Officer

California Highway Patrol

4/16/2003

Special Act Award (Gold)

California Highway Patrol Officer Raymond Faulk, on April 16, 2003, performed an act of heroism at risk to his personal safety in an attempt to prevent a suicidal subject from jumping to her death from a freeway over crossing. At approximately 3:40 p. m., Officer Faulk was in plain clothes and driving his undercover CHP vehicle northbound on SR-1 approaching the Capitola Avenue overpass in the city of Capitola. During the approach to the overpass, Officer Faulk observed a female standing on the south side of the over crossing looking towards the northbound traffic below. She continued to stare at the traffic as Officer Faulk drove under the overpass. Relying on his intuition, keen observation ability, and the knowledge that jumpers have been know to use the overcrossing in the past, Officer Faulk exited State Route 1 at Bay Avenue and proceeded to Capitola Avenue via Soquel Drive to better observe the subject’s actions. After arriving and parking east of the Capitola Avenue overpass, Officer Faulk observed the subject on the opposite side of the road approximately 75 feet away. Officer Faulk watched the subject as she continued to stare at the freeway traffic below while smoking a cigarette. After finishing the cigarette, the subject straddled the concrete overpass railing, and let her right leg dangle over traffic. At this time, Officer Faulk exited his vehicle, began to approach the subject and requested assistance from the Capitola Police Department. As Officer Faulk got within approximately five feet of the subject, she suddenly swung her left leg over the railing and began to lower herself into the air over the northbound traffic lanes. Thinking quickly, Officer Faulk lunged forward and immediately grabbed the subject under her arms from behind and pulled her back over the railing and onto the sidewalk to safety. The subject began to struggle with him and yelled for him to let go of her as she was only going to jump later. Due to the ongoing struggle, Officer Faulk retrieved his handcuffs and attempted to handcuff the subject. Upon realizing that Officer Faulk was a peace officer, the subject became very violent and attempted to break Officer Faulk’s grasp. Unable to apply the handcuffs, Officer Faulk used his body weight to restrain the subject, at which time she began to quiet down. Officer Faulk was then able to handcuff the subject while waiting for assistance from the Capitola Police Department. The subject was subsequently transported to the Dominican Hospital Mental Health Unit for 72 hour observation.