Missing on the 405
by
It had been a rather eventful night for the tired pair of officers. They had chased two stolen cars, picked up a 459 suspect when the business he burglarized turned out to have a silent alarm, and assisted more than a dozen motorists with basic mechanical or other problems. And, at 3:15 am, their shift was just starting.
“It must just be our night.” said Malloy, as he and Reed walked down the hallway to return to their patrol car after filing all the required paperwork on their activities thus far. As they turned the corner, Reed could only nod in agreement with what Malloy had said. As they passed Mac’s office, they heard him calling out to them.
“Reed, Malloy. Come in here....I have a special assignment for you.” “Uh-oh” thought Reed, “ I know what that means.....” Reed looked over at Malloy, and could tell from the look on Malloy’s face that he had come to the same conclusion. “Didn’t we just do a double for him last week?” said Jim.
“Yeah,” said Malloy, “ and he promised us that he wouldn’t ask us again for a few weeks.”
They stepped into Mac’s office. As they did, the big man looked over at them and smiled. “Pete, Jim, remember that GTA suspect that Woods and Wells picked up earlier this evening? The one that Woods had in foot pursuit for so long?” How could they forget? This guy had led Woods through what seemed like a mile long chase to hear him tell, and Wells had spent 10 minutes trying to get this guy subdued. It had finally taken two additional officers to subdue him in the end.
“Turns out he’s wanted by Long Beach PD on a long string of GTA’s and Aggravated Robbery charges. After seeing the amount of activity you guys have had tonight, I thought you wouldn’t mind escorting this suspect down to Long Beach PD.”
They had to admit, the idea of spending a couple hours simply transporting a prisoner did sound a bit relaxing.....
*****
Just over two and a half hours later, they were returning to the station after having turned Woods’ GTA suspect over to Long Beach PD. The rain that was coming down as a drizzle when they left the station had become a downpour. As Pete merged the cruiser onto the 405 for the trip home, he looked over at Reed who was now starting to look a little less tired.
“You know, by the time that we get back to the station, our watch will be up. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to getting home and getting some shut eye. You?” Malloy asked Reed.
When Reed didn’t answer right away, Malloy looked at him again.....” By the time we get back to the station, our watch will be up, I’m seriously looking forward to getting home and getting some rest, how about you?” When he did not reply again, Pete said “What does Jean have planned for you this weekend?”
“Huh?” asked Jim.
“What does jean have planned for you this weekend? It seems that every time that we have more than two days off in a row, she seems to have something for you to do around the house.” Pete said.
“I’m painting the bedrooms bright yellow” said Jim. “And, if I get through with that, then she wants me to stain the deck.”
Pete had to suppress a laugh, he had hit it right on the nose, and then he realized that if Jean had a list of things for Jim to do, then Judy probably had one for him as well, but had just not mentioned it to him. Oh to be a bachelor again.
He had become so lost in contemplative thought about what Judy might have for him to do, that he nearly missed seeing a tire on a vehicle about a quarter mile ahead blow. The driver lost control, and started to fishtail wildly. Judging from what was going on around him, Pete was not the only one that was not being overly attentive to what was occurring. Jim had seen the blowout, and the resulting traffic hazard as well, but knew enough to know that Pete had seen it and would calmly steer them around any resulting accident.
As Pete cautiously wove around the occurring wreck, Jim picked up the microphone “One Adam Twelve. Notify fire and CHP, traffic accident 405 north at Western.” As he put down the microphone, Jim noticed the trailer of a jackknifed semi swinging toward them from just behind them and to the left.
Pete heard Jim yell his name, and then he saw it to. And then he realized that there was no way that he could avoid the collision. As the trailer hit the left rear of the cruiser, Pete yelled “Hold on”. It was the last thing that Jim heard as the world went blank.
*****
“Man this is going to be a beautiful day” said Ponch as he and Jon headed toward Central for their morning briefing “The sun is shining, there’s not a cloud in the sky....”
