Officers John Mosora and Chuck Lohry of the Cortland Police Department broke through the sunroof of a burning, overturned vehicle after a late-night crash to reach and extract a trapped driver who said his leg was broken. Bodycam footage shows officers using a fire extinguisher and urging the injured man to assist as flames spread. Mosora suffered minor injuries; the driver was taken to a hospital and the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating.
Cortland Officers Smash Sunroof, Pull Trapped Driver From Burning Rollover in Daring Rescue
Two Cortland, Ohio, police officers heroically rescued a driver from a burning car Dec. 27, 2025.
Two Cortland, Ohio, police officers smashed through the sunroof of a burning, overturned vehicle and pulled a severely injured driver to safety after a late-night rollover crash, body-worn camera footage and officials said.
When and where: The Trumbull County 911 Center received a report about an unknown fire at approximately 11:11 p.m. on Dec. 27 near State Route 5 and Bradley Brownlee Road, on the border of Bazetta and Mecca townships.
Body camera video captured the dramatic moment two Cortland, Ohio, police officers, John Mosora and Chuck Lohry, rescued a driver from his burning, overturned car after a rollover crash Dec. 27, 2025.
First on scene: Cortland Police officers John Mosora and Chuck Lohry arrived first. Bodycam video released by police shows the vehicle had torn through a fence, come to rest on its side and become engulfed in smoke and flames.
Mosora located the driver still trapped inside the wreck and shattered the sunroof to reach him as flames spread. The driver repeatedly told officers he believed his leg was broken and that he could not move.
Mosora discovered the driver trapped inside the vehicle. After attempting other access points, he broke through the vehicle's sunroof to gain entry.
"My leg is broken. I can’t move. I can’t move. Give me a second," the driver says in the bodycam footage. An officer replies: "We don’t have a second. Your car is on fire."
As smoke filled the interior, officers urged the driver to help them maneuver him free. Lohry used a fire extinguisher to suppress flames while Mosora reached in and dragged the injured man out just before the fire intensified.
Mosora sustained minor injuries during the rescue. Multiple local fire departments later arrived to extinguish the blaze and provide medical treatment; the driver was transported to a hospital. Authorities have not immediately released the driver's condition.
Investigation: The Ohio State Highway Patrol is handling the crash investigation. Fox News Digital contacted the Cortland Police Department for additional comment.
Help us improve.
