Off-Duty Greenbelt Policeman Pulls Woman Away From Burning Truck in Annapolis

Despite the rescue efforts of an off-duty Greenbelt Police officer, an Annapolis man died in the fiery crash of his pickup earlier this week, but a female companion was pulled away from the wreckage with serious injuries.

The man and woman were thrown out of the truck that struck a guardrail, overturned and caught fire, according to Anne Arundel County fire officials, Annapolis Patch reported.

Off-duty Greenbelt Officer Michael Apgar was driving by and stopped to help, according to Capt. Thomas Kemp, spokesman for the

Contacted by Patch, Apgar, who is also president of Greenbelt Fraternal Order of Police, said he and another citizen pulled the woman away from the flaming vehicle. Once they moved her, Apgar went back and tried to help the driver, who was pinned under the truck, but he was not able to free him, Apgar said.

Maryland State Police identified the dead man as Brian Jonelis, 33.

Firefighters arrived to find the 2006 GMC pickup truck "fully engulfed with fire" at around 12:48 a.m. Monday morning, said Anne Arundel County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Keith Hamilton, .

Maryland State Police said the truck had been headed eastbound on Route 50 onto the Route 450 ramp when it hit the guardrail and overturned, the Capital Gazette reported.

Emergency personnel reportedly found the 24-year-old woman in the median, but State Police did not release her name, Annapolis Patch reported.

She was flown by helicopter to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore with serious, life-threatening injuries, according to Annapolis Patch.