PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — Two Paulding County deputies were recognized with a Life Saving Award last week thanks to their quick action to rescue a woman out of her car that'd veered into a pond, leaving her trapped with "only her nose and mouth above water."
The Paulding County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Facebook that Deputies Carlos Ortiz and Wesley Birjkovff had been given the honor for their work on Sept. 27.
The sheriff's office explained the two were out in the field following up on people who hadn't shown up for jury duty when they "heard an automobile accident call come out over the law enforcement radio."
The deputies were first on scene in the area of 2771 Buchanan Highway, and saw that the car "was nearly submerged in the pond and that there was in fact a person inside the vehicle."
The deputies rushed in and found the driver, Maria Ruch, trapped.
"Unable to get any of the car doors to open, Deputy Ortiz shattered one of the windows with his Asp baton. Deputy Ortiz and Deputy Birjkovff then noticed that the elderly female only had her nose and mouth above water and that she was unable to exit the vehicle. Both Deputies eventually got Ruch out of the vehicle and up the hill to safety," the sheriff's office said. "Fortunately Ms. Ruch did not sustain any serious injuries in the accident and Deputy Ortiz and Deputy Birjkovff were able to get her out of the vehicle which prevented her from drowning."
Sheriff Gary Gulledge said in a statement that he was "so proud of the fact that no matter what division our Deputies are assigned to, when they hear a call come out, they respond and take immediate action."
"Because of Deputy Ortiz and Deputy Birjkovff’s quick action, the life of Ms. Ruch was saved," Sheriff Gulledge added. "We are all eternally grateful for their quick action and selfless response.”
