Tag: sf deputy

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriff saves Woman from Burning Car

Thursday, October 29, 2015
VALLEJO, Calif. (KGO) — ABC7 News was there for an emotional reunion between a San Francisco cop and a deputy sheriff and the young woman they saved from a burning car near Tracy. After almost a month’s stay at various hospitals, Briana Vargas will finally be able to go home soon. It’s a story you’ll see only on ABC7 News.

It was a tender moment Thursday as the two reunited with Briana.

Divine guidance is what Vargas and her mother, Linda Vargas, call it.

“God put you there, God put you there to save her and for her to still be here with us,” said Linda.

Briana added, “Yeah, I always tell her you guys are my little angels and that I’m glad to have another chance in life.”

The 18-year-old has been hospitalized since the horrific accident three weeks ago on Oct. 8. It happened at night where Highway 580 and Highway 205 meet near Tracy. Her car rolled down an embankment after colliding with a Jeep. She was ejected as her vehicle became engulfed in flames.

“I saw fire and I just tried to get up but my legs wouldn’t help,” said Briana.

San Francisco Sr. Deputy Sheriff Mike Clauzel was driving home from work when he saw the accident. He quickly rushed over to her.

“She was about 15 to 20 feet in front of the vehicle and the flames were advancing rapidly,” he said. “So she was lying face up. Her face was covered in blood.”

This image from October 8, 2015 shows a car fire near Tracy, Calif. A San Francisco cop and a deputy sheriff rescued 18-year-old Briana Vargas from that vehicle engulfed in flames. (KGO-TV)

Officer Ray Padmore added, “It was pretty horrific. Vehicles were on fire. Vehicles overturned.”

Padmore, who by coincidence is friends with Clauzel, happened to drive by at the same time. He too stopped and helped.

“Control the scene,” he said. “Make sure everyone is stabilized, make sure they’re out of harm’s way.”

The two, with help from other drivers, were able to pull Briana to the road where a helicopter would soon take her to a hospital. She had internal injuries and fractures.

“We just went into action and did things we normally do,” Padmore said.

But Briana has another name for them.

“They’re heroes, my angels,” she said.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

reported by KGO-TV Vic Lee.

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San Francisco Senior Deputy Sheriff Barbari Hailed as Hero after Detaining Suspect at Airport

San Francisco Senior Deputy Sheriff Barbari is something of a hero after he intervened in an incident at Midway International Airport in Chicago.  Senior Deputy Barbari is currently assigned to the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital conducting general law enforcement duties and security of the hospital ward.

We’ve all heard the stories of unruly airline passengers. This latest was a San Francisco man taken into custody by Chicago police, accused of assaulting an airline supervisor. Those officers had help from someone used to dicey situations who stepped in when no one else would.

“I saw a threat and I knew that it had to be stopped,” said Maz Barbari.

Maz’s 20 years with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department kicked in at Chicago’s airport Wednesday night. An unruly passenger in the boarding area allegedly punched a Southwest Airlines employee and the off-duty deputy jumped in.

He says his level of awareness was heightened by the mass killings in San Bernardino.

“It was playing all over the airport and I had my family with me so I wanted to make sure that this individual was not on the flight,” he said.

Maz is assigned to the psych ward at San Francisco General Hospital and red flags were raised when the man began making odd comments.

Southwest says the incident occurred after the SFO-bound passenger missed his flight because he arrived late at the gate. Sarah Barbari says she knew her husband would be the one to intervene.

“So I’m proud of him,” she said. “I’m glad he did it. It was a little intense.”

He held the man in a twist lock until Chicago police arrived.

“A few people who were sitting in the area that it happened said thank you and applauded. I was getting treated pretty well by the Southwest attendants on the flight,” he said.

And back in California, Maz is more than a husband and father, he’s a hero. San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

news report by Carolyn Tyler, ABC 7 News

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Mercado rendered aide to two children

On February 10, 2015, at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, the Rotary Club hosted its annual luncheon to honor the outstanding services of nominated personnel from the San Francisco Sheriff’s, Police and Fire Department’s, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Sheriff Mirkarimi nominated San Francisco Deputy Sheriff B. Mercado for his act of extraordinary service in rendering prompt and crucial aide to two children, ages four and one, left unattended in a parked car with all of the windows rolled up.

