Seven CHP Officers have been awarded the highest honor the state can bestow on an employee for their attempt to save lives following a plane crash in September of 2020 in West Redding. A single engine Beechcraft Bonanza piloted by Heavenly Doughnuts owner Machael Garrett was taking off from Benton Airpark when it went down in a canyon area just to the north of the runway across Placer Street, and burst into flames. Lieutenant Michael Berry, Sergeant Jeff Edgerton, and officers Jeff Hatcher, Erik Mallory, Eric Pohrman, Steve Weyand and Jonathon Wion all ran to the crash from Benton and got there about 30 seconds after impact. They immediately worked together to fight the flames with fire extinguishers while trying to pull the occupants to safety. Two of the occupants were trapped and the two who were rescued died of their injuries several weeks later. The seven CHP personnel were awarded the Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor Tuesday.