Corporal

Other

8/9/2010

Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor

Corporal Shane Scott of the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office witnessed a fiery collision of three vehicles that occurred on U.S. Highway 395, south of the City of Bishop, involving a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and passenger van that were engulfed in flames, and a partially burning third vehicle from which a female driver escaped. Corporal Scott arrived on the scene and heard trapped victims screaming from the inside of the SUV, which was lying on its roof. He attempted to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher, and saw a passenger, whose legs were on fire, desperately struggling to crawl out of the SUV. Corporal Scott entered the rear of the vehicle and grabbed the passenger. The heat was so intense that the victim’s skin was peeling off, causing Corporal Scott to momentarily lose his grip. Corporal Scott then grasped the torso of the victim, pulled him from the burning vehicle and dragged him to a safe location. By this time, the SUV was fully engulfed in flames and the other passengers had perished. Corporal Scott then ran to the burning van and determined that further rescue attempts were not possible. In total, six people perished that day, three in the SUV and three in the van. The female victim in the car suffered serious burns, while other survivors received major injuries.