Crime & Safety

Deputy Awarded Purple Heart for Action During Metrolink Wreck

Deputy John Ebert was among 35 members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department awarded Valor and Meritorious Conduct medals.

Sheriff Lee Baca presented 35 members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department with Valor and Meritorious Conduct medals Tuesday for their acts of heroism.

Among them was Purple Heart recipient Deputy John Ebert, who was on board the Metrolink train which collided with a freight train in Chatsworth on Sept. 12, 2008 killing 26 people.

He was assigned to provide passenger security, and sustained numerous serious and life-threatening injuries. However, he maintained his composure, calmed the fears of other passengers, and assisted people getting off the train, even though he was physically disabled himself. He then collapsed from his injuries.

Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Other awards went to:

-- Sgt. Joseph Fender and deputies Jonathan Boden and Marco Grajales were honored for their actions on Dec. 29 during a severe winter storm with winds over 60 mph when they arrived at what had been reported as a fire in Lancaster. No fire was found, but the wind had knocked loose several power lines, causing live wires to create sparks and smoking at a home. The three risked their lives as a high-tension power line with more than 12,000 volts of electricity was swinging wildly against a home, causing explosions. At great risks to their lives, they braved the smoke and explosions to get family members and a dog out of the home safely.

Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

-- Deputy Daniel Torres and a partner went to an assault with a deadly weapon call at an apartment in the unincorporated area of Rowland Heights on Nov. 26. They found a man stabbing a victim with a hatchet and he was bleeding profusely from his head and torso. At great risk to their lives, the deputies stopped the suspect from doing additional damage to the victim.

-- Deputy Cesar Mayorga and deputies Michael Guthrie, Kenneth Hancock and Cesar Landeros from the Lakewood Station lifted a car that was crushing a man underneath, lifted it as Mayorga, with no regard for his personal safety, pulled the man out on Sept. 7, 2010.

-- Deputy Richard DiGiovanni and other deputies responded to a family disturbance with a gun call in Lawndale on Nov. 3, 2009 when they found the suspect. DiGiovanni paralleled the suspect as he was running and firing an automatic weapon at the deputies. DiGiovanni sustained a gunshot wound in his shoulder and despite being in extreme pain, he continued until the suspect was brought down.

-- Deputy Robert Pavlik was on patrol in Paramount on the evening of Nov. 30, 1996 when he responded to a disturbance call involving several juveniles who were smoking marijuana. He was about to detain a 29-year-old gang member who fled on a bicycle. Pavlik chased him on foot. He tried to pepper spray the suspect, but the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot Pavlik in the chest and in each arm. After Pavlik fell to the ground, the suspect shot him in the face. He eventually had to retire from the department because of his injuries.

City News Service contributed to this report.


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