Salisbury lieutenant named national Officer of the Month after fiery rescue on I-85

SALISBURY, N.C. — A police officer in Salisbury is getting national recognition for a daring rescue on Interstate 85 back in September.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund announced on Wednesday that Lt. Corey Brooks is the organization’s national “Officer of the Month” for August 2023 after rescuing a driver from a burning tractor-trailer.

It happened on Aug. 8. The Salisbury Police Department said Brooks saw a tractor-trailer hit the retaining wall on Interstate 85 and catch fire. Brooks realized the driver, Michael Williams, was unconscious and still buckled into his seat.

Brooks then pulled the driver out of the vehicle moments before the cab exploded. Once he got Williams out of the cab, another driver came to help.

The whole thing was caught on the officer’s body camera:

Salisbury officer rescues driver from burning tractor-trailer

The driver of the tractor-trailer was transported to an area hospital for treatment, according to officers. Channel 9 learned the driver is recovering.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Brooks has more than two decades of police experience after beginning his career in 1998 in East Spencer.

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