Coweta County hero honored at capitol
by Sarah Fay Campbell
The praise keeps coming for Coweta County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jason Ross.
Ross, who pulled an injured woman from her burning car on Sept. 10, 2011, was honored at the Georgia State Capitol Wednesday with a Senate resolution.
Senate Resolution 426 states Ross “demonstrated exemplary courage, leadership and humility in putting the needs of another individual whose life was in jeopardy above his own and it is abundantly fitting and proper that the extraordinary accomplishments of this distinguished Georgian be appropriately recognized.”
The resolution goes on to say that members of the Georgia Senate “commend the courageous and selfless dedication of Deputy Jason Michael Ross and recognize him for receiving the Valor Service Award from the Peace Officers Association of Georgia.”
State Senator Mike Crane, R-Newnan, was one of three sponsors of the resolution. Others were Sen. Jack Hill, R-Reidsville, and Sen. Buddy Carter, R-Pooler, who is chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee.
Ross, Coweta Sheriff Mike Yeager, and Lt. Col. Mike Kinsey were at the capitol for the honor, as were representatives from the Peace Officers Association of Georgia.
Ross was on patrol the night Sept. 10, 2011, when he came upon a head-on collision. The occupant of one vehicle was already out but the other vehicle, a Dodge Durango, was engulfed in flames and its driver, Trischica Leatrice Evans, was trapped inside.
Unable to extinguish the fire, Ross and a passerby –who has never been publicly identified – pulled Evans from the vehicle. Ross sustained burns to his face and arms.
The entire rescue was captured by Ross’s dash video camera.
“Deputy Ross acted courageously and selflessly to save Trischica Evans,” said Sen. Crane. “I’m proud to represent a community with outstanding citizens like Deputy Ross.”
For his actions, Ross was named Deputy Sheriff of the Year by the Georgia Sheriff’s Association and Georgia Officer of the Year for Valor by the Peace Officers Association of Georgia.
In November, he was recognized by Gov. Nathan Deal and presented with the Governor’s Public Safety Award.
An edited video of the rescue can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw9rftvLYNg .
