The Bronze Star is awarded for saving a life without placing oneself in peril.
The employee shall have used proper training and tactics in a professional manner to save, or clearly contribute to saving, the life of another person.
2025 Bronze Star recipients
Charles Morelock, Correctional Lieutenant
California State Prison, Corcoran
While driving home in Fresno County Dec. 4, 2024, Lt. Charles Morelock saw flashing lights ahead and then a pickup truck that had crashed into a semi-truck.
The vehicle was heavily damaged, with two young men trapped inside.
Without hesitating, Morelock rushed to help. One victim was pinned inside and unable to move, while the other was bleeding from serious injuries.
Morelock called 911, then worked to control the bleeding and keep both men calm until emergency responders arrived.
He remained on scene, assisting medical staff to stabilize the victims before they were transported to the hospital. His quick action, composure, and readiness to step in during a life-threatening situation made a critical difference for both young men.
Teng Thao, Correctional Officer
Jor Lee, Correctional Sergeant
Central California Women’s Facility
While attending the Sacramento Hmong New Year celebration Dec. 1, 2024, Correctional Officer Teng Thao and Correctional Sgt. Jor Lee helped save a woman’s life. A young girl approached them, pleading for help. Her grandmother had collapsed and was unresponsive.
Thao and Lee didn’t hesitate, rushing to the woman’s side. They quickly assessed her condition, began CPR, and called for emergency medical services. Thao retrieved an Automated External Defibrillator while Lee continued CPR. Working together, they delivered life-saving care, using the AED and maintaining resuscitation efforts until the woman began breathing again.
Their teamwork and decisive actions restored the woman’s breathing before paramedics arrived to take over. She was transported to the hospital, where she survived the incident.
Adrian Jara Gasca, Correctional Officer
California State Prison, Corcoran
Correctional Officer Adrian Jara Gasca was attending his son’s sporting event in Tulare County Oct. 10, 2024, when he heard nearby gunshots. He immediately ran toward the sound, finding four people wounded, three of them with gunshot injuries. The victims included a pregnant woman.
Remaining calm under intense pressure, Gasca quickly assessed the scene. Seeing that the pregnant woman was bleeding heavily from her leg, he removed his belt to use as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. He continued providing aid and reassurance to the victims until emergency responders arrived.
Even after paramedics took over, Gasca stayed on scene to assist medical staff, helping keep the victims stable and calm before they were transported to the hospital. His decisive actions and refusal to hesitate in the face of danger undoubtedly contributed to saving a life.
Robert Gonzales, CALPIA Industrial Warehouse & Distribution Specialist
CSP-Corcoran
Robert Gonzales was driving to work Oct. 23, 2024, when he came upon a crash involving an SUV and a small car near the intersection of 14th and Kansas Avenue in Corcoran. The SUV driver appeared dazed but uninjured, but the female driver of the small car was trapped, and the vehicle smelled strongly of gasoline.
Gonzales didn’t hesitate and approached the car. The woman’s young daughter was crying in the back seat, pinned by the damaged door. He worked quickly to reassure them both, then helped free the girl from the wreckage. Once she was safe, he returned to assist the mother until emergency responders arrived.
Gonzales’s swift action, composure, and willingness to intervene in a dangerous situation brought comfort and safety to a mother and child in distress.
James Wilson, Correctional Counselor
Sierra Conservation Center
Correctional Counselor James Wilson was attending a June 30, 2024, outdoor church service in Sonora when he noticed a man slumped over and unresponsive.
The man, a 97-year-old elder of the congregation, had no pulse and was not breathing.
Wilson quickly took charge. He and another bystander laid the man on the ground, and Wilson began chest compressions.
After several minutes, a pulse returned, and the man began breathing again. Wilson continued to monitor him until paramedics arrived, ensuring he remained stable.
Thanks to Wilson’s swift action, skill, and willingness to step forward without hesitation, the man survived the incident with no signs of heart damage.
Read more stories of bravery on Inside CDCR’s Above the Call series.
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