On December 05, 2015, a 17-year-old Watsonville teen, Zac Clayman, was the right-front passenger in a vehicle being driven by his aunt. They were traveling on Larkin Valley Rd. in the area of White Rd. when Mr. Clayman noticed a white object off the side of the road down a steep embankment. Clayman signaled his aunt to pull over so he could check on the object he saw.
Clayman then ran back up the road and down the embankment to a white truck that had collided with a tree. He observed a male subject seated in the vehicle with major injuries. After speaking with the driver who was trapped in the vehicle, he was able to find out the vehicle had been there overnight, where temperatures reached near freezing. Mr. Clayman immediately notified his aunt to call 911. Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene where they provided extraction and aid to the victim.
The Santa Cruz Area CHP, along with Aptos Fire Department hosted a ceremony to honor Zac Clayman. His quick thinking and fearless response likely saved the crash victim’s life. Santa Cruz CHP will present Clayman with a Citizen Commendation on at the CHP Area Office. The CHP would like this teen’s good deed not to go unnoticed.