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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Four North Dakota men were presented with the North Dakota Highway Patrol Colonel’s Award of Excellence for their courageous efforts to save a woman from a car fire in March 2013. Kent Severson of Gardner, Timothy Springer of Argusville, Jonathan Magnell and Mitch Goodmanson, both of Harwood, were recognized with the award.

Highway Patrol Captain Bryan Niewind said, on March 15 at 7:45 a.m., a woman was traveling on I-29 when she noticed flames coming from the rear of her vehicle. Marjorie Branden pulled onto the shoulder and became trapped inside her vehicle. She attempted to escape her vehicle but was overcome by smoke filling the cabin of her vehicle.

Niewind said, the four men, who were traveling individually on I-29, stopped and sprang into action. Putting their own safety at risk, the men combined their efforts and successfully extracted Branden from her vehicle by breaking out a window, cutting her seat belt and lifting her through the broken window. After successfully removing her from the vehicle, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. Without their selfless actions, the outcome could have been far different.

Severson, Springer, Magnell and Goodmanson were presented with a coin displaying an engraving of the American bald eagle surrounded by the North Dakota Badlands, the Little Missouri River and the profile of Sioux warrior Red Tomahawk. Each coin is original and unique to North Dakota.  The NDHP Colonel’s Award of Excellence is awarded to North Dakota state employees and private citizens for efforts and activities that benefit the North Dakota Highway Patrol, the State of North Dakota and its citizens.