Behind the Badge
The stab wound in the victim’s chest was so deep it nearly exited through his back.
Cypress Police Officer Johnathan Krok and Police Services Officer Nathan Regalado tried to ignore the screaming and traumatized family members in the house and focus on the task at hand:
Saving the man’s life.
For their efforts in the early hours of Jan. 5 on a domestic disturbance call, Krok and Regalado received a service award at a ceremony at Los Angeles Police Department headquarters Monday.
The awards were part of state Attorney General Kamala D. Harris’ annual Zone I meeting. Earlier this year, Krok and Regalado received a Silver Distinguished Service medal at the annual Police Appreciation Luncheon hosted by the Cypress Police Foundation.
After Krok was the first to arrive at the home in the 8700 block of Walker Street, the disturbance call quickly was updated to an attempted murder.
Krok found three stabbing victims surrounded by hysterical family members and friends. All of the wounded needed extensive medical attention.
Krok focused on the most seriously injured person and began rendering aid. Seconds later, Regalado arrived with an additional first aid kit and joined Krok in providing first aid to the victim, according to a narrative account of the incident provided by the Cypress Police Department.
Krok and Regalado rendered what Orange County Fire Authority paramedics who arrived shortly after the two later describes as “advanced, life-saving care” to the victim, who had a collapsed lung and had already lost so much blood through a large chest wound that he was losing body temperature and going into shock.
Paramedics transported the man to the hospital as a trauma patient.
“Officer Krok and PSO Regalado are commended for maintaining their focus during a very chaotic situation and saving this man’s life,” Cypress Chief of Police Jackie Gomez-Whiteley said. “Every day, our officers do great work that usually remains out of the public eye. I congratulate them for this well-deserved recognition.”
