A group of concerned individuals and police officers swiftly intervened to lift a Volkswagen Beetle from an injured e-bike rider who became pinned underneath the vehicle during a recent crash on a busy Pennsylvania roadway. Dramatic body camera footage captured the urgent rescue.
Authorities in Prospect Park confirmed that the 44-year-old woman sustained several broken bones in the Monday morning incident but survived after approximately six bystanders joined officers to elevate the car and pull her to safety.
Prospect Park Police Chief Dave Madonna estimated the woman was traveling at speeds exceeding 20 mph on her e-bike, without a helmet, when she collided with the Volkswagen at an intersection along Route 420.
“She was driving way too fast for that time of day, for the road she was traveling on,” Chief Madonna stated, suggesting the woman might have been attempting to overtake other vehicles while en route to an appointment.
Dramatic Rescue Captured on Video
Surveillance and police body camera footage from the scene clearly show bystanders immediately rushing toward the crash site to offer assistance.
Within moments, roughly six people converged and collaboratively lifted the car high enough to free the woman trapped beneath it.
“Got a yell to help, ran over. We lifted the Volkswagen Beetle up, pulled the girl out and pushed her to the ground so she wouldn't move, that's all,” recounted Carl Wise, a FedEx driver who participated in the rescue. He humbly added, “I'm no hero. I'm just a guy doing a job, that's all.”
Chrissy Vollmer, a local business owner who also responded to the scene, described the distressing situation: “All I saw were the lady's legs underneath the car, and she was just yelling, ‘Get this car off of me.’”
Calls for Enhanced E-Bike Safety
Chief Madonna lauded the bystanders involved in the rescue as “heroes” and subsequently met with them to express his gratitude.
The Chief also voiced significant concern regarding what he described as an increasing number of e-bike accidents. “How many more tragedies do we have to see before some type of action is taken?” Madonna questioned.
The injured woman was transported to Lankenau Hospital, where she underwent surgery for a broken collarbone and other injuries.
The driver of the Volkswagen is not facing any charges. Police indicated that the e-bike rider could potentially receive a traffic citation, pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.