State police gives commendation to cadet who pulled driver from burning car
When he came upon a burning car last month, Cole Strain jumped into action to help free the trapped driver.
Strain and his soon-to-be stepfather Matt Warner were driving on Cross Creek Road in Cross Creek Township when they came upon the accident at about 1:15 a.m. Sept 28 near Cross Creek Presbyterian Church.
“The closer we got we realized that the car was on fire. The passenger was running around on the road, visible injuries,” Strain, 25, of Burgettstown, said.
Strain and Warner pulled the unconscious driver out before the vehicle went up in flames. The driver is still recovering in Allegheny General Hospital.
Strain is a cadet at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Municipal Police Academy’s campus at the CNX building at Southpointe. Thursday evening, both he and Warner were presented with state police letters of commendation for their actions that night.
“Cole, your quick actions when you observed the unconscious driver entrapped in a vehicle that was on fire without a doubt saved his life,” said Steve Dowlin, commander of the state police barracks in Washington, prior to presenting the letters. “Your actions are a powerful display of humanity.”
Marcia Cole, program director for IUP’s police academy, told Strain she was “so proud” of him for stopping to help.
“Not everybody would do that. Not everybody would stop their car. Not everybody would go where a car is on fire. A lot of people would just keep going down the road, and hope that somebody else might help them or do what needed to be done. And you guys did what needed to be done.”
Strain was joined by his family for the presentation, as well as Washington County Sheriff Tony Andronas.
He is about halfway through the academy’s 10-month program. After receiving his letter of commendation, Strain said it felt good but that he didn’t feel he needed the recognition.
“We did what we thought was right and what needed to be done,” Strain said. “I wish more people had that mindset, but it’s sad to say a lot don’t.”