Group Supervisor

California Youth Authority

7/21/1981

Special Act Award (Gold)

At approximately 1:00 pm, Mr. Thomas Marich was en route from the Youth Training School when he was passed by a speeding vehicle going approximately 85 – 100 m.p.h. Shortly afterwards, the speeding vehicle hit a passing dairy truck and came to a halt. Three of the occupants fled; the fourth approached the elderly truck driver and began beating him. Observing the confrontation, Mr. Marich tried to pin the suspect between his car and the motorist, but was unable to do so. He jumped out of his car to pull the suspect off of the now unconscious man, when the suspect pointed a gun at his head and said, “You’re a dead man!” Mr. Marich informed the gunman that he was a peace officer. At that point the suspect ordered Mr. Marich to back away, jumped into his car, and attempted to drive away. Mr. Marich ran to the rear of his vehicle, opened the hood, and disabled the car by pulling out the coil wire. A police officer arrived and Mr. Marich informed him that the suspect was armed. The suspect threw the weapon out of the car window and surrendered to the officer. The fugitive was one of four suspects in a $20,000 jewelry theft. Policy subsequently recovered the jewelry.