VASSALBORO
Several local residents were honored Wednesday at the annual State Police awards ceremony in Vassalboro.
Jason Forgues of Freeport and Paul Oleston of Topsham received special awards of commendation for rescuing a man from his burning truck in Freeport in April.
Forgues was traveling north on I-295 headed to an appointment when he saw the white pickup truck on the side of the road with smoke and flames coming out of the driver-side window. The former firefighter and paramedic pulled over in front of the truck and didn’t see anyone around it.
Forgues managed to open the door and drag the driver to the side of the road.
Paul Oleston, 48, of Topsham, also stopped when he saw the fire in the cab. Armed with an extinguisher from his own vehicle, he put out the fire.
“I just saw there was a fire and I didn’t even hesitate. I opened the door, extinguished the fire and just did what came naturally, I guess,” Oleston told The Times Record in April..
“I just did what was needed to be done to help someone. It’s just second nature and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again,” Forgues said at the time.
Among other honorees were Brunswick Police Det. William Moir, State Police Sgt. Chris Rogers and Trooper Jared Stedman. The three received Colonel’s Awards for arresting a man accused of scamming more than 50 people from Maine to Florida out of nearly a half million dollars for excavation work never completed and firewood never delivered.
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