Psychiatric Technician

Department of Mental Health

1/22/2007

Special Act Award (Gold)

In the late afternoon of January 22, 2007, Department of Mental Health, Napa State Hospital, Psychiatric Technician Phillip Scott Nixon, was leaving a Target store in South Napa with his 13-year-old son, when he noticed a man wandering around the parking lot, looking into cars. As Mr. Nixon drove by, he saw the man pointing a gun at a woman who was standing by her car with her two small children inside. Mr. Nixon saw fear in the woman’s eye and immediately knew the woman and her children were in danger. The suspect walked away when he saw Mr. Nixon. Fearing that this individual was going to put another person’s life in jeopardy, Mr. Nixon jumped into his truck and followed him while he called 9-1-1 on his cell phone. Mr. Nixon reported what he witnessed to police dispatch. At about this time, a California Highway Patrol officer drove by, and Mr. Nixon flagged him down. The suspect took notice of Mr. Nixon and the CHP officer and bolted across the parking lot toward the highway. Mr. Nixon instructed his son to stay with the victims until police came. He then ran after the suspect, crossing several lanes of traffic, with the CHP officer also in pursuit. Mr. Nixon was able to corner the suspect at a dead end that was covered with blackberry bushes until the CHP Officer arrived and apprehended the suspect. Mr. Nixon’s heroic and unselfish act of bravery prevented an armed man from possibly harming a woman and her two children, and greatly assisted law enforcement in apprehending the individual.