Two New York police officers are being hailed as heroes after they managed to rescue a baby and its mother who were pinned under a car.
The incident took place on Friday. Video footage released from the Yonkers Police Department shows a woman, who was carrying her baby, walking across the street when suddenly a car swerves around the corner, slams into another car, then hits the woman, dragging her and the infant through a barbershop, pinning them both on the hood against a wall.
Bodycam footage shows a chaotic scene as bystanders crowd around the wreckage of the car. The two officers were nearby and rushed to assist.
"We got a baby under the vehicle," Officer Samoyedny is heard telling dispatch, He then joins Officer Fusco, who is attempting to lift the front of the vehicle to free the trapped mother and child.
"Grab the baby, grab the baby," Fusco says, at which point Samoyedny pulls the eight-month-old baby out from under the car.
"I got the baby," Samoyedny says.
The officers were also able to rescue the 36-year-old mother. She and her baby are still in the hospital but are "doing extremely well," police said Sunday, according to NBC News. The infant has a fractured skull and the mother has a compound leg fracture as well as 3rd-degree burns to her back and foot, police said.
"It's honestly a miracle that both of them survived — very strong mom and an even stronger little infant," Fusco told WABC.
"The driver did get out and immediately went over to see if the woman was OK," Samoyedy added.
The driver has been identified as David Poncurak, 43, of Yonkers. He was reportedly arrested for driving under the influence and is also facing a charge of second-degree vehicular assault. Police said they found alcohol in the car driven by Poncurak, who did not have a license.
"The actions taken are nothing short of heroic," Yonkers Police Commissioner John J. Mueller said in a statement, according to The Washington Post. "The individual arrested in this incident will now have to face the consequences of his alleged behavior."
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