Sergeant

California Highway Patrol

5/7/2022

Special Service Award (Silver)

On May 7, 2022, at approximately 11:00 a.m., Sergeant William Fitzgerald arrived on the scene of a reported possible male jumper who was parked on the right shoulder of southbound Interstate 5 to the westbound State Route 91 transition road. Sergeant Fitzgerald noticed a man sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle talking on his cell phone and asked if he needed assistance. The man advised his vehicle had broken down, but he was OK. Officers Kasey Simas and Christopher Williams then arrived on their departmental motorcycles. Sergeant Fitzgerald walked over to advise them of the situation. Meanwhile, the man exited his vehicle and stood next to the three-foot concrete barrier wall along the right shoulder, still talking on his cellphone and looking over the side. Officer Simas and Officer Williams asked him to step away from the wall, as it wasn’t safe. While the officers were speaking with the man, he suddenly climbed atop the concrete barrier and attempted to take his own life by jumping off the 100-foot transition road to the freeway below. Risking their safety, the two officers and sergeant were able to grab the man, whose body was hanging over the concrete barrier. The man began to shout, “Please let me go! Please let me go!” Sergeant Fitzgerald and Officers Simas and Williams successfully rescued the man by pulling him back over the concrete barrier and onto the right shoulder of the transition road, preventing his imminent death. Sergeant Fitzgerald transported the man to a safe location off the freeway where emergency medical personnel assessed and transported him to the hospital. The State of California takes great pride in presenting the Silver Medal of Valor to California Highway Patrol Sergeant William T. Fitzgerald for his act of heroism extending above and beyond the normal call of duty.