Exclusive: Suffolk police officer recalls dramatic rescue of fellow officer from crash scene
The incident Sunday night involved Officer Gallagher’s patrol car flipping off the highway and crashing into the woods, leaving him severely injured and trapped.
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In an exclusive interview, Suffolk County Police Officer Denis O'Connor shared harrowing details of the rescue operation that saved his fellow officer, Brendon Gallagher, after a terrifying crash on the Long Island Expressway.
O'Connor, one of the first responders on the scene, described the difficulty of the rescue, noting that the intensity of the situation was magnified because it was a fellow officer.
“When it’s one of our own, we all want to be there, but it definitely increases the stress level,” O'Connor said.
The crash, which caused the patrol car to roll over, left a tree limb crushing the roof of the vehicle.
Gallagher, pinned by the steering wheel, sustained serious injuries, including large gashes to his abdomen and leg.
“Working with the Brentwood Fire Department and our emergency services, we managed to stabilize the car while we manipulated it to free him from his pelvis,” O’Connor recalled.
Despite the severe trauma, Officer Gallagher remained conscious throughout the ordeal, astonishing the rescuers with his strength and will to survive.
“The fact that he kept talking and fighting, I just kept thinking, this guy is Superman. He’s got a will to live that I’ve never seen before,” O'Connor added. “If anyone can do it, he can.”
The rescue took approximately 35 minutes, during which O'Connor and his colleagues worked tirelessly to apply a tourniquet and extricate Gallagher from the wreckage. It was a race against time to save the officer's life, and the emergency responders’ swift actions proved critical.
This wasn’t the first time Officer O'Connor had been involved in a life-threatening incident with Officer Gallagher.
Two years ago, O'Connor was also among the first to respond when Gallagher was stabbed while on duty.
Since the crash, O'Connor has been checking in on Gallagher’s condition, offering support as his fellow officer recovers from the traumatic experience.
