08-R057
2008 -- S 2245
Enacted 02/06/08
S E N A T E
R E S O L U T I O N
HONORING ANN LYNCH,
CAPTAIN STEPHEN LYNCH, CAPTAIN JOSEPH MATTERA AND PATROLMAN MICHAEL HOPTON FOR
THEIR UNSELFISH HEROISM
Introduced By: Senators P Fogarty,
Jabour, Tassoni, Gallo, and Lanzi
Date Introduced: February
06, 2008
WHEREAS,
Throughout history, our nation has been propitiously blessed with everyday
folks
who are willing to step forward, get involved and quite often risk their own
safety in order
to
save or protect their fellow man; and
WHEREAS,
Ann Lynch, Captain Stephen Lynch, Captain Joseph Mattera and Patrolman
Michael
Hopton are just such good Samaritans, and their actions in the early morning
hours of
July
8, 2007 were nothing short of heroic; and
WHEREAS,
Ann Lynch was snug in her bed, when the awful sound of a car crash
awakened
her. She immediately called 911. Her quick thinking and instantaneous action
dispatched
the personnel necessary to save the lives of two young people trapped in a
burning
automobile;
and
WHEREAS,
First on the scene was Captain Stephen Lynch, a Rhode Island State Police
Detective
Commander, who was off duty at the time. He worked side by side with Captain
Joseph
Mattera and Patrolman Michael Hopton of the Glocester Police Department, who
were the
first
responders to Ann’s 911 call; and
WHEREAS, Together the three men were able to extricate one of the two
youngsters
trapped
in the backseat of the burning car, just as the flames were quickly spreading.
Then, using
fire
extinguishers and pieces of wood, they blocked the flames from the second young
person
until
firefighters arrived. Sadly, the two teens in the front seat were already gone;
and
WHEREAS,
The laudable actions of Ann Lynch, Captain Stephen Lynch, Captain Joseph
Mattera
and Patrolman Michael Hopton augment our faith in all mankind and brighten the
future
for
our children and loved ones; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
hereby
honors Ann Lynch, Captain Stephen Lynch, Captain Joseph Mattera and Patrolman
Michael
Hopton, and wholeheartedly thanks them for their good judgment, quick thinking,
and
noble
bravery; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit
duly certified copies of this resolution to Ann Lynch, Captain Stephen Lynch,
Captain
Joseph
Mattera and Patrolman Michael Hopton.
=======
LC01089
=======