, cuts and bruises. The other motorist was ticketed for careless driving.

Copyright 2018 WFLA via CNN. All rights reserved.