SALISBURY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Bodycam video of an officer rescuing a non-responsive truck driver from a burning tractor-trailer on I-85 in Salisbury was released Tuesday by the police department.
The incident happened shortly before 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, when Lt. Corey Brooks responded after hours to a separate incident. During his response, he saw an 18-wheeler hit a retaining wall and catch fire.
Police say without hesitation, Brooks stopped and ran into the truck’s cab and found the driver unconscious; from that point, he called the incident in over the radio but immediately sprung into action.
Video shows Brooks pulling out of the driver’s seat, freeing him from the burning vehicle. Another unidentified woman helped drag the driver to safety on the opposite side of the road.
As EMS arrived, the driver began to gain consciousness, though he was unaware of the situation; officers say he could walk onto the ambulance alone and was rushed to Wake Forest Baptist Hospital.
“Brooks has more than 24 years of experience in law enforcement, beginning his career with the East Spencer Police Department,” a spokesperson wrote. “He was hired by SPD in 2001 as a patrol officer and continued to rise through the ranks.”
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The police department advised Brooks has received several allocates throughout his tenure, which include the Salisbury Keys to Excellence Bronze Award, Salisbury Police Veteran Officer of the Year, the 2016 Blue Line Brother Hood Award, and the Lions Club Salisbury Police Veteran of the Year award.
