Cleveland 16-year-old receives DPS Director’s Award for saving driver

Tuesday, at the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Regional Headquarters in Houston, Director Steven C. McCraw presented a Director’s Award to Dylan Jacobs, a teenager from Cleveland, Texas, for saving a driver from a life-threatening situation.

On the night of January 6, 2011, Carl Lucius, 21, from Conroe, was driving on Daw Collins Road near Cleveland when he struck a feral hog that was in the roadway. He lost control of his vehicle, which hit a tree and burst into flames. Another driver, Kay Jacobs, discovered the wrecked pick-up truck. Despite Lucius’ severe injuries, with Kay’s assistance, he got out of his vehicle but was unable to stand and move farther away from the dangerous fire.

Kay called her son, then 15-year-old Dylan Jacobs, and husband to come to the crash scene. Dylan arrived at the scene and saw that the victim was unable to walk. Within seconds, Dylan rushed to the man and moved him 30 yards to safety, sparing Lucius from severe burns and saving his life.

Tom Porter, from Cleveland, also received the Director’s Award for responding to the wreck and rescuing a 1-year-old child who was also in the burning vehicle.

Texas Highway Patrol Trooper Justin Lopez, stationed in New Caney, responded to the wreck and nominated Dylan Jacobs for the DPS Director’s Award. The Director’s Award may be presented to any private citizen or personnel of another agency that gives significant assistance to a DPS employee in the performance of his or her duties.