Tower Honored for Rescuing Deputy Constable
A tow truck driver who rescued a deputy constable from her vehicle in Pasadena, Texas in late July was honored for his actions.
The tower, Richard Borgstrom, was in the right place at the right time when he heard a loud boom and witnessed the explosion. Borgstrom got to the car, smashed in the window and pulled Deputy K. LeMelle from the wreckage before the patrol car hit a wall and burst into flames.
"I banged on the window, and then all of a sudden, I see a hand coming out from the smoke where they had the airbag, the side airbag. Her hand came out from around it, and I noticed her bright fingernails," Borgstrom said. "I punched the glass with my fist, couldn't break it, ran back to my tow truck, grabbed a trailer hitch, ran back out there, and I smashed the window out with the trailer hitch."
After breaking the window, Borgstrom said he was able to pull the deputy, who works the night shift in the toll road division, by her vest to safety.
Officials said it was good that the deputy was pulled from the vehicle when she was because she also had ammunition in the car that started exploding. In a ceremony on August 9, a teary-eyed LeMelle hugged Borgstrom.a teary-eyed LeMelle hugged Borgstrom.
“I'm very grateful for Richard. Happy to be alive,” LeMelle said.
The Harris County Precinct 8 Constable’s Office, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Harris County Toll Road Authority all recognized Borgstrom for his heroic actions.
Borgstrom has been in the business for 30 years and said wrecker drivers see their share of danger.
“I’m not the only one who's done this before. Plenty of tow truck drivers put their lives on the line,” he said.
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