On a chaotic May day along the Dallas North Tollway, Trooper Jesse Smith of the Texas Department of Public Safety sprinted straight into burning wreckage to pull multiple people to safety, according to the department. A wrong-way crash left two vehicles mangled and flames racing across the roadway, throwing commuters into panic. The rescue was thrust back into the spotlight this month when state officials honored Smith at a Public Safety Commission meeting.
Video aired by WFAA shows a trooper tearing through smoke and fire, smashing out windows, and dragging people away from burning cars as stunned drivers and bystanders scramble nearby. The footage is part of a broader department package that highlights similar rescues to drive home just how risky high-speed North Texas corridors can be for first responders.
How the rescue unfolded
In a press release, the Texas Department of Public Safety said Trooper Jesse Smith, based in McKinney, responded on May 12 to reports of a wrong-way driver. When he arrived, multiple vehicles were already heavily damaged and starting to catch fire. According to the agency, Smith broke out windows, unlocked doors, and pulled several injured passengers from the wrecks as the flames grew more intense. Those actions earned him a Lifesaving Award at the department’s Dec. 11 Public Safety Commission meeting. “Service and sacrifice are so often required in the field of law enforcement,” DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin said in announcing the honors.
Local reporting said the wreck began with a head-on collision between the wrong-way vehicle and a passenger car carrying five people, and that a nearby semi-tractor also took damage. Civilian truck driver Kevin Hughey jumped in alongside Smith, helping free an unconscious passenger. Hughey received a Director’s Award, according to Dallas Express. Fire crews then moved in with extinguishers and later specialized extrication tools to fully free a driver who had been pinned in one of the vehicles.
DPS officials have emphasized that crash-scene footage like this is being used in public safety campaigns to push the state’s Move Over, Slow Down law and remind drivers how fast an everyday stop can turn deadly on a busy tollway. The department continues to urge motorists to change lanes or slow down when approaching stopped emergency vehicles, pointing to the particular dangers on the Dallas North Tollway during heavy traffic. Local outlets reported that the awards ceremony also gave leaders a platform to spotlight those ongoing risks and the people who run toward them instead of away.
According to local coverage, officials released photos and a statement through the department’s media office but have not shared further details about the conditions of those injured in the crash. The Lifesaving and Director’s Awards were among several honors presented at the December Public Safety Commission meeting, which also recognized other troopers and personnel for rescues and for injuries suffered in the line of duty. Reporters seeking more details are directed to the media contacts listed in the DPS announcement.
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