April 28, 2016
For immediate release
Contact:
Cpt. Daniel Borrego
305-593-6699 xt. 2511
News Release
Doral Police Officer Saves Driver’s Life
During the early morning hours of April 24th, 2016, at approximately 4:45 a.m., Officer Kathy Alvarez was driving along U.S.-1 on her way to work. As she approached SW 112th street, she came across a vehicle crash, where a driver struck a palm tree head-on causing his vehicle to catch on fire. Alone, Officer Alvarez immediately radioed in the location of the crash and requested back-up officers to assist. The driver appearing disoriented and confused was leaning over the hood of the vehicle which had smoke billowing from the inside compartment. The driver still confused re-entered his vehicle not realizing that there were flames emitting from under the dashboard onto the passenger side of the vehicle.
As the flames grew stronger, Officer Alvarez struggled to remove the driver from his vehicle. The driver was refusing to exit the vehicle and had to be physically removed by Officer Alvarez. Almost instantaneously, upon extracting the driver out of the burning vehicle, the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames and blew up, as several by-standers fled the area in fear. Officer Alvarez was able to position the driver in a safe location away from the burning vehicle saving the driver from certain injury or death. It was later discovered that the driver had suffered a medical emergency, which caused his disoriented and confused behavior and refusal to obey Officer Alvarez’s commands to exit his burning vehicle.
City of Pinecrest Police Sgt. Dewhurst who responded to the scene to assist and was able to film the fully engulfed vehicle with a cell phone camera, advised that if not for Officer Alvarez’s quick and courageous actions the driver would have faced a different outcome. Officer Alvarez had only recently returned to active duty after being on maternity leave, becoming a new mother with the birth of her baby son. Officer Alvarez has proudly served her country for nine years as a member of the United States Army, 124th Infantry Battalion, Echo Company FSC, 53rd Infantry Brigade. She was deployed in 2009-2010 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. On March 31, 2016, Officer Alvarez re-enlisted for another year.
Officer Alvarez embodies the true meaning of our Doral Police motto, “We are the Guardians; A shield forged by Truth, Valor, Diversity and Reverence.” Through her bravery, her actions in the face of danger and courage she is a true guardian. This is another example of what is happening in the hearts and minds of law enforcement. A way to see them as what they are - heroes.
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