Costa Mesa officer honored for valor

Marisa O’Neil

When Costa Mesa Police Officer Derek Trusk saw a man trapped inside

his car after a serious collision, he sprang into action, even though

he wasn’t working.

Trusk was headed with his family to a dinner party Aug. 31, when

he spotted the overturned vehicle in Rancho Santa Margarita. He

pulled the man from his car just after it burst into flames. Costa

Mesa Police Chief John Hensley on Wednesday credited Trusk, 33, with

saving the injured man’s life and presented the officer with the

department’s Life Saving Award.

“This is the fourth city I’ve worked in, and I’ve never been

associated with more heroes than I am here,” Hensley said.

The award came as a rather poorly-kept surprise to Trusk. He

suspected something was up when his superiors strongly suggested he

show up at the department’s promotion ceremony on Wednesday afternoon

-- even though he wasn’t up for promotion himself.

The city of Rancho Santa Margarita planned to honor Trusk at its

City Council meeting Wednesday night.

Trusk was glad he made the right decision in the situation, he

said. The man in the car was critically injured, with a broken back

and pelvis and internal bleeding, Trusk said.

He made the rescue as his wife, Anna, 4-year-old son Christian and

2-year-old daughter Briana watched nearby just as the man’s car

exploded into flames, and Trusk dragged him out.

“My whole family was in [our] car,” he said. “There was a loud

[explosion], and I looked over and could see my little boy in the van

looking at me. I thought, ‘If this guy’s going to die, he’s not going

to do it here.’”

The man is still recovering from his injuries but has been

released from the hospital, Trusk said.

Wednesday’s ceremony also confirmed the promotions of four

officers.

Dave Anderson, 46, was promoted to lieutenant. He started work

with the department in 1986 and has served in a variety of

assignments, including field training officer, motorcycle officer and

detective.

Keith Davis, 40, and Victor Bakkila, 38, were each promoted to

corporal. Davis has worked for the department since 1991 and Bakkila has served there since 1997.

Paul Beckman, 35, was promoted to sergeant. He has been with Costa

Mesa Police since 1994. His wife, Julie Beckman, is also an officer

with the department.

“I’m very proud of him,” she said. “He always worked to accomplish

this. I knew it was just a matter of time.”