Man found 'motionless in car' in remote Essex area as heroic police officers save his life

Two heroic police officers saved the life of a man who was found motionless in his car in a remote area of Essex. PC Benjamin Clark and PC Jacob Parker found the man in the vehicle after a search that lasted several hours.

The person, identified as James - which is not his real name and has been changed to protect his identity - was injured and in urgent need of medical care. After gaining his trust, the officers administered first aid and then convinced James to let them drive him to hospital.

James was recently reunited with PC Clark and PC Parker after expressing his gratitude at their life-saving actions. James said the search operation “undoubtedly saved my life” and that “both the professionalism and compassion exhibited by everyone involved throughout this ordeal was nothing short of remarkable”.

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He added: “I am profoundly grateful for the support extended not only to myself but also to my family during this distressing time… The Essex Police department exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism and compassion, and for that, I am forever thankful. My heartfelt thanks go out to each member of the team for their selfless service and dedication to protecting and serving the community."

James was initially reported as a missing person, and PC Clark and PC Parker joined the search when they came on shift. Phone pings had given officers a wide search area, the police helicopter had been mobilised without success and there was no trace of James’s car. The search was on verge of being scaled down when the duo spotted James’s vehicle.

“It took us by surprise,” said PC Clark. “We didn’t expect to find him, and we didn’t expect him to be in the car. It was steamed up and there was blood on the windows. We banged on the window and he sat up.”

The pair talked to James about what had led him to this situation and emphasised that they were there to help him. They were then joined by an officer from the rural engagement team who assisted with the first aid.

Faced with a potential wait for an ambulance, the officers talked James into getting into the police car and going to hospital, which he was initially reluctant to do. Months later, the officers were delighted to see how much James’s life has changed since that night.

PC Clark said: “James told us how he was well on the path to recovery. He is starting a new job and said he’s become closer with his family. He thanked me and my colleagues endlessly for helping him get the help he so desperately needed and saving his life. He is in a much better place.”

For PC Parker this was wholly new experience as he was just a month into his policing career. He said the incident reaffirmed his choice to serve his community: He said: “This job made me realise why I’d joined the police. It quickly went from a missing person case to ‘We’ve got a life to save here’. To find out that James has turned his life around is really good to hear.

“He said we’d opened his eyes to the amount of help that is out there and made him appreciate he had a lot going for him. To get that feedback does make me proud."

PC Clark echoed his colleague’s thoughts, adding: “I am proud to put on my uniform every shift and help those around me. This was simply another day at work but hearing the impact my colleagues and I had that night really makes all the difference.”