COLUMBUS, Ind. – On Friday afternoon, the Columbus Police Department (CPD) and Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) honored three community members with “Community Hero Awards.”
On February 11, a vehicle went into a pond off Indianapolis Road. The driver was still inside the car as several people stopped to try to help.
Local first responders gathered at the Friday ceremony to recognize Walfer Juarez Gonzalez, Christopher Fitzsimmons, and Joshua Pennington. The trio received Community Hero Awards from Columbus Police Chief Steve Norman and commendations from Bartholomew County Sheriff Chris Lane to thank them for their actions that day. Attempting to save the driver, they all went above and beyond as they entered the frigid water when the outside temperature was about 33 degrees.
City of Columbus Chief of Police Steve Norman said, “We are lucky to have outstanding people like this in our community,” said Chief Norman. “They are another example of what makes Columbus stand out as a great place to live.”
CPD Sgt. Courtney Plummer also received a letter of commendation from Chief Norman for going into the pond to try to rescue the driver.
