2020 -- H 7390

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LC004240

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING AND THANKING PARAMEDIC JEREMY GRABER FOR HIS HEROIC

ACTIONS AND GREAT BRAVERY IN ASSISTING A MASSACHUSETTS STATE

TROOPER IN DISTRESS

     Introduced By: Representatives Morin, Mattiello, Shekarchi, Phillips, and Casey

     Date Introduced: January 30, 2020

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Paramedic Jeremy Graber, a veteran who served our nation with distinction

in the United States Army, was on duty on November 11, 2019, when he was dispatched to a 2

a.m. 911 call to the Town of Millbury, Massachusetts. En route to the call, his ALS unit

encountered a Massachusetts State Trooper in great distress. He was on the ground in an unlit

section of I-290, struggling to gain control of a suspect. The Trooper was separated from his radio

and was unable to call for assistance; and

     WHEREAS, Paramedic Graber had his partner contact dispatch to coordinate the sending

of another rescue to the Town of Millbury and to attain law enforcement assistance to their

location on the highway. Mr. Graber exited his vehicle to assist the State Trooper, and had to

enter the highway and expose himself to dangerous traffic; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Graber proceeded to help place the suspect against the median, after

which the exhausted Trooper released his grip. The result was a dangerous struggle between Mr.

Graber and the suspect, in which Mr. Graber was able to maintain control of the individual in

order to protect himself and the Trooper. During this struggle, Mr. Graber also noticed that the

suspect had produced an object from his pocket, which he could not identify. He then disarmed

the suspect and kicked what turned out to be a box cutter into the roadway; and

     WHEREAS, Several minutes later, EMT Tetteh and the State Trooper were able to

restrain the suspect with handcuffs. Mr. Graber was taken to the hospital to get medical help for a

shoulder injury incurred during the struggle; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Graber represents all that we admire and revere about our first

responders. He personally disregarded his own safety in order to help protect a State Trooper in

great danger and to help subdue a dangerous suspect; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby honors and thanks Paramedic Jeremy Graber for his heroic actions

on the night of November 11, 2019. We furthermore wish him continued success in all his future

endeavors; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Jeremy Graber.

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LC004240

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