MECHANICSBURG – On Friday, Feb. 10, Lt. Robert McConnell of the Mechanicsburg Police Department was dispatched to the area of South Main Street at Darby Lane in the Village of Mechanicsburg in reference to a serious motor vehicle accident.

Upon arrival, McConnell observed Joel Westfall attempting to assist the occupants of the vehicle. McConnell and Westfall teamed up and began working on a 12-year-old child who was critically injured. McConnell and Westfall were able to work together to stabilize the young child.

Based on the actions of Westfall and McConnell, Mechanicsburg Police Chief David C. Patrick II awarded Westfall with a Citizen’s Life Saving Award and McConnell with the Department’s Life Saving Award at the Mechanicsburg council meeting on Feb. 20.

The MPD also thanks the Champaign Countywide Communications Center, especially Dispatcher Molly Melchi, for her actions in coordinating the many agencies that responded to this crash, including CareFlight, the Mechanicsburg Fire Department the Urbana Fire Department and the Pleasant Township Fire Department.

The MPD also thanks the Ohio State Highway Patrol Crash Team, which was called in to investigate the crash due to the severity of the injuries, as well as the dedicated medical team at Columbus Nationwide Children’s Medical Center who treated the young child who was released several days later with a long recovery ahead.