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PAGE 8 THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JUNE 18,2003 www.durhamregion.com The bold and the brave Clarington teens among courageous civilians honoured BY JACQUIE MclNNES Staff Writer DURHAM - It was like a scene from a movie. A couple is walking into a convenience convenience store when a man flies out the door past them. The clerk yells out he's been robbed and instinct kicks in. The innocent bystanders, without taking time to reason it out, are in pursuit of the bandit and a chase ensues through the city streets. But this wasn't a Hollywood north production, it was Oshawa and the action action was real for Jon Scharf and Jennifer Dodd, just two of 13 recipients of the annual Durham Regional Police Service civilian awards. "I thought I'd follow him to get a description description for the police," relates Mr. Scharf, almost a year after the May 23 incident at the Marland Variety Store. According to police, the suspect was brandishing a 13-inch knife, which was' later seized along with the stolen cash. But Mr. Scharf didn't really have time to contemplate a weapon as he ran through the city's streets, around the building, closing in on the suspect. "I just kept following him. He wasn't a very fast runner. About two blocks away from the store I tackled him. I held him on the ground until my girlfriend caught up and she ran to one of the apartments and called police," he relates. relates. Mr. Scharf held the man, who fortunately fortunately had dropped the knife during the pursuit, until police arrived a few minutes later and the arrest was made. "Even to this day I still can't explain my actions," says Mr. Scharf. Civilians were chosen from every municipality in Durham to receive the annual award at a ceremony at Durham Regional Headquarters recently. Other award recipients included: • Two 16-year-old girls, whose families requested their names not be released, were recognized for quick thinking after they reported a man who exposed himself himself to them from a car in Clarington. Their excellent, detailed description of the man and his car assisted police to apprehend the man who later pleaded guilty in court. A follow-up investigation investigation showed the suspect was a "person of interest to police whose whereabouts were unknown to police until that moment," moment," said Inspector Tom Cameron. • Frank Pelligra of Port Perry was operating operating his snowmobile on the east side of Lake Scugog when he noticed another snowmobiler and a passenger, a young girl, in distress. After rescuing the 10- year-old girl, Mr. Pelligra threw the driver driver a rope and pulled him from the water. "The operator of the snowmobile and his granddaughter would have no doubt perished in the icy water if it was not for the quick thinking of Mr. Pelligra," Pelligra," said Constable Phil Graham. • Robert Robbins and Jim Washbrook were recognized for their efforts in bringing a convicted criminal to justice after the man was observed by the pair driving erratically on Hwy. 401 near Whites Road in Pickering and subsequently subsequently fleeing the car on foot after he crashed it into a guide rail. The two worked together to apprehend the driver and held him until police arrived. • Christian Peterson was in a Dixie Road Coffee Time in Pickering last Christmas Eve when two men entered the shop and demanded cellphones and wallets from the customers and also emptied the cash register. After they fled the store, Mr. Peterson followed them, obtaining a description of the getaway vehicle and the licence-plate number. Mr. Peterson flagged down a police car and relayed the information. Toronto Police intercepted the vehicle and one man was taken into custody. • Nevina Disante, Sandra Cummins, John Mussulman, Filoména Rehob and Jeff Wood were all recognized for their efforts in helping to capture an accused murderer who escaped from a Whitby courthouse in September 2002. Between Between them, the group managed to alert police as the suspect lied from the Mrs. Rchob's deck, where she had discovered discovered him, to the location behind a shrub where he was ultimately captured by police. • Pauline Broome stopped a vicious assault assault taking place at Mary Street and Taunton Road in Oshawa on Sept. 20, 2002. After she saw the victim being punched and kicked she stopped her car and intervened in the assault. She provided provided first aid to the victim, who she drove to her home and called police. 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