Officer

California Highway Patrol

1/7/1996

Special Act Award (Gold)

At approximately 3:50 a.m., Officer Reynolds was returning home in his personal vehicle when he was passed by a Ford Bronco traveling at an estimated speed of 100 miles per hour. The Bronco contained three teenage males returning from a party on the beach. Approximately two miles north of the location where Officer Reynolds was passed, he observed smoke and fire coming from the bottom of the northbound US 101 Liberty Canyon off-ramp. Officer Reynolds turned around at the next exit and returned to the scene. Upon his arrival, Officer Reynolds observed the Bronco on its left side and burning, approximately 100 feet from the bottom of the Liberty Canyon off-ramp. Two truck drivers had also stopped and Officer Reynolds directed them to bring fire extinguishers from their trucks. Officer Reynolds and the truck drivers were unable to extinguish the flames, which were rapidly spreading to the passenger compartment. The occupants of the Bronco were injured and could not free themselves. They were begging for help. Although Officer Reynolds was apprehensive because he could smell a strong odor of gasoline and the fire was rapidly spreading to the passenger compartment. he decided to risk his own life to rescue the trapped men. Officer asked the truck drivers to assist him with the removal of the injured. Officer Reynolds, with the assistance of the two drivers, managed to remove all three parties from the vehicle just moments before the interior burst into flames.