Raleigh police officers honored for heroic actions

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — A Raleigh police officer was honored Wednesday night for helping save a life on Interstate 40.

Officer Jose Diaz received the Merit to Life Saving Award at the Law Enforcement Training Center near Battle Bridge Road.

Diaz told ABC11 that he pulled over to the side of the road near Rock Quarry Road in October to help a colleague who was responding to a hit-and-run accident.

He said as he stood with the person whose car had already been loaded onto a tow truck, another car flew in their direction.

He thought quickly and shielded the woman while this happened.

“It felt long at the moment… I remember pieces of the vehicle flying towards me,” Diaz said. “I just pray that anyone in my position would have done the same.”

ABC11 first met Diaz last year when he graduated from the academy and donned the RPD badge.

Earlier this month, Diaz honored his late father at a law enforcement honoring ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

His father, Jose Diaz Sr., was a Fort Lauderdale police officer who died in the line of duty years ago while investigating a crash on I-95.

“It’s like a copy, right? “I’m just living my legacy, but pretty much the same way he did,” Diaz said.

More officers were honored Wednesday, including one who responded to a report of a man with a gun near Ligon Magnet Middle School last March.