Two detention officers from the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office are being praised for their bravery and quick thinking after helping save a life over the weekend. According to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, Officers Jaycob Willis and Mallory Balmer jumped into action after seeing a car crash late Saturday night.
The incident occurred roughly around 11:19 p.m. at W. Franklin Rd. and the railroad tracks in Norman, OK. The officers heard the crash and, seeing smoke, chose to immediately investigate. The dispatch to Norman Police identified that a train was coming towards a vehicle, which was high-centered on the tracks. "Acting without hesitation, they jumped into a vehicle to go investigate," as mentioned the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office statement.
When the officers arrived, they found a woman trapped in her car with a train quickly approaching. In a tense race against time, they pulled her to safety just before the train hit the vehicle. Moments later, the train slammed into the car, throwing it into a concrete barrier and badly damaging the crossing arms, according to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office.
The driver, who was reportedly very intoxicated, was not hurt. She was taken to Norman Healthplex for evaluation, then booked into the Cleveland County Detention Center. The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office thanked Officers Jaycob Willis and Mallory Balmer for their quick and brave actions. The community is also praising the officers for stepping in and saving a life.
