Without regard for their own safety, two Rutherford County Sheriff's officers saved a man from a crash scene this past Saturday morning (10/1/2011). Sergeant Tom Bunch and Deputy Jason Dowdle risked their lives to save a man trapped in his vehicle on Mona Road.

Bunch, who was the unit at the scene, saw smoke pouring from the hood of the vehicle that crashed into a utility pole. They believed the car was on fire, so they couldn’t wait for firefighters. The doors were locked and the man was unresponsive.

Bunch knocked out the back glass and unlocked the door. He and Dowdle physically broke the door to get access to the driver whose legs were pinned by the dash console. Even though the engine was still smoking, Dowdle climbed in the back seat and held traction on the victim’s neck until paramedics began treatment and loaded the victim for transport by LifeFlight.

“He put the guy’s life before his own,” Bunch said.

Bunch suffered cuts to his hand requiring stitches from breaking the glass and a torn muscle in his shoulder from breaking the door. He returns to the doctor next week to determine when he can return to work.

“I don’t think we could have done anything any differently,” Bunch said.

Sheriff Robert F. Arnold commended the officers. “This is a dangerous job,” Arnold said. “We put our lives on the line every day to serve the people of Rutherford County.”