Mount Rainier Ranger Peter Maggio recently received a Certificate of Valor for rescuing a trapped motorist from the raging Nisqually River.

On June 5, 2010, a motorist  fell asleep at the wheel and drove off the Nisqually Road and landed upside down in the middle of the Nisqually River.  Witnesses reported the incident and Ranger Maggio, who was one of the first rangers on scene, where they found the driver trapped in the inverted vehicle in the middle of the swollen river.

Maggio donned swiftwater gear, broke out the vehicle’s rear window, entered the vehicle, struggled to keep the driver’s head above water and cut away the seat belt. After several tries, Maggio was able to cut away the seat belt, extricate the driver from the vehicle and treat him for hypothermia.

Maggio’s lifesaving efforts were recognized by the United States Coast Guard as a significant act of heroism and awarded him the Certificate of Valor in a ceremony at the U.S. Forest Service and National Parks Service office in Enumclaw Nov. 9.