Good Samaritans

Shawn Alonzo, Eduardo Hinojosa
Police
When Justina Chen Falk had a flat tire at Bush Intercontinental Airport, officers Shawn Alonzo and Eduardo Hinojosa helped change it.

“I thank these fine officers for going above and beyond to help a stranded motorist on a cold evening,” Falk wrote. “I hereby make a donation to the 100 Club in their honor.”

Guillermo Lopez
Police
Charles and Carolyn Goff’s tire blew on 610 in an unsavory part of town. They pulled to the side of the road but were worried because a car drove slowly by several times.

They called the police. Officer Guillermo Lopez investigated but couldn’t find the other car. Then he helped the Goffs change their tire.

“What a fine man!” the Goffs wrote. “He was very helpful and courteous.”

L. Martinez
Police
Linda Landua and two other women were delivering boxes of brochures to a sales call when her car blew a tire on Richmond. AAA said it would get a wrecker to them in about 45 minutes, so Landua started taking boxes out of the trunk so the wrecker driver could get to the spare tire.

Officer L. Martinez spotted Landua and offered to help. He changed the tire and put the boxes back. After canceling her call to AAA, Landua offered Martinez cash for his help. Martinez explained that city policy forbids taking money.

So Landua offered him her boxed lunch. Martinez politely refused that, as well.

“I know people take the police for granted sometimes, but I am very grateful that we have men and women who are willing to not only risk their lives for us, but also do the little things that seem inconsequential but mean so much to others,” Landua wrote.