If Ponch was this cheery in the morning, it could only mean one thing.... “So what’s her name Ponch?” asked Jon.
“What do you mean? I choose to take enjoyment in the beautiful day, and you have to ask “What’s her name?”” Ponch responded.
“I mean, every time that you meet a new girl, and take her on a date, the morning after you cannot help but to comment on how beautiful the day is,” said Jon. “ So, what’s her name?”
“You know that new girl down in dispatch.....the one with the oh so sweet voice on the air? Well, last night, I took her out for a night that she will never forget. Dinner, dancing, a little stroll by the beach...”
“Ponch, I just want to know what her name is....”
“Well, her name is...” Beep Beep went their radios. “Attention all San Diego Freeway units. LAPD reports an 1183 somewhere north of Western. Any unit in the vicinity please identify and respond.” Jon grabbed for his mike, “15 Seven Mary Three and Four responding from Sunset.” He and Ponch started their motors, turned on their lights, and moved into the far left lane as they sped up.
*****
John Gage sat bolt upright in bed as the alarm tones finished. “Squad 45, Engine 51 in place of Engine 45. Multiple vehicle accident northbound 405, north of Western. Northbound 405, north of Western. Time out 0608.” As the captain replied, John was thankful that the call hadn’t been theirs. With three calls for the squad already this morning, he would be grateful for the additional 45 minutes of rest. Let the engine crew take a run, he thought to himself, they’ve been here all night to rest.
*****
Ponch had seen a lot of accidents in his time, but he still had to shudder when he saw the carnage in front of him. “What a mess. Man Jon, this is gonna be a bad one” he said as he stopped his bike on the shoulder about five car lengths in back of the nearest vehicle. “There are cars everywhere,” he thought to himself, “where do we start.” as he headed toward the nearest vehicle. Jon saw where he was going, and headed off to the next vehicle in line after radioing for more officers. From what they could see, there looked to be about 40 to 50 vehicles involved, some on their roofs, some off the road, some even on top of other cars, of all vehicle types and sizes. Suddenly, a frightened young man ran up to Jon screaming “HELP US! HELP US!”
He stopped running when Jon grabbed him. “HELP US! HELP US!” the man exclaimed. “Are you hurt?” Jon asked the man.
“HELP US! HELP US!”
“Take it easy, “ Jon said as he shook the man slightly to get his attention. “Show me how I can help.”
“It’s my wife, “ the man said as he calmed down. “She’s trapped in the car, over there,” he said as he pointed in the direction that he had come from. “I was taking her to the hospital because she’s having a baby, but she can’t get out of the car. She’s trapped..”
“Alright now, take me to her, “ Jon said “Show me where”
The man set out in the direction from which he came, with Jon in tow.
*****
“What happened?” Pete wondered aloud as he slowly came to. Jim’s only response was a low groan that Pete simply could not place. As Pete opened his eyes, he started to take a look at his surroundings. He realized that his left arm was stuck between the seat and what was left of the driver’s door, and that the dash had buckled in such a way that he couldn’t move his legs. He started to take a deep breath, and quickly regretted it. “Must have a few broken or bruised ribs...” he thought to himself. Satisfied that he was alive, although hurt, he wondered why Jim hadn’t replied to his question. As he painfully turned to look at his partner, all he could remember was that the sound of Jim’s voice putting in a radio call was the only thing he could remember about what had happened. When he turned to face Jim, he panicked. Jim wasn’t there. Where was he. Pete turned as far as he could and looked, but he could not locate him anywhere. As Jim moaned again, Pete realized that wherever he was, Jim was close, and that he could not respond. Pete reached for the mike.
“One....Adam....Twelve...” he said into the microphone. “Officer ......down....need....assistance.........” He passed out before he could complete his sentence.
*****
Mac was just finishing reading Malloy and Reed’s reports from earlier in the morning, when he thought he heard something on his scanner. From the sound of it, the CHP had a duesy of an accident out on the 405. “I guess I’d better take the Golden State going home.” he said to himself, “The 405’s going to be a hell of a mess this morning.”
