Congressman Mike Garcia honored two deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD)  Lancaster Station on Tuesday for their actions in saving a civilian from a burning vehicle last year.

At approximately 2:36 a.m. on Tuesday, August 15th, 2023, Sergeant Collin Reddy and Deputy Jeremiah Nurse each responded to the intersection of 15th Street West and Avenue J-10, Lancaster.

While on patrol, Sgt. Reddy noted that a “sudden power outage” sent the streets into darkness. Knowing this couldn’t have occurred without cause, he began searching nearby. He soon came across the bright glow of a burning vehicle.

“As I started driving around, I found the collision, (and) found the vehicle overturned on an electrical box,” Reddy said.

The vehicle had violently crashed into an electrical box and landed on its side before bursting into flames, as seen in body camera footage provided by the LASD. The driver was still inside.

Deputy Nurse soon arrived to provide backup, helping Reddy brave the heat and potential explosive danger to pull the man from the flames.

Reddy and Nurse went on to display “remarkable acts of valor… when they pulled a man from a burning vehicle without regard for their safety,” according to a news release from the LASD.

“It was terrifying. But going through my mind, it was, ‘This man has a family, he’s one of our citizens of our County.’ We want to make sure he gets home, one way or another,” Nurse said.

Garcia, whose representative area includes Lancaster and Santa Clarita, honored the two LASD personnel with a Community Champion Award at the College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center in Santa Clarita on Tuesday evening.

“We need more of you, and God bless you,” Garcia said.

Nurse and Reddy are the first recipients of the award, which is planned to be bestowed upon first responders each quarter.

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