Screaming driver pulled from fiery big rig after a 40-foot plunge, Texas video shows

Body camera footage caught the moment Texas police pulled a screaming driver out of a burning big rig.

Lufkin police say Leslie Rodriguez, 60, was driving a load of orange juice through the area early Thursday morning, Lufkin Daily News reported. Rodriguez drifted off the highway flyover causing the truck to fall 40 feet onto Loop 287 below in Lufkin, located about 170 miles southeast of Dallas.

First responders arrived at the scene to find the truck burning and broken into two pieces, police said in a news release. Officers didn’t initially know what the truck was hauling and feared it could explode.

Officers heard screams coming from the truck and ran over to discover Rodriguez still stuck inside, police said. Officers Carter Willmon and Roger Ordaz were eventually able to pull Rodriguez from the cab.

The officers’ body camera caught the heroic rescue.

When Officer Willmon arrives on the scene, debris from the mangled truck is seen strewn all across the road. As the officer awaits backup, smoke can be seen rising from the area near the truck. Not long after another officer confirms seeing flames coming from the truck, one officer is heard saying “He’s yelling.”

Flames are easily visible as the officers run toward the truck where Rodriguez is heard yelling and screaming.

“Let’s get him out of here,” one of the officers says as they approach Rodriguez, who is still wedged in the demolished truck.

The officers remove Rodriguez by his arms — both appearing caked with blood — then carry him away from the truck as he screams.

Rodriguez was taken to an area hospital where he’s expected to make a full recovery, police say. It is still unclear why he swerved off the overpass.

This story was originally published September 3, 2019 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Screaming driver pulled from fiery big rig after a 40-foot plunge, Texas video shows."