Officer

California Highway Patrol

6/15/1978

Special Act Award (Gold)

A truck loaded with 1,000 gallons of propane was coming down the grade from Crestline and lost its brakes, hurtling through the heart of San Bernardino at a high speed. Two motorcycle officers who spotted the runaway, rode ahead through signal intersections to clear traffic from the truck’s path. Officer Downing overtook the truck in his patrol car and eased the truck to a stop with his cruiser by letting the truck hit against the car’s rear bumper. Had the truck crashed the resulting explosion could have leveled a city block.