“LA Fifteen Seven Mary Four” Mac heard the voice on the scanner say “request additional units for TC and twelve ambulances for initial response. Also request S-4 10-97”
“Ten-Four Mary Four” came the response. “Definitely a hell of an accident if they need a Sergeant on the scene” thought Mac. “Even the Golden State’s gonna be a mess now.” He went back to reading the reports.
“All units on frequency one standby....” Mac heard another dispatcher say. As he heard the next words, he forgot completely about the reports in his hand. “One Adam Twelve Code One....., ” he heard, followed by static.
“One Adam Twelve Code One....” he heard again and once again it was followed by static.
A minute or so that seemed like an eternity later, he again hears the dispatcher. “One Adam Twelve Code One......”
The telephone on the desk chose that moment to ring. “Mac here,” he said as he picked it up, “I’ll be right down. What was their last transmission, and how long ago?” When the dispatcher responded, Mac felt chills run up his spine. “ Change that”, he said, “I’ll be in my car.....” He hung up the phone, then he picked it up again and dialed the number from memory.
*****
Getraer was reading the reports from the previous shift when he grimaced at the report he was holding. “One of these days,” he thought to himself, “one of these days, someone is going to have to teach Poncherello how to keep from wrecking his bike.” It seemed like every time Joe filed one of the mechanics reports away, there was another one with Poncherello’s name on it to take it’s place. “ One hundred vehicles in this place.....”
Just then, the telephone rang. “Getraer”, he said when he had answered.
Two minutes later, the telephone back on the hook, Joe was just starting to leave his office, the reports long forgotten as his men had found a situation that they needed his assistance on. Just as he got around the desk, the telephone rang yet again. “Getraer” he said, slightly annoyed at the fact that someone was interrupting as he was trying to get out there and help Baker and Poncherello with whatever situation they thought required his attention.
“Joe, I need your help.” came the reply from a voice that could only belong to Getrear’s fiend and colleague from the LAPD. “Joe, I don’t know how to ask this”, stated the voice, “so I’ll just come right out and say it. I need your help Joe. Two of my officers were involved in a prisoner transfer to Long Beach PD this morning. Just a few minutes ago, they radioed in an accident on the 405......they never completed that transmission. While it may just be a mechanical problem, I have a feeling that they may be involved in the accident. Our department is starting a search of the surface streets in the area, but something tells me that they’re in that wreck.”
*****
“OK Mac, I’ll let my men know to keep an eye out for a black and white and I’ll let you know if we find one. Good enough?”
“Fair enough, but I’d like to come down there anyway. I can’t stay in the station very well knowing that two of my men may be down there and hurt. And besides, from the sound of your officers radio transmissions, you could use a little additional manpower.”
“Tell you what....,” Getraer said, “that is just slightly our of your jurisdiction, but as long as it is just you I’ll allow it. HOWEVER, you will stay out of my men’s way while you’re there, and you will just stay off to the sidelines. Hear me?”
“Yeah, I hear you,” Mac said in a rather dejected tone.
As Getraer hung up the phone, he couldn’t help but think that if the situation was reversed, he would feel just as helpless as Mac no doubt did now.
*****
As Engine 51 approached the accident scene the crew could see the tell tale sign of smoke wafting from the wreckage on the scene. “What a mess,” said Captain Stanley. Smoke was rising from a vehicle that had overturned in the brush along one side of the highway, and as they watched, it suddenly caught flame. The rest of the scene looked like their worst nightmare come true. On one side of them, there were three cars that looked as if one had tried to stop, and had turned into a ramp for the other two. To the left, a station wagon had swerved up the embankment and rolled twice on the way back down. Up the way a little, it looked like two tractor trailers had jackknifed and overturned forming a diamond. Up even further, there was a bus overturned.
The radio cackled to life. “LA, Engine 127. False alarm. Engine 127 out twenty minutes. Return all other companies.” Engine 127 had been called out to a fire alarm ringing on the 15th story of a high rise just after 51 had rolled. Hank knew that two snorkels had went out on that call, but could not remember how many other units went out.
