Thames Valley Police officer who pulled man from M40 honoured
An off-duty police officer who dragged an injured man from a busy lane of a motorway has been honoured with a bravery award.Thames Valley Police's PC Henry Johnson was travelling home on the M40 from a shift in Maidenhead at 07:00 GMT on 14 January 2023 when the incident occurred.He pulled over as he saw the man jump from a bridge on to the carriageway, before pulling him away from traffic on to the hard shoulder and providing first aid.He has been recognised with a Thames Valley Police Federation 2025 Bravery Award, which he will officially receive next week.
Recalling the events, PC Johnson said it had been "raining, freezing cold and pitch black".He said he slowed down as he saw the man walking on a bridge because "something told me that it didn't look right"."My police intuition made me slow down, so I could see his face and see if he was alright."
'Life-saving hero'
The man ignored PC Johnson's shouts to him, before climbing over the barrier and jumping on to the busy motorway.PC Johnson, who by this time had stopped and called his colleagues for support, ran into lane one, took hold of the man - who was seriously injured - and dragged him to safety."We were on the hard shoulder, with lorries whizzing past us," he said."I had to keep myself low down, and I just kept updating the control room and waited for officers to get there."Following the arrival of police and paramedics, the man was taken to hospital, where he remained for more than a month whilst recovering.PC Johnson said he felt "honoured" to receive the award."Loads of officers do really amazing things every day, but I always think that I just did what every other officer would do in that situation," he said.Thames Valley Police Federation chair Aileen O'Connor added that PC Johnson was a "life-saving hero" who was "incredibly brave".
You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Five feared killed in horror school shooting as armed police swarm scene
Elite armed police have raced to a school in Graz, Austria's second largest city, after a gunman opened fire in broad daylight. The BORG Dreierschützengasse school is being evacuated with officers swarming the scene. Austrian special task force Cobra has also been deployed to the horror incident, which unfolded at about 10am local time. There are fears as many as five people may have been killed and multiple people injured, according to local media, and a police spokesperson believes the shooter may be a pupil at the school. Students and teachers are believed to be among the victims. Federal police have been deployed to the scene, according to local reports. Cobra units - armed special forces part of the Federal Ministry of the Interior - have rushed to a community administered hospital nearby the shooting site. At keast five people may have died following the school shooting this morning. Police rushed to the scene at around 10am local time (9am GMT) this morning, in the Dreierschützengasse neighborhood, with a local spokesperson telling national broadcaster ORF early on that one person may have died. Fritz Grundnig said one person "possibly also dead" following the shooting. Police have confirmed in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that Cobra units were deployed to the site of the suspected shooting this morning. +++Aktuell läuft in der Dreierschützengasse in #Graz ein Polizeieinsatz. Bitte an die Anweisungen der Polizeikräfte halten. +++ #graz1006
The National
6 days ago
- The National
Labour minister in 'jaw-dropping' U-turn on drug consumption rooms
Diana Johnson, for the Home Office, was confronted with her own words backing the facilities at a meeting of the Scottish Affairs Committee on Tuesday morning. LibDem Angus McDonald said his 'jaw had just dropped open' after Johnson repeatedly ruled out reforming drug laws and suggested that the UK Government would not consider changes even if the Thistle Centre trial in Glasgow proved a success. Asked what the Government's response would be if the facility showed a reduction in viruses such as HIV, she said: 'We do not support drug consumption facilities, it's not our policy, we do not want to, we will not be amending the Misuse of Drugs Act.' McDonald said: 'My jaw has just dropped open with that. If the Thistle turns out to be a great success within a year, I would be so excited about rolling that out everywhere and I wouldn't wait for two and a half years; 1100 people are dying per year. "It's working all round the world, as far as I understand it. I think it's the most wonderful way of cutting drug deaths and then we can work at rehabilitation. 'Why wouldn't we want to follow that?' Johnson said that the Glasgow scheme was a pilot and its results had to be evaluated, adding: 'This is not UK Government policy, it's obviously something that the Scottish Government have decided to do.' READ MORE: Labour MPs visit Israel on lobbying trip in middle of Gaza genocide McDonald said Labour's position was 'basically condemning thousands of people to death', to which Johnson replied: 'No, I don't accept that, with the greatest respect. 