NYPD Officer Killed In Fiery Bronx Crash, Witnesses Describe Horrifying Scene
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A woman who was killed in a fiery crash late Wednesday night in the Bronx was an NYPD officer.
The crash, which left another off-duty officer critically wounded, happened around 11:43 p.m. on City Island Road at Park Drive. A 2012 Dodge Charger was driving from City Island when it flipped over at a traffic circle and caught fire.
Inside the fiery wreck was a 32-year-old off-duty sergeant, a nine-year veteran of the force, and 27-year-old Bianca Bennett, who worked out of the 9th precinct.
Two other off-duty police officers who were leaving their shift at the Rodman's Neck NYPD training facility saw what happened and jumped in to help, unknowingly pulling their brother in blue to safety, CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported.
Outside of Bennet's St. Albans Queens home there were hugs to ease hearts heavy with grief. Her fiance Michael Coleman, was there along with family and friends too upset to talk about the terrible accident.
Witnesses described the scene.
"Imagine, bursting into flames. It's horrible. Poor people," Alex Corleone told CBS2's Tony Aiello
"The vehicle turned over. It flipped and turned over, flipped over and then it stopped," said witness Pamela Duncan. "When it turned over, then everybody stopped the car and tried to run over there to it but nobody could get to it because it blow up."
The off-duty male officer suffered severe burns on his legs and was taken to Jacobi Hospital in critical condition. Bennett was pronounced dead at the scene.
She had been chronicling her career on social media. What she posted made it clear -- she was proud to be NYPD and to serve the people of the city.
She and other officers helped revive a man overdosing on drugs last fall. She posed with CBS2's Ali Bauman in December.
The two other off-duty officers who rushed in to help were also taken to Jacobi for smoke inhalation and minor injuries, Doris reported.
The NYPD's highway investigation unit is working to determine if the car was speeding.