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K‑9 officer saves two teens from burning car

April 12, 2025

Officer Grady and K-9 Anna take a walk outside Salinas Valley State Prison where they are part of the resource team providing comfort to staff after stressful incidents.

When off-duty Salinas Valley State Prison Correctional Officer Grady was driving with K-9 Anna earlier this year, he saw a car lose control and crash off the highway.

A Honda CRV was northbound on Highway 25 when it suddenly lost control, ran into a ditch, and rolled multiple times before colliding with a power pole. Severely damaged, the vehicle landed on its side, finally coming to a stop.

The vehicle then began to smoke with flames visible from the car’s underside.

“I thank God every day for blessing us with Officer Grady and Anna; they are true heroes.”
one of the teenage crash victims

Grady immediately stopped his car, called 911, and rushed to the scene to render aid. Inside the vehicle were two teenage girls, conscious but trapped.

Relying on his training and experience, the officer quickly assessed the situation, scanned the vehicle, and extricated the driver and passenger through the open sunroof. He worked quickly as the vehicle became engulfed in smoke and flames.

He and the two teenagers relocated a safe distance away. The crash victims sat in the rear hatch of his vehicle with K-9 Anna, who provided comfort and emotional support. Meanwhile, he notified their parents and waited for emergency personnel.

Grady and Anna are accustomed to helping those in times of stress since they are part of the prison’s resource team. During their regular workday, the pair respond to incidents throughout the institution as mental health support for staff.

Officer Grady provided a statement to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The parents arrived on scene shortly thereafter. They then thanked Officer Grady and K-9 Anna for helping and providing comfort in a traumatic moment.

“Thank you, Officer Grady and Anna. You were God sent. May God bless you and your wonderful companion. I am so grateful for the comfort and support you brought me and my friend,” one of the crash victims wrote to the officer. “You gave us water, a place to sit, and had Anna there to bring us immense comfort. Anna was so sweet. It was almost as if she could sense the trauma we had just went through and comforted us with kisses and cuddles.”

The teenagers credit him with ensuring they survived.

“I am forever grateful for the two of them as they helped us girls in a very scary situation and basically saved our lives,” she wrote “Thank you Officer Grady and Anna for everything. You were genuinely our guardian angel and will always hold a big place in our hearts. I thank God every day for blessing us with Officer Grady and Anna; they are true heroes.”

Story by Lt. W. Fonseca
and Don Chaddock, Inside CDCR editor

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