Boone County Sheriff Les Hill presented the Carnegie Medal to police Officer Jacob Sander and sheriff’s Sgt. Jonathon Ball at the Boone County Sheriff’s office in Burlington, Kentucky, on March 12.
Sander and Ball were awarded the Medal in September 2025 after they saved a woman from drowning on Jan. 12, 2025, in Florence, Kentucky.
Kristin Barbiea, 47, was walking her dogs along a partially ice-covered pond at the center of her apartment complex when one of them got loose and ran onto the ice. The dog fell into a hole and Barbiea attempted to retrieve the dog but the ice broke beneath her feet, plunging her and the dog into the water. She was unable to grasp the edge of the crumbling ice sheet and tried to keep herself and the dog above water. A neighbor called 911 and on-duty, Sander, 30, and Ball, 34, were in the area to respond to the scene. Sander was informed that officers were on their way with rescue ropes, but he later said he felt she might drown if he did not intervene. Sander removed his equipment before stepping onto the ice, breaking through it twice. He located a solid patch before he laid flat on the ice and army-crawled to Barbiea. Once there, Sander grasped her and unsuccessfully attempted to remove her. Meanwhile, Ball arrived at the scene and called out to Sander to ask how he could assist. Fully clothed, Ball made his way out onto the ice while Sander shouted instructions at him on where the ice was most safe. He crawled on his hands and knees to Sander and Barbiea where he grasped Sander by his boot. The two men pulled her up and onto the ice where they stood to each grasp one of Barbiea’s arms before dragging her across the ice to shallow water near the bank. Emergency personnel helped them move Barbiea to safety on land and took her to the hospital. Sander was cold as a result of the rescue but was otherwise unharmed. Ball was cold and fatigued following the incident. He recovered.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office stated in a press release that they were proud of both officers and how honored they were to present the medal to them.
“Their actions are the embodiment of what it means to serve,” Sheriff Hill said. “They represent the values we hope to instill in our children and grandchildren: bravery, compassion, commitment, and a willingness to act when others cannot,” stated Hill. “Many people enter law enforcement because they want to help others. On that night, Officer Sander and Sgt. Ball didn’t just help someone, they saved her life.”