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It was just after midnight on Monday, May 12. Piscataway Township, New Jersey, police officers Devin Hinchcliffe and John Ward found a car stopped in the middle of the train tracks on New Brunswick Avenue.

It looks like a Tesla Model Y to me, but it’s ultimately unclear what type of vehicle the unnamed driver operated. The officers approached the car and tried communicating with the motorist. This was no casual interaction, either. There was a sense of urgency here.

The thing was, the train crossing arms had lit up and started coming down

Hinchliffe and Ward, realizing the man was too inebriated to move out of the vehicle, reached into the cabin.

They quickly hauled the driver out of the car and under the lowered crossing arms.

Moments later, the train plowed into the stopped vehicle.

Cruiser cameras captured the whole event, which the Piscataway Township Police Department posted on its Facebook page.

Yesterday, the department formally recognized the pair: “We commend Officers Devin Hinchcliffe and John Ward for their exceptional bravery and swift action on May 12, 2025. Upon arriving at a vehicle stopped on train tracks with an impaired driver unable to follow instructions, they responded promptly to extricate the driver moments before a train collision. Their professionalism and quick decision-making undoubtedly prevented a tragedy.”

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Sarah Kennedy

Sarah Kennedy is the Editor-in-Chief of MotorBiscuit. She joined the team as Managing Editor in 2021 and has more than 20 years of automotive and operations expertise. She held ASE certifications as an Automotive Service Consultant and Parts Specialist and was a licensed car salesperson for many years. Sarah often focuses on helping drivers navigate used car buying and vehicle ownership. She created “Shop Smarts,” a column for MOTOR Magazine, and was a contributor there for eight years. Her work earned her a Gold Medalist award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors in 2014 and Bronze Medalist awards from the International Automotive Media Competition in 2014 and 2015. She attended the Automotive Management Institute and earned her bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University.