Tim Maroney helped pull a woman from a burning car on Interstate 35 in Faribault last summer and then went back to try and save the woman’s husband.
For his efforts, the Stillwater man was honored Thursday by the Minnesota State Patrol.
Maroney, 48, the co-owner of Maroney Sanitation, and his daughter Jordan were caravaning to Iowa State University in Ames on Aug. 13, 2016, when they hit traffic stopped due to construction. Jordan Maroney slammed on her brakes, and Tim Maroney, driving a Toyota pickup, swerved onto the interstate’s shoulder to avoid her car. Others who came upon the traffic jam weren’t so lucky.
As part of a chain-reaction accident that ensued, a Kia Sorento was sandwiched between a Chevrolet Avalanche and a Suburu. The Suburu then spun into a Ford Edge, and the Sorento then burst into flames.
Maroney, who was traveling with his girlfriend, ran to help. “I tried to pull the door open as hard as I could, and ended up pulling the handle off the door,” he said. He and another man, an off-duty EMT/firegfighter, broke the passenger-side window and lifted Edda Connell, who was unconscious, to safety.
While the EMT/firefighter tended to Edda Connell, Maroney ran to the driver’s side and attempted to remove Scott Connell from the car. “Someone handed me a knife, and I cut the seatbelt and the airbag off of the car,” he said. “I got him out to about his waist, but his legs were still pinned in the car. All the tires were exploding. It was a very chaotic scene. Flames were shooting out from under the car because the gas tank was on fire.”
Another man, Joshua Schipper of Albert Lea, used the pressure washer in his truck to spray Scott Connell with water to keep him cool. Schipper was also honored Thursday for his efforts.
Firefighters eventually freed Scott Connell, 63, but he died from his injuries the following day.
Maroney, Schipper and other law enforcement, emergency personnel and citizens were recognized during the Minnesota State Patrol’s annual award ceremony Thursday.
The ceremony — held at Jimmy’s Event Center in Vadnais Heights — was established to honor state troopers and others who have excelled in serving and protecting Minnesotans. Minnesota Commissioner of Public Safety Mona Dohman, Chief of the State Patrol Col. Matt Langer, and David Boden, president and CEO of Hiway Federal Credit Union, were among those who attended the event.
Others from the east metro recognized Thursday for their efforts in 2016 were:
- Jeffrey Whalen, of Roseville, a Freeway Incident Response and Safety Team driver with the state Department of Transportation, helped save the life of a driver after that individual overdosed on Interstate 694 in Maple Grove.
- Marc Gomez, of Roseville, also a Freeway Incident Response and Safety Team driver with MnDOT, used CPR and a defibrillator to save a driver’s life on U.S. Highway 61.
- State Trooper Sam Mielke, of the East Metro District, saved the life of a driver on state Highway 36 in Lake Elmo by employing CPR and a defibrillator.
- Capt. Jon Olsen, commercial vehicle commander, and John Hutchins, radio communications operator, were recognized for their efforts after a hit-and-run crash on Interstate 35E at Kellogg Boulevard in St. Paul. Hutchins followed a fleeing vehicle while Olsen helped save the life of the fleeing driver once located.
- Troopers Scott Smith, Taylor Carter and Mike Lee were recognized for saving a fleeing driver following a high speed chase through the west metro and ending in a fiery crash.