“LA Engine 51,” Captain Stanley cut in before dispatch could release the units with 127. “Request either truck 127 or truck 8 respond to my location to assist with extrication. Also request Squad 51 with one additional paramedic unit, 15 ambulances, and a full brush response.”
“10 - 4. 51” came the response, followed by a long string of alarm sounds. “Station 36, engine 10, engine 210, engine and truck 86, , truck 127, truck 8, squad 51, battalion 14. With Engine 51. multiple vehicle accident with injuries and brush fire........”
As the engine came to a stop, the men jumped out. “Marco get a line on that fire. Kelly check on the drivers, start with that overturned wagon.” He picked up the HT, “Squad 45 what’s your ETA?”
*****
Jon followed the man to a pile of wreckage that seemed to be at least three cars, maybe as many as five, but they had so many pieces scattered everywhere that he really couldn’t be sure. The man ran immediately to one that was underneath the remains of another. As Jon looked into the rear of the vehicle, the sight that greeted him had him astonished. A very pregnant woman was perfectly laid out in the back seat. He tried the handle and it wouldn’t budge. He looked to the other side of the car and realized he wasn’t going to gain entry there. Then, he tried the driver’s door and found that it budged just enough to get his nightstick in. As he pried open the door, he heard her scream in pain and he realized that she was going to give birth soon. Very soon.... He stood up and ran back to where his bike was. As he ran, he spotted another officer and waved to get her attention.
“Bonnie. I need a crowbar and some blankets up here fast. I’ve got a woman trapped in the back of a car and she’s giving birth” Bonnie turned on her heels and ran with Jon over to where her cruiser was parked. They skidded to a stop at the car, and Bonnie ran around to the driver’s door to trip the release. Items in hand, they ran back to where the woman was and set to work freeing the door. As they ran back, Bonnie got the attention of one of the firefighters and filled him in.
*****
“What a mess,” Roy thought as they rolled to a stop near where Engine 51 was parked. Roy and Johnny quickly got out and moved around to remove their equipment from the squad. “HT51, Engine 51. We have a pregnant woman giving birth in one of the vehicles up here.” “Squad 51, Engine 51. Give Chet a hand getting to a pregnant woman about one hundred yards in.”
“10-4 Cap, Johnny’s on his way” responded Roy as Johnny grabbed the OB kit and the biophone. Chet came running up to the squad and grabbed the trauma box. “I’ll show you where. She’s pretty well trapped”
As Johnny approached the car, his heart sank. Not only was she trapped, but as coccooned in metal as she was, she was also basically unreachable. He could see that the door had been pryed open and there were two CHP officers trying to free her, but they had made little progress. “Anyone in these other two vehicles?”
“One of the drivers is dead, the other one managed to get themself out. She seems to be the only one trapped here”, responded a tall, blond male officer.
“OK, I’m going to need some more equipment. CHET, I’m going to need the Jaws and some pry bars. Can you two help him bring them back?”
Chet quickly gathered the necessary equipment and returned, with Jon and Bonnie right behind him. Approximately 15 minutes later, Johnny had the woman free from the car and had laid her out on a blanket. Chet set up the biophone while Johnny gathered her vitals.
“Chet, BP 160 over 90, pulse 100 and thready, respiration 24 and shallow, eyes dilated but responsive.” Johnny started checking for injuries as Chet relayed the information. “Tell them she’s pregnant and currently in labor. Contractions are 3 and a half minutes, dilation unknown at this time.”
“51. Start IV D5W TKO and advise on dilation,” came the voice of Joe Early.
“Rampart, patient has firmness in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen, left leg is fractured, possible broken rib left side, checking dilation.” As Chet relayed, Johnny checked her dilation. “Dilation at 3 centimeters.” Chet relayed this further information to Early.
