HR0196 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0196 LRB099 11121 GRL 31557 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Mr. Eduardo Suarez, Ms. Monica DeNaut, Western Springs Police Department Sergeant John Piest, and Western Springs Police Department Officer Ryan Postal for their acts of heroism under adverse conditions in order to save a life, with full knowledge of the risk involved; and

WHEREAS, On December 22, 2014 at 5:17 P.M., the Western Springs Police Department received a 911 call regarding a vehicle that was stuck on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks after the woman driving turned onto them while driving south on Wolf Road; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Eduardo Suarez, a Western Springs resident, watched as the disoriented woman drove onto the tracks; he could see the light of an approaching train, so he raced to the side of the woman's car to help; and

WHEREAS, The woman on the tracks told Mr. Eduardo Suarez that she could not walk without her walker; he immediately pulled the woman from the vehicle and began dragging her off the tracks; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Monica DeNaut was passing by the scene after picking up her toddlers from day care; she called 911 and then ran to help Mr. Eduardo Suarez pull the driver to safety; and

WHEREAS, Officer Ryan Postal and Sergeant John Piest quickly responded to the scene; when they arrived, Sergeant John Piest called for all railroad traffic to be stopped and Officer Ryan Postal retrieved a blanket from his squad car and placed it over the driver just as a westbound train was approaching their location at a high rate of speed; the officers placed themselves between the tracks and the driver in order to shield her from flying debris; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant John Piest called Metra to try to stop the train, but the train still hit the driver's side door of the car at approximately 5:20 P.M. before it stopped; and

WHEREAS, The driver was then transported to the hospital as a precaution and the 4 heroes were not injured; and

WHEREAS, Awards have been presented to all 4 citizens for their courageous actions; the Lifesaving Award was presented to both Mr. Eduardo Suarez and Ms. Monica DeNaut and the Medal of Valor was presented to Sergeant John Piest and Officer Ryan Postal; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend and applaud the swift action of Mr. Eduardo Suarez and Ms. Monica DeNaut, who acted without hesitation and with disregard for their own personal safety, and the great bravery of Sergeant John Piest and Officer Ryan Postal, who operated with the full knowledge of the risk involved to their personal safety; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Mr. Eduardo Suarez, Ms. Monica DeNaut, Sergeant John Piest, and Officer Ryan Postal.