Off-duty NJ Transit officer honored for saving life of man along Route 80

An off-duty New Jersey Transit officer who happened to be in the right place at the right time is being credited with saving the life of a man along Route 80.

Deputy Chief Ed Iandoli was driving home from work in Newark -- when he got to Route 80 in Denville, he noticed something on the side of the road wasn't quite right. He says a pickup truck looked as if it was involved in a fender bender.

"I knew something was wrong by how the person was banging on the window trying to get the attention of the driver," says Iandoli.

Iandoli jumped into action, grabbed his baton and was able to break the window of the vehicle. That's when he noticed the person was blue in the face.

"I was able to drag him out onto the highway and start CPR compressions," says Iandoli.

Another officer with Morris County Park police stopped to help and brought over an oxygen tank.

The victim was taken to the hospital and fully recovered.

Iandoli received a proclamation from the NJ Transit Board. He says every two years, officers at NJ Transit receive CPR training.

Iandoli says in the 23 years he's been on the job, it was the first time he has ever needed to use his CPR skills.