“51. Immobilize patient and transport immediately. Advise on rate of dilation enroute. Do not administer any pain medication.” The ambulance attendants arrived and loaded the patient on the gurney to take her to the ambulance. As Johnny got into the ambulance, he took a quick look around and thought to himself that this was going to be a long day and he would be back here many times.
*****
Indeed, it was turning out to be a very long day, and he had returned to the accident scene many times. The fire had been put out quickly and the crews had turned to assisting with the extrication of victims. Johnny and Roy had been to the hospital and back three times now and had returned from the third trip to find the engine crews starting to clean up.
“Battalion 14, Squad 51 on scene.” “10 - 4 51. Assist Engine 51 on a extrication from a tractor trailer near the center divider halfway in.”
“10 - 4”.
*****
Getraer was speaking with Mac at the back of Mac’s wagon when he looked up and saw a fire department rescue vehicle roll up.
“I bet those guys are exhausted by now,” said Getraer indicating the rescue vehicle. “They’ve been here and gone three or four times now.”
“If those are the guys that I think they are, they must be,” replied Mac. “Poncherello and Baker said it took them an hour to get to that guy in the pickup, and Baker said that one of them pulled a pregnant lady out from a wreck better described as a pretzel. And, the other one managed to get that entire group of kids to calm down and follow his instructions to safely get off that bus.” As Mac said this, Getraer took a good look at the burn marks on the side of the bus in the distance. How someone managed to get those kids to calm down enough to climb out with it on fire he might never know, but it had been done. Mac focused back down on the map he was looking at and indicated two areas with a pencil. “Sheriff is focusing a search here and here. Our boys are organizing a search as far north as Griffith Park on the surface streets and the freeways.”
“I know, it’s like they dropped off the face of the earth. They have to be here, but where? There’s nothing that even remotely looks like a black and white, and the fire department seems to have rescued all but a handful of victims, most of whom didn’t see a black and white, let alone know where it is now. It’s almost like it got swallowed by a semi or something.” As Joe looked up again, he caught sight of a semi on it’s side about halfway up. Didn’t Bonnie say that there was another rig on the other side laid in such a way that it looked like a diamond? no, it couldn’t be in there, could it? He keyed his mike. “7 Charles S-10. Is there anything between those two jackknifed trailers?”
*****
“Hey, you two, can you grab this and come with me,” Chet indicated the Jaws and it’s power supply unit to the two CHP officers. “This way”, he called as he led them to the side of the truck.
“Set that up over there in the clear,” Chet indicated a open area away from any vehicles. As Jon placed the unit where he was told, Chet gave the pry bars he was carrying to Mike and Marco grabbed the Jaws from Poncherello. Mike broke out the glass on the front of the truck while Chet clambered up onto the side of the truck to cut the windshield posts.
Marco passed the Jaws up to Chet while Mike plugged the hoses in and started the power unit. Chet looked up and saw Roy and Johnny getting out of the squad. As Chet moved to get a better angle, he caught sight of something behind him. He turned to look, and almost dropped the Jaws when he realized there was a car crushed between the trucks and that the thing that he had seen was an arm slowly moving back and forth in the wreckage. He whirled back around.
“Hey CAP. ROY! JOHNNNNNNIEEEEEEE!!!”
*****
John heard Chet yelling his name as soon ads he got out of the truck and immediately started running toward the sound of Chet’s voice. If something had him this upset, it was pretty heavy. As John ran off, Roy stopped to get the equipment, knowing that they were going to need it, whatever was wrong. Roy also ran around to the back of the squad and grabbed a backboard, knowing full well that he would need at least one.
As John approached the truck, he could see that Chet and Marco were working on cutting the roof off of the cab of the truck. He looked at the driver and had to wonder to himself what had Chet so upset. The truck driver was pinned, and looked to be unconscious, but was obviously alive from the rise and fall of his chest. Of course Johnny knew that condition could change at any time, but compared to some of the other victims in this accident, this guys situation could best be described as routine. As Roy came running up, Johnny could see from the look on Roy’s face that he was thinking the same thing.
