Teens honored after helping save man who couldn’t get up

By Camden Buehler

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    PHELPS COUNTY, Missouri (KOMU) — What started as a plan to shovel driveways in the snow turned into something more serious when two people in Phelps County reportedly heard a man call for help when they knocked on his door.

The two teenagers from Phelps County ended up assisting Rolla police officers to save a man’s life on Feb. 20.

Santiago Salazar and Austin Miller-McElroy were each presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by Police Chief Sean Fagan at Monday night’s City Council meeting.

Salazar and Miller-McElroy knocked on a man’s front door in attempt to ask to shovel his driveway and called 911 to the residence after they heard him call for help.

Officers arrived on scene and heard a man answer that he was in the bathroom and could not come to the door, according to Phelps County Central Communications. However, the officers didn’t receive a response when they asked if someone needed assistance in the residence. Officers could not find any indicators of concern outside or through the windows of the house.

Officers said they determined that enough exigent circumstances were present to make a forcible entry. Once inside, officers found the man in the bathroom, where he said he had fallen five days prior.

The man was evaluated on scene and transported to Phelps Health for further medical treatment, according to Phelps County Central Communications.

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