Town of Tonawanda police detective saves driver from burning SUV

TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Town of Tonawanda police detective Mark Muscoreil was recognized by the police department after he recently saved a driver from a burning SUV on the I-290.

Muscoreil was driving on March 23 when he saw a driver crash into a guard rail.

"There was an SUV in the left lane and out of nowhere it just made a 90-degree right turn over the middle and right lane and went headfirst right into the guardrail," he said.

Muscoreil was off-duty at the time, but driven by his pledge to serve his community, he stepped right in to help. He dialed 911, pulled his car over and rushed out to the vehicle.

A woman and two children exited the SUV. Muscoreil went to check on them and the woman started frantically yelling about the driver, a 39-year-old who police said had a medical emergency behind the wheel.

"I could see through the passenger window the driver was unconscious and looked like [he was] convulsing or seizing," Muscoreil said. "I ran around the drivers side at that point and started checking for vitals, see if he was breathing or if he had a pulse."

Muscoreil had only minutes to unbuckle the man and carry him to safety before the flames consumed the car.

"I knew I had to get him out, get him as far back as possible," he said. "The entire car wound up engulfed in flames."

Muscoreil had trained for this moment.

He started his law enforcement career with the Tonawanda Police Department in 2008. He was voted officer of the year in 2015 and 2017. He has also been a member of the department's SWAT Team since 2012 and is currently team leader of one of two squads on the SWAT Team.

Muscoreil was promoted to detective in 2020. He also spent a couple of years serving the Town of Tonawanda as an interior firefighter with the Brighton Volunteer Fire Company.

"It's always on our mind as far as dealing with injuries during catastrophic incidents and just being able to operate efficiently during a chaotic situation," he said. "That winds up taking over."

About a week after the incident, Muscoreil was recognized for saving the man's life. He received a Report of Commendation for his life-saving efforts and the heroism he displayed in that moment.

"Detective Muscoreil’s actions that day demonstrate his commitment to the wellbeing of the public and his adherence to the principles that define a good Police Officer," the police department said in a Facebook post. "He demonstrated bravery, quick wittedness and compassion, saving the life of the 39-year-old driver. Detective Muscoreil’s actions are indicative of his character, and worthy of commendation. Job well done, Detective Muscoreil. Thank you."

"This wasn’t just a case of a person being in the right place at the right time," Captain Joseph Milosich said. "This was an unfortunate accident and the right person was in the right place at the right time. I feel like I owe it to myself, to my family, to everybody who lives in the town or travels through the town and their families to just work to the best of my ability and be prepared to do things like that."