A UO Police Department officer who rescued a man from a burning vehicle last year was recently honored by Eugene police with a lifesaving award.

Officer Adam Lillengreen, who had graduated from the Oregon Public Safety Academy, was doing field training with the Eugene Police Department on Aug. 16 when he spotted a thick column of smoke near the intersection of West Second Avenue and Taylor Street. He quickly turned his vehicle around to look for the source of the smoke.

He soon came upon a pickup with flames coming from the bed of the truck, with an unconscious man lying on a smoking and burning mattress inside. Lillengreen pulled the man from the truck, saving him from possible death from smoke inhalation and burns.

The fire is believed to have been started by a cigarette.

Lillengreen was presented with the lifesaving award at EPD’s annual awards ceremony May 27. The award is given to officers who perform an exemplary act that directly contributes to saving a human life.

Lillengreen has since completed training and is now on duty as a UOPD officer. For a complete story, see "University of Oregon police officer given award for saving life" in The Register-Guard.