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Trio presented with lifesaving awards |
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Monday, November 10 2008 |
By CHRIS MEYERS
Staff writer
A dark night with snow falling on the empty road and a lonesome car traveling through the night.
It’s the start of many fictional horror stories, only this one had a real-life tragedy at the end for a Fort Wayne teenager in February at the scene of a one-car crash in Whitley County.
After the car left the road and flipped into a creek, the driver, Lauren Coffee and her passenger, Rebecca Waters, the mother of a young child, were trapped inside as the car filled with freezing water and caught fire.
Those first on the scene, Mike Hill of the Richland Township Fire Department, Jason Spencer of the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department and Ken Smith of the Columbia City Police Department, rushed into the water, freed Coffee and carried her through thick smoke to a point in the creek where they could safely get her out of the frigid water.
For those efforts, the three were given lifesaving awards at a banquet Saturday night for their efforts to save the Fort Wayne residents.
Whitley County Sheriff Mark Hodges described the scene at which the three and many others who arrived risked their own well-being for those injured in the wreck.
He said there were several explosions, which hindered rescuers’ efforts to try to free the passenger of the car who was still trapped inside.
It was not until the car was removed from the creek that they were able to reach Waters, who had drowned, according to the Whitley County Coroner’s Office.
Hill, Spencer and Smith had to be given oxygen treatments from inhaling so much smoke as they worked to free Coffee and get her to safety.
The three rescuers, Coffee and her parents shared hugs, tears and smiles Saturday as Hodges, Columbia City Police Chief Mike Petersen and Richland Township Fire Department Chief Joe Wolf presented the lifesaving awards to their respective employees, and in Hill’s case, a volunteer.
Wolf echoed the comments of Petersen, who said that in a case like the wreck of Feb. 21, 2008, it didn’t matter for what agency the men worked.
All that mattered was getting those in danger to safety.
Petersen said today that he felt the event offered a “great opportunity” to give thanks to those involved and possibly create some closure for Lauren Coffee.
Her mother, Kelly Coffee said after the event that the rescuers and hospital staff in Whitley County were beyond helpful that terrible night in not only rescuing her daughter, but also at the hospital before Lauren was transferred to Fort Wayne.
“They were so personable. It was really incredible,” she said.
It was because of the selfless actions of all those involved and the support from all those involved locally that Kelly Coffee felt they should be honored.
“I really pushed for this,” she said of the banquet.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, November 11 2008 )
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