Raleigh police officers honored for heroic deeds

A Raleigh police officer was honored Wednesday night for helping to save a life on Interstate 40.

Officer Jose Diaz got the Merit to Lifesaving Award at the Law Enforcement Training Center near Battle Bridge Road.

Diaz told ABC11 he had pulled off to the side of the road near Rock Quarry Road in October to help a fellow officer who was responding to a hit-and-run crash.

He said as he stood with the person whose car had already been loaded onto a tow truck, another car came flying in their direction.

Thinking quickly, he shielded the woman as it was happening.

"At the moment it felt long ... I remember seeing parts of the vehicle fly toward me," Diaz said. "I'm just praying that anyone in my position would have done the same act."

ABC11 first met Diaz last year when he completed the academy and put on the badge with RPD.

Earlier this month, Diaz honored his late father at a ceremony honoring law enforcement in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

His father, Jose Diaz Sr., was a police officer in Fort Lauderdale who died in the line of duty years ago as he was investigating a wreck on I-95.

"It's like a carbon copy, right? Just living my legacy but pretty much the same way he did it," Diaz said.

Other officers were honored Wednesday, including one who responded to the report of a man with a gun near Ligon Magnet Middle School last March.