New Hanover County District Attorney Ben David awarded three Wrightsville Beach Police Department officers with the 2015 Service Above Self Award for their efforts in making a water rescue last June.
David presented the award to Lt. Jason Bishop, Sgt. Jordan Smith and officer Sten Taube for their midnight water rescue of Daniel Garcia of Willow Springs, N.C. on June 7, 2015. David presented the award at the Feb. 9 Downtown Wilmington Rotary Club meeting.
Bishop used a paddleboard to reach Garcia, who had swam about 30 to 40 feet out into Little Lollipop Bay near Bermuda Drive in an effort to elude police. Police said they noticed Garcia’s head going underwater, leading Bishop to use a nearby resident’s paddleboard to make the rescue.
Once onshore, Garcia was unconscious, where Smith and Taube performed CPR on him before emergency medical services arrived, taking him to the hospital where he was revived after being put on life support. Garcia was fleeing police after they noticed him driving erratically through the central business district.
Bishop was injured in the rescue, tearing a tendon in his pinky finger that required surgery.
