RICHMOND, Texas – Police officers find themselves in precarious situations all the time. The difference in this story is that every hair-raising second was caught on camera.
"He stepped up to the plate and he showed what he's made of," said Sgt. L. Neinast, with the Richmond, Tex. Police Department.
Early Sunday morning, a citizen flagged down Richmond Police Officer Ramon Morales and told him a woman was sitting on the train tracks in the 100 block of Douglas. He flipped on the overhead lights to his patrol car, which automatically turned on the dash camera.
The officer arrived just as the crossing arms at the intersection were going down. Ignoring the oncoming train, he can be seen on camera springing into action; he grabs the woman under the arms and drags her off the track, seconds before the train comes rushing by.
"He got there just in time. Saved this woman's life without regard for his own," Sgt. Neinast said.
Officer Morales holds the woman with one hand and uses his radio with the other.
"As the video goes on, she asked him if he's the one that pulled her off the tracks and he said, 'Yes I am of course.' She said, 'Why did you do that?' He was a little shaken up over the circumstances. I think even more so after he saw the video realizing how close it was. He's a hero. He went way above and beyond the call of duty to save someone else's life," said Sgt. Neinast said.
The woman was taken to Oak Bend Hospital for assessment. Morales has been with the Richmond Police Department for just 10 months.