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Life Saving Incident

August 31, 2013
California
San Joaquin County
Unincorporated

On August 31, 2013, Officer Angel Arceo responded to a traffic collision on Mariposa Road, in an unincorporated portion of San Joaquin County, California. The collision involved a fuel tanker truck and trailer carrying approximately 8,400 gallons of gasoline. As a result of the collision, the tanker ruptured and the gasoline ignited as it spilled out onto the roadway. The fuel tanker truck and trailer then exploded and a fire quickly spread across the roadway and along the shoulder; igniting grass, structures, and four power poles. The fire to the power poles caused live power lines to fall to the ground, across the driveway and front yard of a home on Mariposa Road. A single female was in her home, recovering from recent hip surgery, when the collision occurred. When she heard the fiery explosion and realized a fire had spread to her front yard towards her propane tank, she hobbled out onto the driveway in fear for her life. When she reached the end of her driveway, she became trapped by fire. The fire had spread throughout her front yard to both sides of her driveway and she was not able to cross the live power lines that had fallen across the driveway due to physical limitations from her hip surgery. The woman could barely stand, let alone jump over live power lines which stretched across her driveway approximately two feet off the ground. When Officer Arceo arrived on scene and observed the woman at the end of her driveway, he quickly ran towards her and she explained to him that she could not jump over the power lines because of her surgery. As the fire quickly spread throughout her yard and towards her propane tank, Officer Arceo feared for her life and jumped over the power lines to rescue her. Officer Arceo grabbed the woman and lifted her up and over the power lines. After jumping over the power lines himself, he quickly carried the woman across Mariposa Road and over a four-foot-tall ranch fence to safety. The fire continued to spread across the front yard of the property, burning the entire front of the property and the east side of her house. The woman’s life was ultimately saved due to the heroic actions of Officer Arceo. For his efforts, the State of California awarded Officer Angel Arceo the Gold Medal of Valor for his extraordinary act of heroism extending far above and beyond the normal call of duty.

The history of law enforcement in the United States is a long and wonderful history of bravery. This website is dedicated to documenting the heroic deeds of law enforcement officers throughout the United States who have either given or risked their lives to save others. There are many stories of bravery and heroism for many who are considered first responders. However, it is those in law enforcement who are most likely to be the first to arrive upon a location requiring life saving acts engaging dangerous hostage takers, running into burning buildings/vehicles, providing first aid to seriously injured victims, saving near drowning victims and much more are what the women and men of law enforcement do routinely and at many times, great peril to their own safety.
It is our mission to document the history of lives saved by those dedicated women and men in law enforcement. To share with others the dramatic deeds of those individuals who are the first, first responders. It is so important for our citizens to understand that law "enforcement" is not always about enforcing the law but rather being there when our citizens need us.
It is to this end we are dedicated to promoting documentation regarding the history of law enforcement and the lives they have saved.