Oxford residents Sherene Ann Parris and Gary Elzerman were honored last week by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department for their quick-thinking and rapid actions in two stressful and dangerous situations.
Sheriff Michael Bouchard recognized them, along with 17 other citizens from 10 other communities, as part of National Police Week.
Parris? fast-thinking nabbed a burglar inside her house.
When she arrived home on Sept. 28, 2009, she observed an unknown vehicle parked behind her home and noticed the rear door to the house was open.
Parris immediately obtained the license plate and vehicle description, then called the sheriff’s department.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they arrested the suspect inside her house. He was actually a convicted felon on parole for several previous home invasions.
‘Your rapid thinking in this stressful situation, the ability to obtain critical vehicle information regarding the suspect’s vehicle, and not attempting to confront the intruder in your home resulted in the arrest,? according to the sheriff’s department.
While Parris was honored for helping nab a bad guy, Elzerman was recognized for saving the life of a good guy, a sheriff’s deputy.
On Dec. 28, 2009, a deputy was directing traffic on Baldwin Rd. due to a personal injury accident that had occurred there.
When the deputy turned his attention toward the vehicle that was being towed, he was unaware he was in danger of being hit by another car that was sliding out of control.
Elzerman alerted the deputy to what was happening by blowing his horn.
This immediately got the deputy’s attention and prevented him from being hit by the sliding car, which narrowly missed the officer and his patrol car.
‘Due to your quick actions and your ability to use what resources you had, the deputy escaped possible serious injury,? according to the sheriff’s department.