Just then, Marco cut through the last pillar on the truck. With a great heave, they folded the roof up against the trailer. Roy reached into the truck to check the drivers pulse. Finding a weak, but steady pulse, Roy started to assess the driver’s injuries while Johnny came over to take the man’s vitals. Chet was yelling to them, but Johnny could not hear the words. Finally, Johnny looked up at chet and saw that Chet was pointing at something on the other side of the cab. He nudged Roy, pointed at Chet, and told Roy that he would go check it out.
As Johnny got up on the side of the truck, he could see what Chet had been pointing at. When he looked down, Johnny could see what obviously had at one time been a car, and from the numbers on the roof, he knew three things. He knew that the car was a patrol car. Johnny knew that it was the patrol car that the two CHP guys had mentioned was missing. And, Johnny knew that this car belonged to his friends Pete and Jim. “Oh man,” he said aloud, “Judy and Jeanne are going to be crushed. how am I going to tell them that their husbands are dead? There’s no way they could have survived being in that car.” he stopped for a minute and surveyed the wreck of the patrol car below. The left rear corner was pushed in where it had impacted with the trailer of the truck he was on, the left side looked crushed up against the trailer, and the car had been tilted toward it’s right side. The best description for the right front corner of the car was that it simply was not there. And, the right side of the roof was crushed where it had impacted with the other truck. Looking at the wreck, he came to the conclusion that any rescue attempt would have to be made through the rear window and left rear door. Also, he realized that the hoses for the Jaws would not reach from anywhere on the ground nearby.
Johnny keyed the HT. “Engine 51, Squad 51. Cap, there’s a car in here. Tell the CHP guys we found that cruiser they were talking about. Also, the Jaws won’t reach from the ground anywhere near here, so were going to need one of the snorkels to assist in accessing the victims.”
“10 - 4, Squad 51. Battalion 14 do you copy?” came the response. “Truck 127, Battalion 14, assist Engine 51 with a rescue from a vehicle trapped between the two tractor-trailers near the north side,” Johnny heard a moment later followed by an acknowledgement from Truck 127.
“Truck 127, Engine 51, We need your snorkel. Bring it on in and set it up to reach the area between the trailers,” Captain Stanley instructed.
Johnny turned around in time to see the paramedics from 110’s arrive and take over caring for the now extricated truck driver. Roy started to climb up on top of the truck, while Marco started to pass up some pry bars and the disconnected hoses from the Jaws. Truck 127 rolled up on the scene and started to deploy it’s snorkel per Captain Stanley’s orders. Marco picked up the power unit for the Jaws and handed it to one of 127’s men in the basket of the snorkel. As soon as Marco stepped back, the basket rose into the air and magically sailed up and over the trailer, coming back down on the inside. Johnny passed the hoses over to 127’s men in the basket, and the basket rose back to a height sufficient for Johnny to go about his business without smacking his head. Johnny grabbed the Jaws apparatus and slowly climbed down the chassis of the truck until he was standing on the chassis of the truck next to the left rear door of the cruiser. he gestured to Chet to have the guys in the basket above start the power unit, and then Johnny went to the work of cutting open the car.
As soon as Roy managed to get up on the top of the truck, he came to the same conclusions that Johnny had a few minutes earlier. A minute later, Johnny finally got the door to open. The sight that greeted him was gruesome to say the least. He found Jim Reed crumpled up in the back seat like a limp rag doll. Jim had obviously been ejected from his seat and, looking at where Jim usually sat, Johnny decided that this was a good thing because if he hadn’t been ejected, his skull would have been crushed between the seat and the roof when the roof collapsed. Johnny climbed down into the cruiser just as Roy got down to where Johnny had been.
“How’s he doing there, Junior?” Roy said as he reached in to break the back window.
