Caltrans Electrician II

Department of Transportation

6/18/2009

Special Service Award (Silver)

On the morning of June 18, 2009, Brandon S. Akers was traveling southbound on Highway 101, just south of Santa Maria in Santa Barbara County, when he noticed a Department of Fish and Game pick-up truck weaving ahead of him. At one point, the truck swerved and left the roadway, and Mr. Akers noticed that one of the tires was flat. As the truck returned to the road, Mr. Akers turned on his roof top amber rotating light in an attempt to get the attention of the driver. When this failed, he pulled his Caltrans vehicle alongside the Fish and Game truck and attempted to get the driver’s attention. At this point, Mr. Akers immediately recognized that the driver was in some type of physical distress. The Fish and Game truck suddenly accelerated to approximately 80 miles per hour, leaving Mr. Akers’ vehicle behind. Traffic was approaching from the rear, and Mr. Akers turned his efforts to warning oncoming motorists. He placed his Caltrans truck directly in the path of these vehicles, providing a “traffic block” and preventing anyone from being struck by the weaving truck. At the same time, Mr. Akers continued to honk his horn and flash his lights in an effort to get the driver’s attention and attempt to stop him. The Fish and Game vehicle continued down the road in this manner until it finally left the roadway, crashing into a large oak tree and running through a wire fence. Immediately after the crash, two very large tree branches fell into the roadway. To prevent additional accidents, Mr. Akers left the safety of the shoulder and entered the highway to pull the branches off the road. He remained at the site to render aid to the Fish and Game employee until the California Highway Patrol arrived, at which time he assisted in the driver’s rescue from the truck. He provided officials with a detailed account of the entire incident, which made it possible for first responders to properly assess and treat the Department of Fish Game driver.