ISP troopers, nearby residents recognized for saving driver from burning vehicle

Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 2:08 PM

By Staff report

In the morning hours of June 9, ISP Captain Bob Burgess and First Sergeant Josh Rozzi responded to a vehicle crash on State Road 17 near County Road 900 South in Fulton County. Initial reports indicated the vehicle was on its side, on fire, with an entrapped individual.
Burgess and Rozzi arrived at the scene a short time later and found two individuals who lived nearby, Jeff Smith and Sam Smith, at the scene attempting to remove the driver who was trapped inside the vehicle.
Despite repeated attempts, the four were unable to extinguish the fire as the flames intensified. Acting swiftly and at personal risk, the four were able to successfully extricate the driver before the flames reached the interior of the vehicle.
The preliminary investigation indicated the driver suffered a medical emergency, causing him to run off the road and the vehicle to overturn. The driver was transported via ambulance to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment.