Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Police Chief Sterling Owen today awarded the department's Life Saving Award to Officer Todd Strickenberger and Officer Mike Rupe for saving the life of a trapped accident victim.

Both Officer Strickenberger and Officer Rupe have been with the department since May 2002.

Chief Owen said that on November 6, 2004, officers Strickenberger and Rupe heard a vehicle crash occur near Middlebrook Pike and Loraine Street. Both officers responded to the scene immediately. When they arrived they discovered the victim, Nancy Jenkins, had been thrown from her vehicle and was trapped underneath a jackknifed trailer that she had been pulling with her Jeep. The victim was suffering life-threatening injuries including a rapid loss of blood. The officers immediately reacted to the situation by rolling the trailer off the victim allowing for life saving efforts to begin immediately.
Chief Owen said, "The victim was so critically injured that 1st responders did not expect the victim to survive."

"According to Ms. Jenkins' doctors, had she remained pinned underneath the trailer much longer, she would have bled to death. Instead, she was recently released from the hospital and should be able to walk again sometime in the next few months," said Chief Owen.

Mayor Haslam said, "It is apparent that had these two officers not reacted in the manner they did, Ms. Jenkins may have died. Ms. Jenkins' family members along with the entire Knoxville Police Department are appreciative for the actions of these fine officers."

Both officers will receive a signed certificate from the Mayor and Chief along with a free dinner from Ruby Tuesday Restaurant.

Click here to view a listing of previous KPD award winners.