County Police Officer Saves Boy from Being Hit by a Car on the Saw Mill

Westchester County Police Officer Paul DeSousa - who was struck and injured by a car on the Saw Mill River Parkway Friday morning - is being praised by the department for his quick actions that helped prevent a 15-year-old from also being hit.

DeSousa, 27, who graduated from the state police academy in May 2014, was struck while he was standing on the shoulder of the parkway southbound north of McLean Avenue in Yonkers, according to Commissioner George N. Longworth.

An out-of-control car veered toward DeSousa and the 15-year-old boy, who was walking along the shoulder when DeSousa initially pulled over to give him a ride. As the car barreled toward them, DeSousa “was able to grab the boy and hoise him on to the hood of the patrol car” just before DeSousa was struck.

The impact flipped DeSousa into the air.

“Today’s incident is a reminder that police work is dangerous in many different ways,” said Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who went to the scene and later spoke with DeSousa, in a statement. “I want to commend Officer DeSousa for the decisive action he took to protect the safety of this young man. I am grateful that the officer was not more seriously hurt.”

DeSousa, who served in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan, suffered multiple - yet non-life threatening - injuries and was treated and released from Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.

Below is the full press release from Longworth about the incident:

A Westchester County police officer who was hit by a car on the southbound Saw Mill River Parkway this morning was able to get a teen-ager out of harm’s way just seconds before he was struck.

Quick action by Police Officer Paul DeSousa prevented a 15-year-old boy from being hit by the same vehicle that struck DeSousa on the shoulder of the parkway just north of McLean Avenue in Yonkers, Commissioner George N. Longworth said.

As the out-of-control vehicle careened toward the officer and teen, DeSousa was able to grab the boy and hoist him on to the hood of the patrol car. DeSousa was then struck and flipped into the air by the impact.

Several motorists who witnessed the incident stopped to assist DeSousa, who was able to radio for help. He was taken by ambulance to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx where he was treated for multiple, non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

“Today’s incident is a reminder that police work is dangerous in many different ways,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino who went to the scene and later spoke with DeSousa. “I want to commend Officer DeSousa for the decisive action he took to protect the safety of this young man. I am grateful that the officer was not more seriously hurt.”

The incident occurred just before 10 a.m. when DeSousa observed the teen-ager walking north on the shoulder adjacent to the southbound lanes of the parkway. Fearing that the youth could be hit by a car, he pulled over and got out to speak with the boy.

As DeSousa was preparing to give the boy a ride back to local streets, a 2014 Infinity coming southbound in the center lane lost control, crossed the right lane of travel and the shoulder, and struck an embankment. The car then came directly at the officer and teen as they stood near the rear passenger-door of the patrol car.

DeSousa was able to get the boy on to the hood before he and his patrol car were hit. The teen was not injured.

“Officer DeSousa put the safety of the youth ahead of his own and used the few seconds he had to get the boy out of harm’s way,” Longworth said.

DeSousa, 27, joined the Department of Public Safety a year ago after serving in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Photo: Officer Paul DeSousa and other officers graduating from the police academy in May 2014. At left is Commissioner George N. Longworth and DeSousa is next to him. Photo credit: Westchester County Police Department