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Paul Yonezawa

Officer

California Highway Patrol

11/10/2001

Special Act Award (Gold)

Gold Medal of Valor
California Highway Patrol Officer Peter Kensinger and Officer Paul Yonezawa, on November 10, 2001, performed an act of heroism at risk to their personal safety when they rescued two Sheriff Deputies from a burning patrol vehicle. At 1:40 a. m., Officers Yonezawa and Kensinger had just completed a Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Investigation on Eastbound Compton Boulevard just west of Cookacre Street. As the officers secured the offender in their patrol car, they observed two Los Angeles County Sheriff patrol cars collide in the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Compton Boulevard. The force of the impact caused one of the patrol vehicles to strike an overhead light pole and concrete wall, sustaining extensive damage, the officers also observed flames coming from the engine compartment. Officers Yonezawa and Kensinger arrived at the scene and observed two Sheriff Deputies unconscious inside the damaged patrol vehicle. Officer Yonezawa attempted to open the door on the driver's side, but found it was jammed due to the collision. He retrieved the fire extinguisher from his patrol vehicle and attempted to extinguish the fire, which was growing in intensity and filling the patrol vehicle with smoke. Officer Yonezawa, fearing for the deputy's life, observed his window was rolled down, reached through the window and pulled the deputy to safety. He covered the injured deputy with a blanket to prevent him from going into shock while continuing to monitor his vital signs. Officer Kensinger positioned himself on the passenger's side of the burning patrol vehicle. The door on the passenger side was also jammed and the window rolled up. As the deputy regained consciousness, he began to scream and attempted to exit the patrol vehicle. Because of the damage to the patrol vehicle and the intensity of the fire, Officer Kensinger broke the window out with his flashlight, pulling the deputy out of the patrol vehicle. Within moments after extricating both deputies from the patrol vehicle, the passenger compartment was completely engulfed in flames.