California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers from Oceanside received the Medal of Valor Tuesday in West Sacramento for preventing a suicidal woman from jumping off a freeway bridge, according to CHP.
The pair of officers represented two out of 22 state employees honored with the Medal of Valor Award for acts of heroism at the CHP Academy. They were recognized at a ceremony held at 1:30 p.m., according to the California Department of Human Resources (CAL HR).
Last year on April 26, CHP officers Kerry Comphel and Jason Hughes rescued a suicidal woman leaning off an overcrossing on Interstate 5 in Carlsbad, said CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt.
Officers Comphel and Hughes managed to catch the woman as she attempted to jump off the edge, said Officer Bettencourt. While her body dangled over the overpass, they pulled her to safety with a valiant effort.
During the ceremony, there were half a dozen other CHP personnel honored with medals. That included employees from the state departments of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Fish and Wildlife, Forestry and Fire Protection, Parks and Recreation, Military and Transportation.
