Four Champaign County first responders have been honored for their extraordinary courage during a March rescue involving two infants trapped inside a burning vehicle.
Champaign County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Ashley Walter and Bailey Ramsey, along with Mechanicsburg Fire Department Medic Thad Davis and EMT Jason Rithey, received the Extraordinary Heroism Award during the Ohio Attorney General’s Distinguished Law Enforcement Awards ceremony on Monday evening.
The award stems from a March 13 crash on State Route 4 near Hawk Road.
The vehicle left the roadway, struck a utility pole and embankment, and caught fire with the two infants trapped inside.
The responders worked together to reach the children, using a fire extinguisher to slow the flames and cutting through a child-restraint harness before getting the children out moments before the fire spread into the passenger compartment.
Both children were transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Walter and Ramsey sustained minor smoke inhalation, while Walter also suffered a minor burn during the rescue.
The driver, Anthony Blankenship, later pleaded guilty to two counts of child endangerment.
He was sentenced to a total of 30 days in jail, with 15 days to be served on each count, along with 36 months of community control, fines and court costs, a chemical dependency assessment, and drug and alcohol testing.
The Extraordinary Heroism Award recognizes the four responders for their willingness to put themselves in harm’s way and their teamwork in saving the lives of the two children.
