Officer

California Highway Patrol

1/30/1978

Special Act Award (Gold)

On January 30, 1978, Officers Don Baker and Lee Dewhirst, were on patrol along U.S. 101 around midnight when they saw a ball of flames ahead of them. Approaching the scene, they saw a burning van with flames spurting out 30 feet from the windows and the top. As the officers approached on foot, Officer Baker heard a voice crying “help me.” He tugged the van’s handle but it was jammed. When flames forced the officers back, they went back for a pry bar. Officer Dewhirst managed to get close enough to jam the bar under a hinge and pull hard, but the effort threw his back out. Officer Baker quickly took over and worked on the door, instructing bystanders to throw dirt through the window to cut the flames. When the door finally came free he dragged the driver out. The van had been full of clothing that had fallen on the man and protected him. Officer Baker reached him just as the last layer of clothing began to burn: the man’s foot and arm were protruding from the pile of clothes and were severely burned. The driver said later that he was so sure he would die that he had given himself the last rites.