“Not to good,” came the reply as Johnny checked Jim for injuries. “His right leg is broken beneath the knee.........left ankle is fractured..........abdominal distension in the upper and lower left quadrants.” Johnny reached over and grabbed the c-collar from Roy and fastened it around Jim’s neck. Roy handed Johnny the backboard next then handed the Jaws up to Chet before he dropped down behind the cruiser. Roy reached into the vehicle through where the rear window had been and helped to maneuver his injured friend onto the backboard. 127’s tossed down two lines, one attached to each end of the snorkel basket. Roy grabbed the farther of the two and tied it to the two handholds on the top of the backboard as Johnny secured Jim to the board. He then passed the ends of the other line to Johnny and Johnny secured the lines to the two handholds nearest Jim’s feet. They then eased Jim through the remains of the back window, going slowly in order not to aggravate Jim’s injuries.
Once Jim had cleared the rear window, the snorkel lifted Jim’s stretcher up and over the truck while Mike and Marco (who had since climbed over the truck and were now on respective sides of the car) handed Roy down a short backboard and c-collar. Johnny stood up on the right rear door and turned around so that he could help Pete. Johnny noted that (luckily) Pete didn’t seem to be pinned in under the dash, but his left arm was stuck between the seat and the armrest, and Pete was pinned in behind the steering wheel.
“His arm is pinned between the seat and the armrest, I’m gong to need a pry bar to get it out. Also, We’re going to have to cut the steering column to get him out,” Johnny said as Roy passed him a pry bar and c-collar and then stepped back out to call to Chet.
Chet passed the Jaws back down to Roy and then stood and indicated to 127’s to bring the basket back down. as soon as it had, Chet passed the connection hoses for the Jaws back to 127’s and they hooked the apparatus back up. As it hummed back to life, Chet gave Roy a thumbs-up, and Roy handed the Jaws to Johnny. Johnny promptly cut the steering column and handed the Jaws and the column back to Roy, who handed them up to Mike and Marco to get them out of the way. Marco then went to work on the drivers door in order to help free Pete’s arm while Johnny worked at it from the inside with the pry bar. After about a minute, Johnny was able to slowly lift Pete’s arm from where it had been. The door popped open a minute later, and Roy passed a short board up to Johnny. Johnny secured Pete to the short board while Roy and Mike climbed onto the left side of the car to help lift Pete out of the car and get him into the stokes that 127’s was just handing Chet to pass down.
The men gingerly lifted Pete from the car and placed him into the stokes for the short ride up and over the rig. As soon as he was secure, Roy gave Chet the thumbs-up signal to relay to 127’s.
*****
“Seven - Charles, unknown,” came the reply from Joe’s radio just as he saw a firefighter up on the top of the rig start to gesture frantically at his compatriots below.
“Mac, I think they found your boys,” Joe said as he clapped Mac on the shoulder and pointed at Chet.
A couple of minutes later, Jon and Ponch strode up to the two. “Sarge, the fire department just found your cruiser. It was trapped between the two trucks up ahead right side up, but wedged in tight. Those two paramedics that I told you about earlier are trying to gain access now.” Then Jon spotted the news chopper overhead and indicating the chopper asked, “Has anyone notified their families yet?”
“I’ve got two of my best men working it right now,” Mac said in reply. “In fact, now that we’ve found them, we can direct them to meet us at the hospital.” He picked up the mike in the wagon. “1 L 120.” Meanwhile Joe moved to his motor to notify his units to discontinue searching.
“1 L 120, go,” came the reply.
“Notify all units involved in the search for 1 Adam 12 that the unit has been located 405 northbound at Western and roll a tow truck to this location. Have 1 Adam 16 and 1 Adam 23 meet us at Rampart.”
*****
Roy and Johnny quickly climbed back over the overturned semi and dropped to the ground while Chet lowered their gear. They moved quickly to the sides of the fallen officer while Captain Stanley hurriedly set up the biophone.
“Rampart, Squad 51. Rampart this is Squad 5 1, do you copy?”
“Unit calling in please repeat,” came the calm voice of Dixie McCall.
