Photo By Ana Henderson | Yuma Police Department (YPD) Chief Thomas Garrity (center) speaks at a ceremony...... read more read more
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Heroes are commonly anonymous in their daily life, but eventually get found out for at least some of their good deeds.
For Rick Ramirez, team lead for wheeled vehicles at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG)’s Maintenance Test Branch, recognition came on July 25, 2024, more than a year after a particular act of heroism.
A Marine Corps veteran who deployed to Operation Desert Storm, Ramirez and his wife were on their way to enjoy a Saturday brunch out on Jan. 23, 2023. While driving eastbound past the intersection of Fourth Avenue and 16th Street in Yuma he saw a man strike a police officer outside the Taco Bell on Fourth. He diverted and cut across the westbound lanes of traffic to approach through the adjacent dirt parking lot to see if the officer, now grappling with the suspect, needed help.
“I asked the officer because I didn’t want to get involved if he didn’t have any trouble, but he said no, he needed assistance,” recalled Ramirez. “I assisted him getting the suspect handled so he could cuff him.”
As other police cars arrived on the scene, Ramirez and his wife departed.
“I figured he had plenty of backup now, so we went on about our business and had our brunch,” said Ramirez.
The Yuma Police Department, however, saw the assistance rendered as a more significant act than Ramirez did. Discovering that he worked at YPG, the department wanted to confer a formal certificate of recognition on him at this place of duty. Ramirez’s teammates set up bleachers in the work bay of their building to accommodate visitors that included YPG Commander Col. John Nelson, Yuma Test Center Commander Lt. Col. Kevin Hicks, Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls, and Yuma Police Department Chief Thomas Garrity. Keeping the purpose of the event secret from Ramirez, he unwittingly helped with the preparations.
“It’s been so long ago, I thought this whole event was for Miss Hobbs who was in town yesterday,” said Ramirez.
“He went over a year without saying anything—that humility combined with courage is just incredible,” said Hicks. “It just shows what YPG is known for, which is hard work, dedication, and doing what’s right. Mr. Ramirez saw a wrong that day and wanted to make it right.”
The high praise was echoed by officials from the City of Yuma.
“I appreciate your engagement and stepping forward when you didn’t have to, but you did anyway,” said Nicholls in remarks at the ceremony. “That means a lot to me and to the community.”
“It was nice to get some recognition,” said Ramirez after the ceremony. “I don’t know how they found me—they have good detectives, I guess. It was definitely a surprise.”
| Date Taken: | 07.25.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.25.2024 17:05 |
| Story ID: | 477049 |
| Location: | YUMA PROVING GROUND, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 201 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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