Our May 29, 2019 ServPro Hometown Heroes feature recognizes Investigator Steve Noyes and Trooper Nicholas A. Jones  The Red Cross honored Noyes and Jones with the 2019 Real Heroes Law Enforcement Award for their handling of a mental health crisis in Whitney Point.

On Oct. 25, 2018, Steve Noyes, an investigator with the Broome District Attorney's Office, was working as a School Resource Officer at Whitney Point High School.

Noyes heard an urgent call on his radio that a man was pumping gasoline onto the pumps near at the nearby Express Mart and was threatening to ignite it.

Knowing it would take several minutes for responding officers to reach the scene, Investigator Noyes decided to respond to the gas station himself.

Upon arriving, Noyes was hit by a strong smell of gasoline. Puddles of it were near the vehicle where the man was now sitting inside.  

Noyes first cordoned the area off to vehicles or customers.

When the man noticed New York State Police Troopers Nicholas Jones and Elizabeth Steve arriving, he left his vehicle and began waving a lit cigarette.

He then pushed Jones and threw the lit cigarette into one of the puddles of gasoline. Luckily, it didn't catch fire and police were able to get the man into Trooper Jones' patrol car.

Still highly agitated, officers say the man kicked the windshield and started kicking Trooper Jones. At one point, his foot became lodged in the steering wheel, causing Trooper Jones to temporarily lose control of the vehicle.

Because of their excellent judgment and handling in what could have turned into a deadly situation, Investigator Noyes and Trooper Jones were able to keep everyone, including the man, safe and unharmed.