“Rampart this is Squad 51. We have two victims of a traffic accident.” Stanley looked over at Johnny and relayed what Johnny told him. “Victim one is a 29 year old male. Victim was ejected from the front passenger seat and found lying across the back seat into the rear window area. BP is 110 over 40, Pulse 55 by palpation. Respirations rapid and shallow. Eyes are Dilated and unresponsive. Victim has a fractured lower right leg and left ankle. There is abdominal distension and tenderness in the upper and lower left quadrants and bruising suggesting a head injury.”
“51. Start two IV’s with Ringers, wide open on both and send me an EKG,” came the voice of Kel Brackett.
Johnny moved quickly to follow Brackett’s orders while the Captain looked over at Roy and pointed. “Victim Two is a 38 year old restrained driver of the same vehicle. BP 115 over 50, Pulse 65, respiration 18. Eyes are dilated but responsive. Victim Two has a Tib/Fib fracture of the left leg, a fractured left arm, a 4 inch laceration of the upper left arm, a two inch laceration in the upper right quadrant of the torso, and was pinned behind the steering wheel when located.” Stanley repeated into the biophone.
“51, start IV D5W TKO on victim two, immobilize victim two and transport immediately.”
“10 - 4 Rampart. We’re ready to transmit EKG on victim one. This will be lead two.”
As Johnny looked at the EKG monitor. The voice from the biophone only confirmed what he saw. “V-FIB 51! Countershock 400 watt seconds and administer 100 milliliter latacaine bolus followed by latacaine drip.” Johnny quickly followed Brackett’s instructions and relaxed as Jim’s heartrate returned to sinus rhythm. “Confirm sinus rhythm 51,” came Kel’s voice. “Immobilize and transport.”
“10 - 4 Rampart” Two sets of ambulance attendants arrived and quickly loaded Pete and Jim onto gurneys for the ride in to the hospital.
As Johnny and Roy got into their respective ambulances, the Captain looked at the sad expressions on their faces and wondered to himself if he would ever see these two officers alive again. But, he knew that if anyone could do something to help them, it was Kel Brackett and company down at Rampart. “Chet, take the squad in.”
*****
The next day......
“Excuse me,” Ponch said as he tried to get the nurses attention. “We wanted to ask about the two LAPD officers involved in the accident yesterday. We were told they were brought here.”
“Yes they were, and if you’ll wait for a minute, I was just on my way to check on them up in the ICU,” Dix replied.
“Sure,” ponch replied as he and Jon found seats in the nearby waiting room. “Man, those paramedics have all the luck.”
“Huh?” said Jon. “How do you figure?”
“All these gorgeous nurses, Jon, and they get to see them everyday and get first shot at asking them out.”
“Ponch, most of those guys are married, and if you paid much attention, you’d notice that.”
“But, that just improves the odds for the ones who aren’t married Jon.”
Jon could see that this was going to be one of those times when he just wouldn’t be able to get his point across to Ponch, so he was thankful when the nurse located them and told them that she was going upstairs now and that they should follow her. They arrived on the proper floor and she quickly steered them toward the ICU and told them that it had been decided to place the two officers in the same room since they were known to be good friends and the doctors felt that the comraderie would be beneficial. But, they were warned, space would be tight as a result of having twice the normal amount of equipment in the room.
As Jon and Ponch rounded the corner, they could see that they were not the only ones interested in the health of the two officers. As they walked down the hall, they noticed that there were a lot of khaki CHP uniforms and black LAPD uniforms on the people milling about in the hallway. They were still rather astonished when they opened the door to the room and found it litereally teaming with people they recognized and others that they did not. jon and Ponch quickly made their way to Getraer and asked him to introduce them to the others. Getraer quickly introduced the two to Chet, Mike, Johnny, Roy, Marco, Hank, Mac, Wells, and Woods and Jon and Ponch said hello to Grossman and Bonnie. Then he took both men over to the side of both beds and introduced them to Pete and Jim. Many hours of small talk ensued and the group wasn’t broken up until Dix reminded everybody that the two officers needed rest and that visiting hours were now over.