Rescue Effort for Injured E-Bike Rider in Pennsylvania

In a dramatic incident captured on body camera footage, a group of strangers and police rushed to lift a Volkswagen Beetle off an e-bike rider who became trapped beneath the vehicle after a crash on a busy road in Pennsylvania.

The 44-year-old woman sustained multiple broken bones in the collision that occurred Monday morning in Prospect Park. Local authorities reported that approximately six bystanders joined police officers to lift the vehicle and rescue her.

According to Prospect Park Police Chief Dave Madonna, the woman was riding her e-bike at an estimated speed of over 20 mph and was not wearing a helmet when she collided with the Volkswagen at an intersection on Route 420.

Madonna commented on her speed, saying, “She was driving way too fast for that time of day, for the road she was traveling on.” He believed she was attempting to pass other vehicles as she was on her way to an appointment.

Surveillance footage and the police body camera video show bystanders hurrying to the scene to assist. Together, they managed to lift the car high enough to free the woman beneath it.

A FedEx driver, Carl Wise, who participated in the rescue, recounted, “Got a yell to help, ran over. We lifted the Volkswagen Beetle up, pulled the girl out and pushed her to the ground so she wouldn’t move, that’s all.” He then humbly added, “I’m no hero. I’m just a guy doing a job, that’s all.”

Chrissy Vollmer, a local business owner who also responded, described the scene, stating, “All I saw were the lady’s legs underneath the car and she was just yelling get this car off of me.”

Chief Madonna lauded the bystanders who aided in the rescue, calling them “heroes,” and later expressed his gratitude by visiting them.

He also voiced concerns regarding the rising number of e-bike accidents, questioning what measures could be taken to prevent further incidents. “How many more tragedies do we have to see before some type of action is taken?” he asked.

The injured woman was transported to Lankenau Hospital, where she underwent surgery for a broken collarbone and other injuries. Meanwhile, no charges have been filed against the driver of the Volkswagen, although the e-bike rider may face a traffic citation based on the investigation’s findings.