Officer

California Highway Patrol

8/6/2021

Special Act Award (Gold)

In the afternoon of August 6, 2021, Officer Ryan Ayers was off-duty and driving his personal vehicle northbound on US-101 with his family. As they approached the intersection of US-101 and Jonata Park Road, he saw a large cloud of dust directing his attention to a semitruck stopped in the center median field scattered with debris from vehicle parts. After making a U-turn, he saw another semitruck which had been driven off the roadway and crashed through a fence into bushes. Officer Ayers stopped and made his way to the crashed semitruck that was emitting smoke from the engine compartment. He instructed a bystander to get a fire extinguisher from the other semitruck in the center median. Without regard for his own safety, Officer Ayers climbed up to the driver’s door and attempted to open it; however, it would not open. He climbed around the load of pallets strapped onto the flatbed trailer, made his way to the passenger door, and opened it. The male driver was slumped over in the driver’s seat, unresponsive and bleeding. Officer Ayers cleared the wreckage within the cab to gain access to the unconscious driver as heavy smoke and flames were filling the cab. While risking smoke inhalation and burns, Officer Ayers unbuckled the driver’s seat belt and single handedly carried him out through the passenger door while surrounded by flames. The male driver regained consciousness as Officer Ayers placed him on the ground away from the semitruck which was fully engulfed in flames only seconds later. The State of California takes great pride in presenting the Gold Medal of Valor to California Highway Patrol Officer Ryan Ayers for his extraordinary act of heroism extending far above and beyond the normal call of duty.