By Joanna Putman
Police1
REDLANDS, Calif. — A San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy acted quickly to save a child from an oncoming train in a rescue captured on cellphone video, KCAL reported.
Deputy Michael Castaneda, who was off duty, was driving home when he noticed an SUV stuck on the tracks at a rural railroad crossing, according to the report. As the crossing gate began to close, Castaneda observed the vehicle’s driver struggling to maneuver off the tracks but becoming immobilized in gravel.
“I knew there was something going on, and something needed to be done fast,” Castaneda told KCAL.
The driver, later identified as the child’s mother, exited the car, setting down one child before going back to retrieve another, video shows.
“As soon as she put that child down, I heard the horn, and to me, that was the start of a race,” Castaneda said.
Deputy Castaneda from Yucaipa Station has been honored with the Meritorious Valor Award for his heroic act of saving a child from the train tracks. A true example of courage and dedication to our community.
— San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) October 13, 2024
Video credit: @morenovalleymatters2024 pic.twitter.com/JAJdwxPQCH
He rushed toward the child left on the ground, picking them up and sprinting away from the tracks as the train approached. In the video, the mother is seen running in the opposite direction with her other child.
“What I do for my job, what I’ve done in the past, is just to help people,” Castaneda said.
Castaneda has since been recognized with the Meritorious Valor Award for his heroic actions, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.