New England Patriots linebacker Darius Fleming played Saturday's playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs with 22 stitches in his leg after he pulled a woman from her car following an accident, Fleming told reporters Wednesday.
Fleming said he had left practice at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, Jan. 14, when he saw a three-car pile-up on a nearby highway. He told reporters he noticed one of the cars appeared to be burning, and saw a woman inside the vehicle struggling to get out. Fleming said he kicked in the window of the vehicle, causing the wound on his leg, before pulling her out of the car.
Fleming then returned to Gillette Stadium to get the wound cleaned and stitched up, he said.
Walpole Police Department confirmed to BuzzFeed News on Wednesday there had been a three-car accident on Route 1 in Walpole, just north of Gillette Stadium on the afternoon of Jan. 14.
They later released a statement with information from the police report that seemed to corroborate most of Fleming's story:
There was no fire involved in this crash, however there was air bag deployment, which to the untrained eye can appear as if the vehicle is enveloped in smoke. The officers on scene did indicate one of the vehicles did have a broken window. The operator of that vehicle did make statements to one officer that a male party "kicked in my window. I think he was a patriot". This was not entered into the report as this was a standard motor vehicle crash report with no injury. On arrival the individual in question was not on scene and due to the nature of the accident there was no follow up to this information as the identity to an unknown good Samaritan had no bearing on this report. We are attempting to obtain more information at this time and will follow up with another release should we learn more.
Neither Fleming's representatives or the Patriots returned a request for comment
The Patriots play the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship on Sunday.