We need a little good news from time to time

At times, America has away of reminding you of her greatest resource and that resource has always been her people. Everyday heroic actions and kindness from strangers guarantees that our nation survives. Such is the case with a young child and someone simply doing their job as a citizen. Because of someone's heroic actions one more child will have a chance to grow up and live her dreams. Unfortunately, a dinner table will have an empty seat tonight in America as the result of a tragic accident. But the heroic actions of this man prevented the loss of a young precious life. 

An early-morning crash in Anne Arundel County claimed the life of a woman and could have been worse if not for an officer's rescue of a 5-year-old girl from the burning vehicle. The fiery four-vehicle crash occurred at about 6:45 a.m. on East Ordnance Road near Blades Lane.

Responders found three passenger vehicles and a commercial trash vehicle involved in the crash. The truck and one of the cars were on fire, police said.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The child was taken to Johns Hopkins University Pediatric Trauma Center.
Firefighters determined that a United States Coast Guard petty officer -- who is also a police officer -- had stopped at the scene. He ran past several onlookers, reached into the burning vehicle and removed the child while an Anne Arundel County police officer tried to rescue the woman.

"Clearly this tragedy would have been compounded were it not for the actions of the petty officer and police officer," said Fire Chief John Robert Ray.

"The department extends its deepest sympathies to those affected in this incident and its strongest sense of gratitude to the petty officer who saved the little girl's life."