On his day off, while walking through the parking lot at a Wal-Mart store in San Jose, San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Mercado noticed the children sitting in their car seats by themselves. Although it was eight o’clock at night, the actual temperature was 76 degrees, which translated to a potentially critical situation for the children with the intensifying heat trapped inside of the car.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Mercado called the San Jose Police Department to respond to the scene, comforted the children while encouraging the older child to open the door. He searched the surrounding area for a parent or guardian, and asked a Wal-Mart employee to make an announcement via the store intercom.

After about one hour, the children’s mother returned to the vehicle and admitted to leaving her children inside the locked vehicle to prevent the older child from running around in the store. San Francisco Deputy Sheriff  Mercado placed the mother under arrest for child endangerment and turned the case over to the San Jose Police Department.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs Locate Missing SFGH Patient

SFGH
Sheriff’s Patrol Unit

On Friday, January 31, 2014, San Francisco Sheriff’s Deputies Majano and Goodman were on-duty assigned to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Patrol Division working at the San Francisco General Hospital Campus.

At approximately 10:00 a.m. they were conducting a secondary search for a medically at risk missing San Francisco General Hospital patient.. The patient had just been seen leaving a hospital ward. The patient was last seen walking northbound on Potrero Avenue. An immediate search was initiated of Potrero Avenue and the surrounding area.

At approximately 10:15 a.m, San Francisco Deputy Majano directed Deputy Goodman to park their patrol vehicle just north of the Muni bus stop located at Potrero Avenue and 16th Street. A Muni bus was pulling away from the bus stop when Deputy Majano flagged it down.

San Francisco Deputies Majano and Goodman boarded the bus and saw a subject matching the description of the medically at risk missing person sitting on the right rear seat. Deputy Majano made contact with the subject.

Deputies Majano and Goodman’s quick reactions and decision making skills resulted in the successful return of the medically at-risk person to San Francisco General Hospital. San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriff saves man on BART tracks

On February 12, 2013, San Francisco Deputy Sheriff J. Gomez was the recipient of the San Francisco Rotary Emergency Services Award – 2013, presented by Rotary Club #2 of San Francisco.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Gomez

San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Gomez was honored for her heroic actions of March 27, 2012. Deputy Gomez was at a BART station platform waiting for the train to commute to work. She noted that the next train was due to arrive in one minute. At that time a young man ran across the platform and fell onto the train tracks below the platform. San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Gomez immediately climbed down onto the tracks to rescue the young man from the arriving train. Another person came to Deputy Gomez’s aid and together they began to lift the man up to return him to the platform. Two more people came to assist and were successful in lifting him back onto the platform.

On the platform San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Gomez placed the unconscious man, on his side and in a position of recovery. The man was bleeding from his nose and mouth. When the man recovered consciousness, Deputy Gomez reassured the man and continued with first aid. When BART P.D. and medical assistance arrived, San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Gomez shared the appropriate information with BART P.D. and then caught the next train to report to work.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Gomez’s professionalism and bravery prevented a possible fatality or serious injury to a member of the public in their time of need.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Gomez was born in San Francisco and joined the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department in 1999. Deputy Gomez is currently assigned as a bailiff.

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriff resuscitates bicyclist who was struck by car

In March of 2015, a San Francisco Sheriff’s Deputy revived a bicyclist who was not breathing Monday after a car struck him in the Mission, another San Francisco Deputy Sheriff at the scene told the San Francisco Examiner.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriff I. Zaragoza said he and his partner arrived at the accident scene at 14th and Folsom streets about 12:30 PM to find a woman providing CPR for the injured bicyclist.

Though the bicyclist was wearing a helmet, Police Officer Grace Gatpandan said the man was taken to San Francisco General Hospital with severe head trauma and was in life-threatening condition. Zaragoza said he performed CPR on the man for seven to eight minutes before help arrived. “We’re trained to do chest compressions and that’s what I did,” said Zaragoza. “I just tried to give as much help as we can until other personnel had come up. Thank goodness that there was an off-duty firefighter paramedic that was also on scene.”

Zaragoza’s partner, San Francisco Deputy Sheriff C. Moore, described the bicyclist as 50 to 60 years old and bleeding heavily when first responders arrived. Oakland resident Noe Orozco said he witnessed the vehicle blow through a red light and strike the bicyclist as the bicyclist waited for the light to turn green.

Police could not confirm whether the driver of the white Honda Civic, who stayed at the scene, was at fault. No charges were announced Monday.

Reported by the Examiner, Michael Barba