Above & Beyond the Call of Duty

 

Officer Nefty Padilla

 

   On Wednesday March 3, 2004 Officer Padilla was dispatched to the area of K-Mart in reference to a missing vehicle. Upon arrival he spoke with the owner of the missing car, Earl Norrick from Oakland City. Mr. Norrick told Officer Padilla he arrived at K-mart with his wife Rosalie to purchase some medicine for her. Mr. Norrick said he left his wife sitting inside the vehicle while he went inside to make the purchase. Upon Mr. Norrick's return from the store, he noticed that his 1988 Chevy Corsica was not in the parking lot anymore. Mr. Norrick was asked if it was possible that his wife might have driven off with the vehicle. Mr. Norrick told officers Padilla and Coomer that his wife had not driven a vehicle in years and she was not in the condition to drive a car.

   While the officers were getting information from Mr. Norrick, Mike Paiz, approached the officers and told them that a blue car was observed by his wife Ann, with an elderly female down in the creek adjacent to the parking lot. Officer Padilla along with Cpt. Coomer went to the creek and saw Mr. Norrick's vehicle down in the creek and Mrs. Norrick was sitting in the front passenger side seat with the door open. Mrs. Norrick had water up to her chest and was attempting to get out. Mrs. Norrick due to her age and medical conditions could not free herself from the automobile. Officer Padilla knowing that Mrs. Norrick had been in the frigid water for approximately 20-30 minutes, immediately entered the water to help Mrs. Norrick out of the vehicle. Cpt. Coomer radioed central dispatch to send Fire and Ambulance. With the help from Mike Paiz, Mrs. Norrick was removed from the vehicle and the creek to the parking lot. Fire and Ambulance arrived and treatment was given to Mrs. Norrick on the scene. Mrs. Norrick transferred to Gibson General Hospital were she was treated for hyperthermia and released later in the day.

   It is believed that Mrs. Norrick accidentally hit the gearshift and the vehicle rolled into the creek. 

   We would all like to thank Officer N. Padilla for going beyond the call of duty in rescuing Mrs. Norrick from a serious situation. 

Princeton Police Department Princeton IN.
Gibson County Indiana