California Highway Patrol Officer

California Highway Patrol

5/14/2013

Special Service Award (Silver)

On May 14, 2013, at approximately 3:33 p.m., California Highway Patrol Officer Steven Lewis responded to a traffic collision in Mariposa County where a vehicle went off the roadway, down a steep embankment overturned and caught fire. The driver was ejected and the fire quickly ignited the surrounding brush. Officer Lewis arrived on scene and saw the driver lying face down in the grass, his hair and clothing on fire. Officer Lewis immediately ran back to his patrol vehicle, grabbed the fire extinguisher, and worked his way down to the driver. When he reached the man, Officer Lewis immediately extinguished the flames on his body and saw he was alive. Officer Lewis emptied the rest of his fire extinguisher on the surrounding flames, to no avail. The brushfire was growing and a portable gasoline container lay nearby, so Officer Lewis grabbed the man’s ankles and began pulling him away. There was a loud explosion and the surrounding trees became engulfed in flames. Thick smoke filled the air, making it difficult to see or breathe. Officer Lewis, with the assistance of other officers who were on the scene, carried the driver to the embankment where he was secured to a backboard, carried up, and transported to the hospital. Despite the heroic actions of the officers, the man later succumbed to his injuries.