For Rescue Of Man Found Under Car In Milford, First Responders Honored

MILFORD, MA — The large group of local first responders who helped rescue a 60-year-old man found trapped under an SUV off I-495 in July were honored recently by Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. for their work.

Early presented police and firefighters from Milford and Hopkinton — plus a technical rescue team that includes firefighters from Framingham, Natick, Wayland, Westborough, Ashland and other local towns — with his Team Excellence and Merit (TEAM) award for their multi-day effort.

According to Milford police Chief James Falvey, Hopedale police contacted Milford first-responders on July 17 to ask for help finding a missing man. Local police focused their search on a wooded area between Route 85, I-495 and the Walden Woods development near the Hopkinton line because the missing man's cellphone was sending a signal from that area.

After about seven hours of searching — including with ATVs and a drone — Milford police officers Crystal Gallagher and Jacob Campbell found the man in the woods trapped inside an overturned Jeep. The 60-year-old had been trapped under the SUV for more than 24 hours

“When this call came in, there was one goal, and it was a goal shared across everyone involved; to find this man and get him back home to his family,” Early said in a news release. “It is only fitting this group of dedicated first-responders receive the TEAM Award because every aspect of this rescue and response embodied teamwork.”

The man was hurt, but survived the crash and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The police and firefighters who helped with the more than daylong search and were honored by Early include:

Milford Police

• Milford Police Chief James Falvey
• Deputy Police Chief Robert Tusino
• Sgt. Joseph Rizoli
• Officer Jeanne Van Patten-Steiger
• Officer Jacob Campbell
• Officer Crystal Gallagher
• Officer Jonathan Branch
• Officer Michael Johnson
• K-9 Officer Brian Sanchioni
• Drone Officer James Woodward
• Dispatcher Amanda Gresian
• Dispatcher Jonathan Schuman
• Dispatcher Lisa Trusas
• Dispatcher Jason Covino

Milford Fire Department

• Fire Chief Mark Nelson
• Lt. Steven Gies
• Firefighter/EMT Chris Alt
• Firefighter/EMT Christopher Tuttle
• Firefighter/EMT Luis Gomes
• Firefighter/EMT Cody Caffrey
• Firefighter/EMT Brian Keefe
• Firefighter/EMT James Hayes

Hopkinton Fire Department

• Fire Chief William Miller
• Deputy Fire Chief Gary Daugherty
• Lt. John Sheridan
• Lt. John Krauss
• Firefighter/medic Allyson Gaudette
• Firefighter/EMT Travis Metcalf
• Firefighter/EMT Pat Gross
• Firefighter/medic Pat Rahill

Hopkinton Police:

• Officer Jessica Ferriera
• Sgt. Aaron O’Neil
• Officer Basit Dennis
• Dispatcher Kiley Davis
• Dispatcher Benjamin Campbell

Fire District 14 Tech Rescue Members:

• Hopkinton Fire Lt. Scott Jurasek
• Southborough Fire Lt. Ken Franks
• Ashland Fire Lt. Matt Boland
• Milford Fire Lt. Scott Keefe
• Framingham Fire Lt. Tom Rinaldo
• Natick Fire Captain Andy Hladick
• Westborough Firefighter/Medic Barry Sullivan
• Natick Fire Firefighter/Medic Chris Wozny
• Wayland Fire Firefighter/Medic Mitch Mabardy

Community EMS

• Jeffrey Tye
• Robert Mahoney