Officer

California Highway Patrol

8/27/2020

Special Act Award (Gold)

At 6:43 a.m. on August 27, 2020, a private civilian airplane was departing from Benton Airpark and crashed just after take-off. California Highway Patrol Lieutenant Michael Berry, from the Redding Area, was visiting with some of the Air Ops crew members. It was Sergeant Jeff Edgerton who noticed from his office that a private airplane was attempting to takeoff at an unusual altitude that was not consistent with sustained flight. Sergeant Edgerton loudly announced to everyone in the office that a plane was about to crash. The airplane departed the runway complex, crossed over Placer Street, and crashed into a steep, brush filled ravine. Lieutenant Berry entered his patrol vehicle and arrived on scene within approximately 30 seconds, notified the CHP Redding Communications Center of the crash, and requested multiple ambulances. Lieutenant Berry led the responding Air Ops personnel down the steep embankment to the burning crash site. Lieutenant Berry, and other officers arrived at the burning crash site and saw the first victim on the ground nearly 10 feet away from the burning fuselage. While circling the aircraft, they came upon a second victim who was thrown approximately 20 feet from the burning aircraft. Officer Eric Pohrman utilized a patrol vehicle fire extinguisher to put out the fire on and around the second victim. Lieutenant Berry, Officer Jeffery Hatcher, and Officer Erik Mallory picked up the second victim and moved them further away from the fully engulfed fuselage. The aircraft’s onboard oxygen tank had caught fire and caused a large secondary explosion. Officer Pohrman and Officer Steve Weyand arrived with additional fire extinguishers, and battled the fire on and around the first victim. Sergeant Edgerton, Officer Pohrman, and Officer Hatcher were able to pull the first victim away from the burning aircraft and vegetation. Lieutenant Berry coordinated with Sergeant Edgerton to perform a systematic grid search of the area to locate any additional victims. Lieutenant Berry CHP personnel carried the injured victims up the steep embankment to awaiting ambulances. The victims were transported to Mercy Medical Center for treatment of several life-threatening injuries. With no regard for his own safety, Lieutenant Berry went above and beyond the call of duty. The State of California takes great pride in presenting this Gold Medal of Valor to California Highway Patrol Lieutenant Michael Berry.