Webster, Massachusetts: A Webster police officer’s fast action in a parking lot saved a man’s life after a car jack failed and a vehicle collapsed onto the man’s chest, leaving him unresponsive and not breathing. The rescue unfolded in minutes and ended with the victim recovering in a Worcester hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Webster Police Officers on the evening shift responded at approximately 3:43 p.m. to Advanced Auto Parts on East Main Street for a report of a man trapped under a vehicle, according to the Webster Police Department. Webster EMS and the Webster Fire Department also responded.
When Officer Nicholas Caruso arrived at the scene and assessed the situation, he went directly into the store and retrieved a car jack from the shelf. The victim’s upper body was pinned beneath the vehicle. He was unresponsive and showed no signs of breathing. Time was critical.
First responder personnel used the store jack to lift the vehicle. Officers then pulled the victim free from underneath it. According to police, the victim began breathing again as soon as he was clear of the vehicle. Webster EMS transported him to UMASS Webster, then to UMASS University Hospital in Worcester for further treatment.
Webster Police Detectives also responded to the scene. The investigation determined that the victim had positioned his own jack under the vehicle in the parking lot to examine what appeared to be a mechanical issue. The jack gave out under the vehicle’s weight, causing it to drop directly onto the man’s chest and trap him underneath.
Later that evening, Webster Police confirmed that the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening and that he was recovering at the hospital.
