Honoring a hero
A Cartersville officer is commended for saving passengers from a fiery Floyd County wreck.
A Cartersville police officer who rescued two passengers from a burning wreck in Floyd County was presented Thursday with the Georgia Department of Public Safety Lifesaving Award.
CPD Cpl. Justin Lusian was off duty on July 17 when he passed the crash on Kingston Highway at Jones Road and saw several occupants trapped inside. In a letter to his supervisor, Floyd County police Sgt. Rusty Williams and Officer Corey Wright said Lusian got the survivors to safety before first responders arrived.
He “immediately went into action, pulling the victims from the burning vehicle and organizing the bystanders into caring for the wounded while keeping them away” from the wreck, they wrote in a commendation sent to CPD Maj. Terry Ellis.
“Cpl. Lusian’s disregard for his own safety surely preserved the lives of the two passengers in the vehicle and made their medical treatment possible much quicker than it would have been without his actions,” the letter of commendation said. On Thursday, CPD Chief Terry McCann presented him with the Lifesaving Award for his courageous actions. Lusian has been with the city’s police department for 19 years.
“For those of us who know Corporal Lusian, this act was not out of character in the slightest for him, as he is one of the most skilled and experienced police officers any department could ask for,” McCann said. According to Floyd County police, Melissa Louise Huie, 38, of Rome, and Regina Lynn McCary, 56, of Plainville were seriously injured in the one-car wreck. The driver, Charley Edwards of Rome, died later that day at the hospital.