Stone Presented Medal of Valor, The Dallas Police News September 23, 1977 Vol. XXIII No. 18
Dallas Police Officer Rick D. Stone, who did battle with 13,000 volts in a successful effort to save a man’s life has been awarded the departmental Medal of Valor by Police Chief Don Byrd.
The 26-year-old officer was presented the coveted medal, along with the department’s Life Saving Bar, in ceremonies last week at the Northwest District Station where Officer Stone is assigned.
The Medal of Valor ranks next in prominence to the Police Cross an award reserved for the suvivors of officers killed in the line of duty. Officer Stone is the 26th Dallas Officer to be presented the Medal of Valor.
He earned his awards the evening of August 5 after he and his rookie partner were dispatched to a major accident in the 2300 block of Inwood Road. A vehicle had snapped a power pole. Two power lines carrying 13,000 volts and two transformers had dropped onto the car, causing it to burst into flames.
What happened next is best described by Sgt. D. W. Marks, who nominated Stone for the awards.
“Officer Stone, with total disregard for his own personal safety, rushed immediately to the burning vehicle, dodging the dangling, dangerous powerline and attempted to free the driver”, the sargeant wrote. ” It became necessary for Officer Stone to reach through the front windshield, broken out completely by the impact, to free the man.”
“Officer Stone earlier had received a severe shock when he grabbed the door handle. Undaunted, with the vehicle charged with electricity and burning since impact, Officer Stone persisted in his rescue attempts and was able to free the driver of the vehicle. Moments later, the vehicle was destroyed by the flames”, Sgt. Marks said.
“It is without a doubt that Officer Stone was directly responsible for saving the life of the accident victim at imminent risk of serious bodily injury”, Sgt. Marks said. “He demonstrated exceptional courage performing a voluntary course of action in an extremely dangerous situation.”
Officer Stone is a department Field Training Officer and a member of the Dallas Police Pistol Team.
A native of Corsicana, he holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is married and has a five-year-old son.
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