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. From his office window, California Highway Patrol Sergeant Jeff Edgerton noticed the private airplane was attempting to takeoff at an unusual altitude that was immediately apparent to him was not consistent with sustained flight. Sergeant Edgerton shouted to everyone in the office that a plane was about to crash. The airplane departed the runway complex, and crashed into a steep, brush-filled ravine. Officer Eric Pohrman was the first officer out the door. Officer Pohrman, Officer Jeffery Hatcher and Officer Erik Mallory arrived within approximately 30 seconds of the crash. Lieutenant Michael Berry and CHP personnel went down the steep embankment and found the first victim laying 10 feet from the burning fuselage. Upon further investigation, they found a second victim who had been thrown 20 feet from the aircraft and was actively on fire. Officer Pohrman utilized a patrol vehicle fire extinguisher to put out the fire on and around the second victim. Lieutenant Berry, Officer Hatcher, and Officer Mallory picked up the second victim and moved him away from the flame engulfed fuselage. Officer Pohrman went back towards the fully engulfed wreckage, to assist the first victim. The aircraft’s onboard oxygen tank caught fire, causing a large secondary explosion. Sergeant Edgerton, Officer Pohrman, and Officer Hatcher were able to pull the first victim away from the burning aircraft. Sadly, the only two remaining occupants of the aircraft remained trapped inside and perished. Officer Pohrman directed the arriving emergency personnel to set up in a way to prevent the fire from advancing onto the rescued victims and CHP personnel. Officer Pohrman and CHP personnel carried the injured victims up the steep embankment to awaiting ambulances. With no regard for his own safety, Officer Pohrman 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 Officer Eric Pohrman.