While attending a Special Operators’ Course for DOC SWAT candidates at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution near Madras, Oregon, members of the instructor cadre were called to action—off the training field and into the real world.
On the evening of Monday, April 14, 2025, after wrapping up their daily end-of-day meeting, the cadre was traveling back to their lodging when they witnessed a serious accident. A double tractor-trailer hauling hay collided with a small car, sending it over the edge of a hill toward an embankment above the Safeway parking lot in Madras.
Without hesitation, the entire team immediately sprang into action. They rushed to the scene, stabilized the car, which was precariously balanced on a rock to prevent it from falling further, and began rendering aid. The driver’s side door was crushed, but they found another way to access the cab and assist the distressed driver, offering both medical aid and reassurance, even holding her hand as they worked.
Other cadre members attended to the truck driver and kept the scene secure, ensuring bystanders didn’t interfere or film the emergency response. When the Madras Fire Department, Oregon State Police, Madras Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrived, they allowed the DOC team to maintain control of the scene until it was formally handed over to the fire department.
These DOC staff members demonstrated exceptional initiative, courage, and commitment to community service. Their quick response and teamwork reflect the highest standards of the Oregon Department of Corrections. They brought honor to themselves, their home institutions, and the agency as a whole.
