By Vanessa Fultz
Suwannee Democrat
LIVE OAK, Fla. — A fiery crash proved fatal for the passenger in a car that hit a light pole in March. It could have turned fatal for the vehicle’s driver had it not been for a police officer and paramedic that went beyond the call of duty.
Live Oak Police Officer Thomas Faller and Suwannee County Firefighter/Paramedic Shawn Hillengas arrived on the crash scene shortly after 3 a.m. on March 3. Adrienne Linton, the driver of a 1987 Chevrolet sedan, had just hit two power poles on SR 51. Electrical wires lay on and around the vehicle, and it was dark.
Linton, 37, of Live Oak, tried to exit the vehicle before workers arrived, but was forced back inside when she suffered a shock from static electricity that had gathered near the door.
Steven Burns Sapp, her passenger, attempted to exit the front passenger door. Linton told police that Sapp, her fiance, got about three steps from the vehicle when he began calling for help. Sapp had become pinned under a part of a utility pole that was burning.
Linton’s vehicle also began to burn. When workers arrived at the scene they found Linton trapped in the car calling for help.
Though there were other emergency workers on the scene, Faller and Hillengas took a flashlight and walked carefully around electric lines to get to the victim.
“They had to calm her down first because she was hysterical,” said Charlie Conner, county Public Safety Director/Fire Chief.
Conner said the two men couldn’t quite reach the vehicle and had to instruct Linton to jump from her car without touching it or the electrical lines lying on the ground.
“She would have burned or gotten electrocuted,” Conner said.
Linton was taken to Shands Lake Shore in Lake City with minor injuries. Sapp, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Faller was recognized at the city council meeting April 14 for his actions.
“In my eyes he is truly a hero, by anyone’s standards,” said Police Chief Buddy Williams, as he pinned a medal on Faller’s shirt. City council members gave Faller a standing ovation.
“Officer Faller put himself in peril to save a person’s life,” said Mayor Sonny Nobles, while he presented Faller a community service award.
Linton attended the county commission meeting on April 21 to thank Hillengas personally.
“It was a hard night for all of us,” Linton said, wiping away her tears.
“I know everybody went above and beyond their duties. I want to thank you so much,” Linton said as she embraced Hillengas.
“It’s really neat to see what rescue workers and officers do to save someone’s life and they don’t think twice about it,” said Conner.
Copyright 2009 Suwannee Democrat