'This is not the only thing that can be done to deal with drug misuse.' Johnson also squirmed under questioning from the SNP's Stephen Flynn, who pressed her on what evidence had made her change her mind on drug consumption facilities. Before Labour came to power, Johnson (below) chaired the Home Affairs Committee, which produced a report which said the Scottish and UK governments 'must' work together on a drug consumption facility. (Image: BBC) Flynn asked repeatedly what evidence had changed, to which Johnson replied that her personal views were 'irrelevant', arguing that she was a mouthpiece for the Government position. The SNP's Westminster leader said: 'Do you think the public watching would regard it as acceptable that a government minister is quite happy to change their opinion on such a significant matter […] on the basis of no evidence changing whatsoever?' McDonald interjected to say he agreed with Flynn's point adding: 'I think this is a moral stance.' Johnson replied: 'With the greatest respect, as a member of the party that was in government that oversaw and joined in with the Conservatives the massive cuts to drug treatment services between 2010 and 2015, I think you should just reflect on the position that Scotland is in because of the decisions that your party took at that time.'
Metro
27-05-2025
- Metro
Netflix viewers terrified after watching documentary on 'chilling unsolved case'
Netflix viewers have been left horrified after watching one of the most 'haunting' unsolved murder cases in American history. In 1982, seven people in the Chicago area died after ingesting cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules, yet still to this day nobody knows how they were contaminated or who did it. The poisonings terrified a nation and sparked widespread changes within the pharmaceutical industry that can still be felt today with the way bottles of pills are sealed. A man named James W. Lewis, who sent a letter to the drug company Johnson & Johnson demanding $1 million or else more people would be killed, was the police's main suspect for more than four decades. But, in Netflix's Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders , which came out on May 26, Lewis – who spent 12 years in prison after being convicted of extortion and not murder – explains how he could not have killed these people. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. Responding on X, viewers have been left reeling by what is one of the most famous unsolved cases ever. Writing on social media, @SaimaHash said: Just watched Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders. 'I'm always drawn to true stories, and this documentary dives deep into one of the most chilling unsolved cases in American history. 'Real events, real victims, and haunting questions that still linger. Highly recommended! Do watch! #tylenolmurders.' @Dri_nkup added: 'This Tylenol documentary on Netflix is absolutely insane.' Meanwhile, @DonInBrookfield said: 'This event changed everything in our daily lives as much as anything, including COVID. Every single package that we buy in a store was forced to be more secure and tamper resistant. 'The cost over the years is in the billions, if not trillions.' Speaking to journalists who covered the breaking story, former officers and people who knew the victims, the series sheds light on why the case is still cold after more than 40 years. The show's producers also fought for roughly a year to land an interview with Lewis, who has avoided any contact with the media following his release from prison. Towards the end of the miniseries, Lewis said: 'I wouldn't hurt anybody,' while chuckling. He continued: 'You can keep asking me questions forever and ever. If we ever do come up with a…technology which allows you to read my mind, then you won't find anything in there that will be incriminating.' More Trending Lewis could also be seen holding a bottle of Tylenol and joking that he does not want to get his 'fingerprints' all over it while laughing. He went on to explain how his extortion letter to Johnson & Johnson came from a place of grief after the company reportedly manufactured a patch that malfunctioned in his daughter's heart and killed her. The case was also described by one of the show's directors, Yotam Guendelman, as 'the biggest true crime story in America in the 80s', when he spoke to the Guardian. View More » Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders is available to watch on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'Seriously gripping' true crime drama storms up Netflix chart MORE: Netflix viewers have just hours to binge 'steamy' 00s British TV drama MORE: Netflix star calls 'dark' show 'very different to what I was used to'
