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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, In a heroic effort in the early morning hours, two |
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officers of the Mesquite Police Department, assisted by a private |
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citizen, rescued a man from a burning car; and |
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WHEREAS, Shortly after 4 a.m. on April 19, 2015, Zachary |
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Shipman, a Mesquite native who is now a member of the U.S. Navy, was |
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traveling on Interstate Highway 30 after leaving his parents' home |
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with his wife to travel to his new posting in Virginia; in the |
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predawn darkness, the couple came upon a traffic accident that had |
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taken place just moments before; a car that had collided with a |
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steel pillar was on fire, and the driver was trapped inside; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Shipman immediately dialed 911, and Officer |
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Ryan Nielson and Officer Autumn Soto quickly responded to the call; |
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when they arrived at the scene, the front of the car was engulfed in |
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flames, and the clothes of the unconscious driver were already on |
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fire; and |
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WHEREAS, With only moments to spare, and with little thought |
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for their own safety, Officers Nielson and Soto worked quickly to |
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free the trapped man, and with the help of Mr. Shipman, they pulled |
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the driver from the car and carried him to safety; and |
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WHEREAS, After an ambulance arrived, the victim of the crash |
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was transported to a local hospital, where he was categorized in |
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critical condition, with burns and internal injuries; and |
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WHEREAS, In recognition of his participation in the rescue, |
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Mr. Shipman was presented with a Citizen Certificate of Merit by |
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the Mesquite Police Department; and |
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WHEREAS, Thanks to the swift, skillful, and fearless action |
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of Officers Nielson and Soto, as well as the compassion and bravery |
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demonstrated by Mr. Shipman, an individual was saved from a |
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desperate situation, and these three heroes may indeed take great |
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pride in their actions on that fateful morning; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Officer Ryan Nielson, Officer Autumn |
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Soto, and Mr. Zachary Shipman for their dramatic rescue of a |
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traffic crash victim and extend to them sincere best wishes for the |
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future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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for Officer Nielson, Officer Soto, and Mr. Shipman as an expression |
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of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |