Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office Awards Deputy the Life Saving Award for Saving Motorist

West Palm Beach, FL, October 04, 2011 --(PR.com)-- On August 19, 2011, D/S Ian Sowers just completed the midnight shift and was driving home on I-95, southbound in the vicinity of Hillsboro Blvd in Deerfield Beach, when he witnessed a silver Toyota pass him at a high rate of speed. As the vehicle was passing D/S Sower, he noticed the Toyota lose control, veer off the roadway, crash through a chain link fence, hit the embankment and land nose first in the lake. D/S Sowers immediately activated his emergency lights, pulled over and called in the crash. Seconds later a FHP Trooper, Nicholas Orsino, arrived on scene. Without hesitation D/S Sowers entered the lake and swam over to the car. By this time, the driver had slipped beneath the surface to the bottom of the lake. D/S Sowers dove underwater, approximately 8 – 10 feet deep, and grabbed the driver by the wrist pulling him to the surface. With the assistance of FHP Trooper Orsino, the driver was pulled to dry land.

The driver was treated by Broward County Fire Rescue, transported to a local hospital and was expected to make a full recovery.

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