Sonoma County, California, Sheriff Eddie Engram presented the Carnegie Medal to police officer Gary J. Lawson and sheriff’s deputy Cody M. McCready at a presentation held at the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 10.
Lawson and McCready were awarded the medal after they rescued a woman from drowning in Guerneville, California, on Feb. 25, 2024.
A 38-year-old woman under the influence of drugs and alcohol struggled to swim in the cold, fast-moving water of the Russian River. The rain-swollen river was estimated to be at least 10 feet deep and surged faster than normal. Lawson, 48, responded to the scene, ran down to the water’s edge where he spotted the woman in the water, and removed his equipment before donning an unbuckled life vest. Lawson entered the water and swam to the woman, who resisted his help, and submerged Lawson multiple times as they continued downriver. He managed to grasp the woman by the shirt, to control her as she continued to resist, and swam with her about 50 feet toward a partially submerged island closer to the opposite bank. Lawson maneuvered both himself and the woman to a thicket of exposed tree branches along the island’s submerged riverbank. He reached out, grasped a branch, and stopped their momentum.
Meanwhile, McCready, 34, arrived on the near riverbank and ran along it until he saw Lawson and the woman. After removing his own equipment, he entered the river without a life vest. McCready waded and then swam to Lawson and the woman. McCready then positioned his foot on a branch and helped to restrain the woman as she continued to frantically scratch and claw at both men. Within minutes, firefighters arrived in a rescue boat and removed the woman from the water. They took her to a nearby beach where she was arrested. The firefighters then helped Lawson and McCready to safety. McCready was cold and tired, but otherwise unharmed. Lawson, who had spent 25 minutes in the water, was shivering uncontrollably. He also sustained some scratches from the woman, but he soon recovered.
Sheriff Engram praised the two men who risked their lives to save the woman.
“I am both honored and proud of Sgt. Gary Lawson and Deputy McCready for their extraordinary bravery in saving a life and being awarded the Carnegie Medal,” Engram said. “I take great pride in all my deputies who diligently carry out the challenging yet rewarding task of keeping our community safe.”
