Chandler PD receives high praise from accident victim

Judy Terry just can't say enough good things about Chandler Assistant Police Chief James Lehman and Chandler Volunteer Fire Department first responders these days.

"I can't even begin to describe how they went way above the call of duty," the Tyler resident said.

While on her way to work at Sundown Ranch in Canton, early last Wednesday morning, Ms. Terry, 43, was heading west on State Highway 31 when her 2005 Malibu Chevrolet hit a patch of ice causing her to skid off the north side of the +

road and into a ditch full of water just inside the eastern Chandler city limits. Both car and driver quickly became immersed in the cold water.

"He came down the bank slipping and sliding," she said of Lehman. "He didn't give up."

When Lehman reached Ms. Terry's car, he climbed on the trunk then the roof of the car, and pulled her to safety.

"He made sure I got safely out," she said. "He didn't leave me. He took a risk with his own life to get me out of the water. He saved my life that day. I was getting cold. I could have gotten hypothermia."

Ms. Terry, who is a licensed chemical dependency counselor and a certified anger resolution therapist, was checked out at the scene of the accident by EMS then taken to a friend's home in Chandler.

"I have never experienced so much care and concern, and compassion from a police department in my life," she said. "These gentlemen need to be rewarded and the community needs to know that they have wonderful protection."