David Crislip
California Highway Patrol Officer
California Highway Patrol
7/27/2016
Special Act Award (Gold)
On July 27, 2016, at 2:41am, Officer David Crislip, and his partners Officers Kyle Bush and Felix Serpas, were on patrol when they observed a car pass them at a high rate of speed. As they followed the car, it suddenly veered to the right across all lanes and exited I-10 at Francisquito Avenue. The officers continued to follow and observed it fail to stop at the stop sign at the end of the off-ramp. As the car accelerated onto North Garvey Avenue, Officer Crislip initiated an enforcement stop. The car failed to yield, and continued to travel at approximately 60-70 miles per hour on North Garvey Avenue. The car turned onto Big Dalton Road and drifted to the right, striking a raised concrete curb, several trees, a water main line, and a fire hydrant. The car then spun back into the roadway and immediately caught on fire. Officer Crislip exited the patrol vehicle and ran to the burning car where he observed the driver exiting the car. Officer Crislip assisted the driver to safety and returned to the burning vehicle where he observed a female passenger trapped on the rear right floorboard. Officer Crislip reached into the car through the thick smoke and intense heat, and with great effort, removed the female passenger from the vehicle and moved her to a safe location. Officer Bush recognized the severity of the incident and retrieved the patrol vehicle’s fire extinguisher to battle the growing flames of the burning vehicle. Officer Serpas and Officer Crislip then heard additional screaming and saw another passenger trapped in the front seat of the burning car. Officer Serpas used his knife to cut the seat belt holding the passenger in the vehicle. Officer Crislip, with the help of Officer Serpas and Officer Bush again braved the heat, smoke, and flames to remove the passenger from the car.
With no regard for his own safety, Officer Crislip’s heroic act saved three lives from a burning vehicle.
The State of California takes great pride in presenting this Gold Medal of Valor to California Highway Patrol Officer David Crislip.