California Highway Patrol Officer

California Highway Patrol

1/29/2016

Special Service Award (Silver)

On January 29, 2016, at 4:05 p.m., California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Maniord and Officer Andy Murrill, responded to a call of a traffic collision with an ambulance responding. Upon their arrival, they observed a man walking along the bank of Canyon Creek. The man stated he had lost control of his vehicle and it was upside down in Canyon Creek. He also stated his passenger was trapped in the vehicle. Without hesitation, Officer Maniord, Officer Murrill, and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Equipment Operator II James Anderson waded across approximately 20 feet of waist deep, swift moving, icy cold water, to the trapped woman’s location. They observed her to be nearly unresponsive, bleeding profusely, confused, and exhibiting signs of hypothermia. Mr. Anderson cut the woman’s seat belt, and with great effort while struggling against the strong current, Officers Maniord and Murrill, and Mr. Anderson extricated her from the vehicle and began to carry her across the creek. As they carried her across the creek, Mr. Anderson lost his footing on the rocky creek bed, fell into the water, and began to travel downstream. While maintaining control of the woman, Officers Maniord and Murrill, with help from Caltrans Equipment Operator II Kenneth Meyers, reached out and held onto Mr. Anderson, preventing him from being swept downstream. Mr. Meyers helped Mr. Anderson to his feet and out of the creek. The officers then carried the woman up the steep embankment and over the metal guardrail. Officer Maniord covered the woman in a blanket and placed her in the rear of a California Highway Patrol vehicle. Officers Maniord and Murrill provided medical treatment to the woman until relieved by CalFire personnel. As a result of this traffic collision, the woman suffered from hypothermia, a fractured right rib, and lacerations to her left leg and right arm.