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Utah Senate honors civilians who rescued motorcyclist and three children, hears firsthand accounts
Summary
The Utah Senate recognized bystanders who performed two separate rescues — lifting a burning car to free a trapped motorcyclist and flipping a submerged vehicle to save three children — and heard survivors and rescuers describe the incidents and the lifesaving actions.
The Utah State Senate paused its legislative agenda Wednesday to honor two groups of civilians who performed dramatic rescues in Cache Valley last winter.
Senator Hilliard called for citation readings and video presentations that showed bystanders lifting a burning vehicle to free a trapped motorcyclist (Brandon Wright) and, separately, bystanders who flipped an overturned car in the Logan River to rescue three children on Dec. 31, 2011.
Roger Anderson, the driver and father of two of the rescued children, addressed the Senate in a Committee of the Whole and described the moment a rescuer used a firearm to remove a corner of a window so the children could be freed. "Chris looked me in the eye ... and he did know exactly what he was doing. He put the barrel of his firearm right near the corner ... and fired the weapon. Immediately, the glass was gone," Anderson said. Anderson and other family members expressed deep gratitude to the rescuers.
Senators read official citations listing the rescuers by name and played local news footage showing the incidents. The citation for the Logan River rescue noted that one rescuer fired a round to break the rear window and others performed mouth‑to‑mouth and other life‑saving procedures that stabilized the victims before hospital transport; the read citation gave the incident date as Dec. 31, 2011.
Senators from across the aisle praised the citizens for their quick action and courage. Senator Christensen said many heroes "wouldn't have done their heroic act again" if they had time to think, and Senator Valentine recalled decades of search‑and‑rescue experience and called the actions "heroic." The Senate resolved into a Committee of the Whole for the presentations, released the honorees with citations and later dissolved the committee.
Why it matters
The session afforded lawmakers an opportunity to publicly thank private citizens who performed life‑saving acts. The accounts shown in the chamber — including video and first‑person statements — provided details about the rescues that were not part of routine legislative business.
What’s next
Senators directed staff to distribute citations to those who were not present and to follow up with the honorees; no policy actions were taken as part of the recognition.
