Holmdel Police Officer Saves Suicidal 19-Year-Old Woman

HOLMDEL, NJ — A Holmdel police officer was honored last week by the Monmouth County 200 Club for his role saving the life of a suicidal teen girl this past December.

On December 22, 2016, Patrolman Brian O’Keefe was on duty traveling southbound on the Garden State Parkway after a training class. He spotted a woman lying in traffic on the northbound side of the parkway. Ptl. O’Keefe stopped his patrol car and raced to the woman, where her family said she was trying to kill herself. She was 19 years old.

When Ptl. O’Keefe approached the woman, she ran towards moving vehicles and jumped onto the hood of a vehicle that was slowing down. She was combative and he pulled her off the vehicle and towards the shoulder of the road. Although the young woman resisted his efforts, Ptl. O’Keefe removed her from the travel lanes and took her to a position of safety until additional police officers arrived. The woman was later transported to a hospital by ambulance for a mental health evaluation, police said.

Photo: From left: Lt. Rob Philhower, Patrolman Brian O'Keefe and Sgt. Mike Moore of the Holmdel police.