NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. — Four law-enforcement officers have been honored for providing critical care to a teenager seriously injured in an electric-scooter crash, including an off-duty Buffalo State University Police lieutenant who ran to help after hearing sirens near the intersection.
The North Tonawanda City Council recognized North Tonawanda Police Lt. Erik Herbert, Officer Mary Ellen Parish, K9 Officer Jeff Kam and Buffalo State University Police Lt. William Ginnick during its July 7 meeting. Buffalo State published its official account and the police department's ceremony photograph on July 21.
Officers provided care until EMS arrived
The response began shortly after 2:30 p.m. June 12 at Nash Road and Meadow Drive, according to WKBW-TV's report on the recognition. Officials said a North Tonawanda Senior High School student riding an e-scooter entered the intersection without yielding to traffic that had a green light and was struck by a vehicle.
Herbert and Parish, both school resource officers, were the first officers to reach the scene. Kam and Ginnick arrived shortly afterward. The officers worked together to control bleeding, keep the injured student still and provide care until an ambulance crew could take over, the local report said.
North Tonawanda Police Chief Keith Glass described the response as lifesaving and credited the officers with remaining calm under pressure. Mayor Austin Tylec said their coordinated care gave the student the opportunity to be transported for further treatment.
The student, whose family asked that he not be identified, is expected to make a full recovery. ThinBlueNews is not publishing additional identifying or medical details.
Off-duty lieutenant ran toward the emergency
Ginnick was off duty when he heard police vehicles approaching. In the Buffalo State University release, he said he moved his vehicle out of the way, ran to the intersection and met the responding officers there.
“If I'm in a position to help somebody, I'm willing to do that in any moment, regardless of whether the uniforms are on or off.”
Lt. William Ginnick, Buffalo State University Police
Buffalo State Assistant Police Chief Steve Cahoon said he was proud of Ginnick's actions and not surprised that the lieutenant stepped in while off duty.
Training carried officers through a critical call
At the ceremony, Parish and Herbert emphasized the importance of first-aid and emergency-care training. Herbert said the department's recurring work on critical incidents, tourniquet use and other emergency skills allowed the officers to stay calm and act when the real call came.
Kam told WKBW that he helped keep the injured student down so the medical devices already applied would stay in place, while also holding the teen's hand and offering comfort.
The recognition reflects both parts of modern public-safety work: trained medical action during the first minutes of an emergency and steady compassion for a frightened young person. Readers can find more verified stories in ThinBlueNews' officer recognition, police hero stories, police rescue news and first-responder heroes coverage.
Sources, photo and video notes
- SUNY Buffalo State University: “Buffalo State Police Officer helps save teen's life while off duty,” published July 21, 2026. The official university release identifies all four officers, recounts Ginnick's off-duty response, confirms the recognition and reports the expected recovery.
- WKBW-TV 7: “North Tonawanda City Council recognizes officers for heroic response after student was hit by car”. The local report documents the officers' first-aid actions and includes interviews with the responders, police chief and mayor.
- City of North Tonawanda: July 7, 2026 Common Council meeting listing. The official city calendar confirms the date and time of the meeting where the recognition occurred.
Featured-image note: This is the real recognition-ceremony photograph published by Buffalo State University and credited there to the North Tonawanda Police Department. ThinBlueNews used the official 1200-by-630 version without altering the people or scene. It is a ceremony image, not a photograph of the June 12 crash or medical response.
Video note: WKBW's article includes a local-news video report from the council recognition, but this story does not depend on incident, bodycam or rescue footage. The official university release, city meeting record and police-department ceremony photograph document the recognition, so no third-party player was embedded.
If an agency representative, responder or reader sees anything that should be corrected or updated, please contact ThinBlueNews through our corrections and editorial standards page.