VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Three people received the North Dakota Highway Patrol’s “Colonels Award for Excellence” during a ceremony on Friday, August 2nd in Valley City.
John Triebold of Oriska along with McKenzie Nordland and Kasidy Tibke of Valley City worked to save the life of a motorist, seriously injured and pinned underneath his vehicle following a one vehicle rollover on June 9 of 2019 along I-94 near exit 298 east of Valley City.
Highway Patrol Trooper Jackson Loeffel arrived on the scene to find three people trying to save the driver’s life at the scene.
North Dakota Highway Patrol Captain Bryan Niewind presided over the ceremony and gave a description of the focus behind the award and what happen that night.
John Triebold, McKenzie Nordland and Kasidy Tibke talked about how the three of them worked together before and after the Highway Patrol and Emergency Responders arrived on the scene.
Tibke said the injured man continues to recover and has several more months of therapy ahead of him.
Captain Niewind and Trooper Loeffel said do what you can to save someone’s life at a crash scene. The efforts of these three individuals greatly helped save the life of this man on June 9.
Niewind said the award is presented to North Dakota State employees and to private citizens as a token of the Colonel’s appreciation for efforts and activities that benefit the North Dakota Highway Patrol and the state of North Dakota.
Here is the news release issued by the Highway Patrol:
On August 2nd, 2019, John Triebold, Kassidy Tibke, and McKenzie Nordland were presented the North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) Colonel’s Award of Excellence. The award presentation occurred at the Valley City Police Department. The award was for their heroic actions at a crash scene near Valley City on June 9th, 2019.
On June 9th, 2019, emergency personnel responded to a one vehicle rollover crash on I-94 at Exit 298, about 4 miles east of Valley City. A Ford Dually pickup had rolled while traveling eastbound on I-94. The driver was unrestrained and ejected from the vehicle. The Ford landed on top of the driver, with only the driver’s head and shoulders visible. The truck was crushing the driver’s chest, abdomen and legs. The driver was unresponsive when law enforcement arrived, and he was not breathing.
Shortly after the arrival of law enforcement, Kassidy Tibke, McKenzie Nordland and John Triebold arrived on scene. Tibke and Nordland were driving past the scene when they stopped to provide assistance. Triebold lived near the crash scene and observed the crash occur. All three sprung into action to assist law enforcement. Triebold quickly ran home and retrieved a telehandler, driving it to the crash scene. Once on scene, the telehandler was used to pick the Ford off the driver, so he could be removed, and medical assistance could be provided. After the driver was removed from under the Ford, Tibke and Nordland began to provide CPR. CPR was successful and the driver began to breathe on his own. The driver was transported to Sanford Hospital in Fargo for severe injuries. The driver continues to recover from those injuries today, but is alive thanks to the quick and heroic actions of Triebold, Nordland and Tibke.
Trooper Jackson Loeffel was the investigating officer and nominated Tibke, Triebold and Nordland for the Colonel’s Award of Excellence. Trooper Loeffel advised “the actions of the three directly contributed to the driver in this crash surviving his life-threatening injuries.” Trooper Loeffel went on to acknowledge “the three were not obligated to provide assistance but chose that day to save another person’s life. Their actions were heroic and worthy of being honored.”
Colonel Brandon Solberg, Superintendent of the NDHP, agreed with Trooper Loeffel’s recommendation and awarded Tibke, Triebold and Nordland with the Colonel’s Award of Excellence.
The NDHP Colonel’s Award of Excellence is a coin engraved with an American Bald Eagle, surrounded by the ND Badlands, the Little Missouri River and the profile of Sioux warrior Red Tomahawk. Each coin is original and unique to the state of North Dakota. The award is presented to citizens as a token of the Colonel’s appreciation for the efforts and activities that benefit the NDHP and the state of North Dakota.
