COLUMBUS, Ohio — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio recognized Columbus Division of Police Officer Gloria West as the district’s Hometown Hero after officials said she pulled a trapped driver from a burning vehicle.

U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II presented the award on May 18, 2026, according to the official U.S. Attorney’s Office release. The office said the Hometown Hero award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and honors liberty, service and civic responsibility.

Driver trapped after crash, fire

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, West responded on Nov. 13, 2024, after a vehicle crash became a life-threatening emergency. The office said the driver’s brakes failed before the vehicle crashed into a highway bridge pillar, caught fire and left the driver trapped.

The release said the driver, while speaking with 911 dispatchers, asked them to tell his wife he loved her because he feared he was going to die.

West rushed toward the burning vehicle, opened the door and helped pull the driver out moments before the fire fully engulfed it, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The release said West suffered significant burns to her hands and the driver lived.

Recognized for bravery and public service

“Officer West represents the very best of the Columbus Division of Police,” Gerace said in the release. “Her dedication to her community, her professionalism, and her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty make her an exemplary officer and a true hometown hero.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said West was recognized for bravery, selflessness and commitment to public safety. It also said her quick response likely made the difference in saving the driver’s life.

WSYX reporting published by WPDE said Columbus police released body-worn camera video of the rescue and identified the crash area as near Interstate 71 and Interstate 270. ThinBlueNews is using that report for the video-still attribution and background context, while limiting the article to facts already made public by official or local reporting.

For supporters of law enforcement, the recognition highlights the split-second public-safety work that often happens before a ceremony: dispatchers keeping a driver on the line, officers moving toward danger, and one officer refusing to leave someone trapped in a burning vehicle.

Sources and attribution

  • U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio: award announcement, date, recognition language, crash/rescue summary, and quoted comments.
  • WSYX/WPDE: body-worn camera still/source context and additional public background from the earlier rescue report.
  • The featured image uses a real body-worn camera still from the publicly reported rescue video, with ThinBlueNews headline/source labeling. No AI-generated rescue imagery was used.