Officers, Good Samaritan rescue two Morris County residents from burning vehicle after crash in West Milford Township

WEST MILFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ (Passaic County) – Officers and a Good Samaritan rescued two Morris County residents after their vehicle crashed and caught fire in West Milford Township on Saturday night, according to police.

The crash occurred on March 15, 2025, at around 10:54 p.m., on Clinton Road, police said.

Officers Peter Wunk and Nicholas Soltesz responded to the scene and found a 2023 Subaru sedan smoking upon arrival, police said.

The West Milford Fire Department was dispatched, and as Officer Wunk tended to the driver, Ryan Devlin, 19, of Butler, and passenger Christopher Ramos, 18, also of Butler, the vehicle caught fire, along with nearby brush, police said.

A Good Samaritan, along with Officer Wunk, removed the driver from the vehicle, while Officer Soltesz rescued the passenger. The West Milford Fire Department arrived shortly thereafter and extinguished the flames, police said.

Devlin and Ramos sustained serious injuries and were transported to St. Joseph’s University Hospital in Paterson, police said.

Officers Wunk and Soltesz were also injured, but their injuries were minor, and they were released from Chilton Hospital Sunday morning, police said.

The West Milford Fire Companies 3, 5, and 6, Fire Commissioner 801, and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service responded to the scene.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle was traveling north on Clinton Road. Before reaching the Terrace Pond parking area, the vehicle failed to navigate a curve, causing it to leave the roadway and slide down a slight embankment, police said.