A Virginia state trooper is being praised for extraordinary bravery after rescuing a trapped driver from a burning Tesla during Friday’s winter storm along Interstate 95. Sgt. S. Page of the Virginia State Police responded to a crash in Caroline County, where a Tesla had veered off the icy roadway and slammed into a tree, leaving the driver pinned inside as flames began to spread.  

Dashcam footage shows the chaotic conditions on the snow-covered highway, with low visibility and rapid fire growth fueled by the electric vehicle’s battery. Sgt. Page is seen breaking the car window, cutting through the airbag, and pulling the driver out just moments before the fire intensified and engulfed the vehicle.  

Page later explained that his instinctive choice to patrol northbound—despite deteriorating weather—placed him in the right location at the right time. Authorities say that decision was critical to the driver’s survival, given how quickly EV battery fires can escalate.  

The rescue has drawn widespread praise from first responders and local officials, who called Sgt. Page’s actions a testament to the courage and split-second judgment required in emergency service, especially under dangerous winter storm conditions.