By Haika Mrema
Actor and comedian Eugene Mirman has been identified as the driver rescued from a burning vehicle following a crash at a New Hampshire toll plaza.
Mirman’s agent, Jay Glassner, said in a statement on Wednesday that the actor was involved in a “very scary car accident” and is now recovering.
“He wants to thank the bystanders, state police, first responders and hospital staff who saved him,” Glassner said, adding that Mirman is “grateful to be on the mend” and has requested privacy as he heals.
The crash occurred just before noon Tuesday at the Bedford Toll Plaza on the F.E. Everett Turnpike, according to a news release from the New Hampshire State Police. Authorities said a northbound electric vehicle struck the toll structure and caught fire, trapping the driver inside.
Shortly after the crash, a state trooper assigned to Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s security detail came upon the scene and, along with bystanders, pulled the driver through a window to safety as flames spread through the vehicle. Ayotte, who was traveling nearby, exited her vehicle and retrieved a fire extinguisher to assist.
State Police Col. Mark Hall described the rescue effort as “heroic,” noting that those involved acted without hesitation despite the danger posed by the fire. “Without hesitation, they put themselves in danger to render aid to someone who was in need of it.”
Ayotte later addressed the incident in a post on X, writing, “I want to thank the Trooper on my security detail and the bystanders who stepped up to help at the scene of the crash for their brave lifesaving efforts today.” She added that she and her husband were praying for the driver’s full recovery.
Authorities identified the driver using his birth name, Yevgeny Mirman, 51, of Massachusetts. He was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. Officials said the crash remains under investigation and no charges have been filed.
Mirman, born in Moscow and raised in Massachusetts, is widely known for voicing Gene Belcher on the long-running animated series Bob’s Burgers, which debuted in 2011. The show follows a family running a small burger restaurant and has produced more than a decade of episodes, along with a feature-length film.
In addition to his long-running role on the show, he has appeared across a range of television programs, including “Flight of the Conchords,” “Delocated,” “Archer,” and “Broad City,” as well as late-night and comedy series such as “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “Inside Amy Schumer,” and “The Colbert Report.” His work also extends to film, including his role in “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” and the feature “Confess, Fletch.”
