Citizens, law enforcement personnel honored for 'heroic' actions after rollover near Jamestown
Feb. 5—JAMESTOWN — Five people and law enforcement personnel were honored Wednesday, Feb. 5, with the North Dakota Highway Patrol's Colonel's Award for Excellence for their "heroic" actions after a single-vehicle rollover in July on Interstate 94 about 7 miles east of Jamestown.
Carolyn, 9, and Richard Lawson, 11, worked together to get another passenger to safety, according to Sgt. Jonathan Skalicky with the patrol, who nominated all of the people for the Colonel's Award for Excellence.
Also honored with the award on Tuesday at Jamestown City Hall were Orrin Kluting, Ypsilanti; Brooklyn Kuzel, Lidgerwood; Ryan Botner, Washburn; trooper Frank Holdburg and Tygh Yatskis, a reserve deputy for the Stutsman County Sheriff's Office and 2nd captain with the Jamestown Rural Fire Department, along with the Stutsman County Sheriff's Office.
"As tragic as the incident was, more lives would have been lost if not for the heroic efforts of these individuals," said Capt. Bryan Niewind, southeast region commander for the patrol. "These strangers literally leaped into action to save lives and deserve to be recognized for their selfless actions."
The Colonel's Award for Excellence recognizes state employees and private citizens who made exceptional contributions to the patrol and the state of North Dakota, according to the patrol's policy for the award.
This award reflects the values and heritage of North Dakota, symbolized by the American bald eagle, the North Dakota Badlands, the Little Missouri River and Marcellus Red Tomahawk, according to the patrol's policy for the award. It serves as a token of appreciation from the colonel of the patrol for actions that align with the agency's core values — loyalty, integrity, commitment, respect, professionalism and accountability.
Brothers Kamari, 10, and Logan Lawson, 7, passed away after the SUV that they were riding in went off Interstate 94 and rolled into a slough by Exit 248 on July 15. The SUV landed on its side in the water after the driver lost control after a semi passed the vehicle.
The bodies of Kamari and Logan were found underwater about 25 feet from where the SUV landed. The water in the slough was 9 feet deep due to recent rain.
Seven children were in the car ranging in age from 5 to 11. Four children, ages 5, 6, 9 and 11, were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, the patrol said.
The driver and five children were out of the water or coming out when first responders arrived, WDAY reported.
Col. Daniel Haugen, superintendent of the patrol, said the individuals who helped that day lived by a motto of his first sergeant when he started his career in law enforcement.
"If I don't do it, who will," he said. "If I drive by that car in the swamp, if I don't stop and help, who will? Because if everyone didn't care, there would be no help."
Lanisa Smith, Jamestown, the mother of Carolyn and Richard Lawson, said her two children worked together to keep their cousin above water. She said they held their cousin up while she was in her car seat until they were rescued.
"I'm very proud that they got recognized for their heroic actions because you know what in a situation like that, not everybody can act that quick," Smith said. "The fact that both my children turned around and worked together in a scary situation to help their cousin is amazing."
Kluting and Kuzel stopped at the scene to help. They entered the water and were able to get several occupants to safety, Skalicky wrote in his nomination.
Skalicky wrote that Kluting entered the SUV and was able to free an unconscious passenger. Botner, who had also stopped, performed CPR on one of the passengers who is alive today.
Kuzel said she was driving eastbound on I-94 after she did cattle research in Streeter. She said she was following the SUV for a little while before she witnessed the accident.
"I just knew they were going to need help because it didn't look good," she said. "I saw the kids and heard the kids kind of calling for help. I called 911 and then got to helping get them out of the water."
Botner said he was driving to Hope, North Dakota. He said he saw the SUV in the slough with three children on top of it.
"I thought that's really weird," he said.
Botner pulled over and backed up his vehicle closer to the scene.
"Something obviously wasn't right," he said. "I just ran to the edge, threw my phone, I was in my suit and I jumped in the water because they said there were children trapped."
He said Kluting got one child out of the SUV but she was unresponsive.
"There was no life at all," Botner said.
Botner said he's been a voluntary member of the Washburn Ambulance Service for a couple years and put his CPR training to use. Botner started CPR and the child finally gave a breath after some time.
"We put her on her side and the ambulance was there within minutes too," Botner said. "I just prayed with the kids because we didn't know where the other two were."
He said he didn't think too much about what he was doing at the time.
"I just moved," he said, adding that he was in the right place at the right time. " ... The good Lord put me there for a reason."
Skalicky also wrote in his nomination that Holdburg was one of the first law enforcement officers on scene.
"He and several Stutsman County Deputies immediately entered the water and began what developed into an exhaustive water search," Skalicky wrote. "These officers continued their search until all involved in the crash were found."
Yatskis took it upon himself to provide invaluable support to the families involved, Skalicky wrote.
"Tygh opened lines of communication throughout the devastating situation and acted as a resource for the family well into the following day," he wrote.
Niewind said the selfless acts of people help save lives.
"We have extraordinary people in our society," he said. "You go about your day thinking, 'Hey, you know what, I'm not extraordinary. I don't do anything that's really that important.' But, when you had the opportunity to step up, you did."
Niewind said those people who helped at the scene that day all showed the ability to save lives.
"I'm glad that you were there helping everybody else, and I know everybody else that's part of this tragic event was happy for that too," he said.
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