Dramatic dashcam footage captured the heroic moments when a Texas state trooper and truck driver pulled multiple victims from a burning vehicle following a deadly wrong-way crash on the Dallas North Tollway earlier this month.
The harrowing rescue, which unfolded after a May 12 collision that killed one person, shows Texas Department of Public Safety Corporal Jesse Smith and truck driver Kevin Hughey racing against time as flames began to engulf a Nissan Altima that had been struck head-on by a wrong-way driver near Royal Lane, according to footage released this week.
Race Against Flames
“The two cars that crashed into each other started to smoke, and I could see little sparks of flames coming out of the hood, so I knew it was going to get bad fast,” Smith recalled in an interview after the incident.
The crash occurred when a driver traveling north in the southbound lanes of the tollway sideswiped an 18-wheeler before colliding head-on with the Altima. While one passenger in the Nissan died at the scene, several others were injured and transported to area hospitals.
Hughey, who was driving the 18-wheeler that was sideswiped, immediately pulled over and joined the rescue effort. The truck driver’s quick thinking proved crucial as he helped unbuckle seat belts and extract passengers from the rear of the rapidly deteriorating wreckage.
How do you fight a growing vehicle fire with limited resources? Smith and Hughey deployed four or five fire extinguishers found at the scene, desperately trying to suppress the flames until firefighters could arrive. They also assisted a passenger who had managed to exit the vehicle but couldn’t walk.
Alcohol Suspected as Factor
The collision, which closed the tollway for several hours during cleanup and emergency response, appears to have been alcohol-related, local media outlets reported. The wrong-way driver is now facing felony charges.
The crash scene was chaotic. Dashcam footage shows the immediate aftermath with debris scattered across multiple lanes, as Smith can be seen rushing toward the smoking vehicles while radioing for backup. The video depicts the trooper and Hughey working frantically to extract victims before the fire could spread.
Both men were later honored at a ceremony recognizing their life-saving actions in the face of extreme danger.
For Smith, a husband and father of three, the tragedy has left a lasting personal impact. “I definitely spend a little more time getting the kids ready for school, talking with them,” he shared, reflecting on how quickly lives can change in an instant.
The incident serves as a sobering reminder of the devastating consequences of wrong-way driving and suspected impaired driving — and the difference that immediate action by bystanders can make when every second counts.
