Army safety pulls driver from burning car after crash with sparking power lines in Upstate New York
Sophomore Larry Pickett Jr. ran into flames to drag a man free on Route 9W in Fort Montgomery; video posted by his father captured the rescue.
An Army football player sprinted toward a burning vehicle and pulled its driver to safety after the car struck a utility pole and downed power lines began sparking in Fort Montgomery, New York, early Sunday morning.
Larry Pickett Jr., a 20-year-old sophomore safety for the Army Black Knights, was returning from dinner in New York City with his family when they came upon the crash on Route 9W, according to local reports. Startling video posted on Facebook by Pickett’s father shows the player running to the car, reaching inside the driver’s-side door and dragging the man clear moments before the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames.
![Larry Pickett Jr., sophomore safety for Army](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/army-football-player-larry-pickett-110473153.jpg?w=1024 ""Larry Pickett Jr., sophomore safety for Army"")
The crash caused a utility pole to break and power lines to fall, producing visible sparks around the wreck, WTVD reported. Video from the scene shows electricity arcing near the burning vehicle as Pickett moved the driver to a safer distance.
"There was no discussion. My son just jumped right into action," Pickett’s father told WTVD after posting the footage on Facebook. In a subsequent post he wrote, "Thank you Jesus that this man will live to see another day! I am so grateful for my son LJ for saving his life!"
Authorities have not publicly released information about the driver’s identity or the extent of any injuries. The timing of emergency responders’ arrival and whether the driver was taken to a hospital were not disclosed in initial reports.
Video shared by Pickett’s father shows the rescue lasted only seconds before flames overtook the vehicle, underscoring the narrow margin between the rescue and a potentially fatal outcome. The footage circulated on social media and was picked up by regional outlets, drawing attention to Pickett’s actions and prompting praise from viewers.
Pickett is listed on Army’s roster as a sophomore defensive back. Team officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and there was no immediate statement from local law enforcement in early reports.
The incident occurred on a section of Route 9W that runs through the Hudson Valley near the Fort Montgomery area. Crashes involving utility poles can create secondary hazards when lines fall and spark, complicating rescue efforts for bystanders and emergency personnel. Authorities typically caution the public to keep clear of downed lines and to wait for trained crews when electrical hazards are present.
![Scene of the crash on Route 9W](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Untitled-01-4.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024 ""Scene of the crash on Route 9W"")
Local coverage of the episode credited Pickett with actions that likely prevented a fatality. The player’s father described the moment as unsurprising because of past examples of his son’s willingness to help others. Further details about any investigation into the crash, the condition of the driver, or comments from Army athletics were not available in the initial reports.