DeKalb County police officers honored for heroics

Local law enforcement officers were honored Tuesday for their efforts to save a driver from a fiery crash in March.

“The awards recognized their combined, heroic efforts on that day which saved the life of the driver,” according to a news release. “The 24 year-old-driver, who has recovered from the crash, and his mother were able to attend the presentation and expressed their gratitude to the officers.”

Officers Jonathan Jursich, Lance Reinbolz and John Loechel of the DeKalb Police Department, Deputy Matthew Marks of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and officers Luke Kampmeier and Daniel Wojcik of the Sycamore Police Department were those recognized

About 3:20 a.m. March 22, the officers responded to a report of a car that had crashed and was on fire on North First Street in DeKalb. When the first officer arrived, he found the front of the vehicle in flames and the driver and only person in the car unconscious. The driver was trapped because of the damage from the crash and officers were not able to immediately remove him from the wreckage.

“At risk to their own safety, officers used multiple fire extinguishers to suppress the fire until arrival of the DeKalb Fire Department. Without their actions, the driver would have become overcome with smoke and fire, and would have perished in the crash,” according to a news release.