2005 Awards Ceremony
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Darnell Chevalier, James Johnson, Brian Gordon and Velma Johnson (not pictured) Exceptional Bravery for Citizens Award On Saturday, February 12, 2005 , these individuals were the first at the scene of a crash in St. Landry Parish. When they arrived at the scene, they observed a vehicle overturned and on fire with the driver pinned inside. They broke the window of the vehicle and attempted to pull the driver out. When they were unable to free him, they attempted to extinguish the fire using a bucket and water from a nearby ditch. Unable to extinguish the fire, they again attempted to pull the driver free. They continued to attempt to free the driver until fire engulfed the cab of the truck and they had to flee the area for their own safety. Although the driver died as a result of the crash, the heroic efforts of the four people involved with the rescue attempt goes without saying. They placed themselves in harm’s way to rescue someone unknown to them.