FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 19, 2001

CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety today named L/Cpl. John D. Price as the State Transport Police Officer of the Year at the agency’s annual Employee Recognition Ceremony.

Price has been employed with STP, a division of the S.C. Department of Public Safety, since November 1994. STP enforces federal and state safety regulations and size and weight requirements for commercial motor vehicles. Price is part of the S.T.A.R. (Strategic Traffic Alcohol and Radar) unit, which conducts special traffic and enforcement efforts to keep the roads free of intoxicated drivers, unsafe vehicles and illegal activity. Price was recognized twice by DPS in 1999 and 2000 as the "Officer of the Month" and "Officer of the Quarter."

In July of last year, Price was working the night shift. He heard a radio communication to dispatch from another officer saying that a motorist flagged him down and reported seeing flames coming from a home on U.S. 25, just north of SC Primary 11 in Greenville County. Price went to the scene and saw smoke and fire coming from the house. He and another bystander ran to the house. As Price was banging on the door, he heard someone inside. He and the bystander, Cecil Shipley, entered the home and pulled the man, later identified as Jeffrey Scott Vaughan, from the blazing home. Vaughan was critically burned in the blaze. He was airlifted to Charleston and died nine days later. During that time, Vaughan’s family stayed in close touch with Price, keeping him apprised of Vaughan’s condition. Price was hailed as a hero by Vaughan’s family, the fire department, community and Upstate media for his heroic efforts to save Vaughan.

"We were not surprised to hear that L/Cpl. Price had done something so heroic," said STP Col. Anna Amos. "He is an exemplary officer who spends his free time helping others. So, it’s no surprise he would go to such great measures to save this man’s life."

Price, a native of Spartanburg County, attended Spartanburg Technical College and Furman University. He worked as an Emergency Medical Technician beginning in 1989. In 1990, he began working for the Emergency Department at Spartanburg Regional Medical Trauma Center. He began his law enforcement career in 1993 with Spartanburg County before joining STP in 1994.

He and his wife, Angie, have four children: Emily, 7; Dillon, 4; and twins Hailey and Hannah, 2, and reside in Lyman.

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