Sheriff credits central Indiana deputy for saving driver from further injury

EVERTON, Ind. (WISH) — A driver who suffered a medical emergency has a central Indiana sheriff’s deputy to thank for rescuing him from a pickup truck and preventing further injury, the Fayette County sheriff says.

Deputy Jake Lunsford was patrolling Sunday when he encountered a Ford F-150 truck traveling at a high speed near the intersection of State Road 1 and County Road 375 South. That’s in a rural section of southwestern Fayette County about a mile north of the unincorporated community of Everton and about 3 miles south of Connersville. It’s about halfway between downtown Cincinnati and downtown Indianapolis.

Fayette County Sheriff Zac Jones said on social media that Lunsford watched the pickup come to an abrupt stop in the oncoming lane. Lunsford was then contacted the driver and learned about the medical emergency.

“Due to the driver’s condition, he was pressing both the gas and brake pedals of the vehicle at the same time,” the sheriff wrote in his social media post. “The driver’s foot then came off the brake and the vehicle was heading towards a large embankment and utility pole.”

Lunsford pressed the clutch pedal to prevent the vehicle from moving, shut off the engine, and then worked to clear the airway of the ailing driver. Lt. Kevin Perry of the Connersville Police Department then arrived to help Lunsford remove the driver from the pickup.

The driver was not publicly identified in the post, which also did not give the man’s condition when medics took him from the scene.

The sheriff wrote, “We would like to commend Deputy Lunsford on his selfless effort in preventing any further injury occurring to this gentleman. It is actions like this, which personify the true definition of what a police officer should be. Deputy Lunsford will be receiving an official commendation for his response to this incident.”

Lunsford graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in August. Fayette County hired him in October 2022. Lunsford was previously a police officer with the Liberty Police Department, a jail officer in Fayette County, and a reserve officer in Henry County. He is a 2019 graduate of Connersville High School and lives in Fayette County.