'Very grateful': 2 Prince George's Co. officers awarded for efforts during fiery crash
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Two Prince George's County police officers have received a national award for their quick thinking and swift actions in saving the life of a motorist on the beltway.
Corporal Phillip Zonn and Officer First Class Geobani Guerra will be honored at this year’s SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Dec. 27, in Dallas, Texas.
“Very grateful, I’ve never had anything like this happen,” said Guerra.
The officers were selected as part of a nationwide search to recognize the dedication and hard work of first responders who put their lives on the line every day. The local pair was nominated by the SERVPRO Team in Prince George’s County after the officers saved the life of a driver who was unconscious and trapped in a vehicle after a fiery crash earlier this year.
Both officers were off duty and headed home but swung into action.
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“As we try to wake him up we see that the car starts coming up in flames while he’s still in the vehicle, in the seatbelt, against the steering wheel. So we both run out to our cruisers and grab our fire extinguishers to put it out,” said Guerra.
It was Feb. 20, at 11 p.m., they witnessed a vehicle driving on the Capital Beltway by the Pennsylvania Avenue Eastbound exit, spin out, causing a violent two-car collision.
One of the drivers was trapped and became unconscious, the car was on fire. Prince George's finest didn’t think twice -- and If not for the quick thinking of the duo, the driver would have been killed.
“The seatbelt jammed so it wouldn’t release. So the car lights on fire as I’m in there trying to get the seatbelt off so I was able to grab my knife out of my pocket and I was able to kind of get inside the car and cut the seatbelt out so we could extract him out of the car before the thing engulfed flames,” said Cpl. Zonn.
Corporal Zonn and Officer First Class Guerra used fire extinguishers to keep the flames at bay and cut the trapped man out of the car.
Jorge Gutierrez, CEO of SERVPRO Laurel and Beltsville Maryland said, “We are a community-minded business, so It’s an honor for us to have the opportunity to recognize the brave men and women who protect us every day. The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is one way we celebrate these dedicated first responders and their families as the hometown heroes they are.”
The officers and their guests have received an all-expense paid trip to the First Responder Bowl where they will be presented with an award during a ceremony on the field. This is the 10th year that SERVPRO has sponsored this event.
Prince George’s Police Chief Malik Aziz said these officers are a shining example of the talented, dedicated first responders this area is known for.
“Both officers demonstrated exceptional courage, heroism, and resourcefulness in saving this driver’s life while exposing themselves to an extreme risk of harm,” he said. “These men showed the leadership that Prince George’s County Police Department strives for as we work to make sure our community has the highest respect for our work.”
More information about the First Responder Bowl, including the teams who will play in the game, can be found here.
