‘Don’t You Die!’: Officer Saves Driver’s Life

Devers was the first to arrive to the scene and immediately ran out of this cruiser toward the wreckage. A big rig driver had crashed through the highway barrier, down a steep embankment, and into some woods.

“Keep breathing!” Devers can be heard shouting in the video.

“Don’t die on me”, Devers yells in the audio several times.

He started CPR right away, to save the life of John Depue, 53, of Charlotte, Michigan.

Trooper Eric Devers of the Piqua Post/District 5 Headquarters was recognized for his actions in aiding a driver after a vehicle crash.

Devers was honored in a ceremony and received a Certificate of Recognition.

Devers credits two other truckers who stopped to help in the rescue, saying “Without either of those gentlemen this would never have happened”.

A State Trooper was honoured with an award last week for saving a truck driver’s life after coming to his assistance 12 minutes before an ambulance. “It’s humbling” said Devers. To think about saving peoples lives and then to actually go and be that person to somebody, knowing he’s going to go home and see his family and his grand-kids. “That’s why we do what we do”. The man was breathing on his own again, stabilized and taken to Wilson Memorial Hospital where he made a full recovery, said OSP.