Good Samaritans

Robert Barker
HPD
“HPD needs more officers like Officer Robert Barker,” Maria Casas said.

Barker was courteous, wonderful and comforting when he changed her flat tire, Casas said.

Mary Machac
HPD
After an afternoon shopping at Greenspoint Mall, Barbara Nix ran through the driving rain to reach her car. She turned the key in the ignition and the car started right up. Then it sputtered and stalled out, Nix said.

Attempts to restart the car failed, she said. She was sitting in the car wondering what to do when Officer Mary Machac appeared at her driver’s side door and offered help.

Nix told Machac that her car had died and suggested the officer get out of the rain. Instead, Nix said, Machac stood in the rain and tried to jumpstart Nix’s car. When that didn’t work, Machac remained with Nix until one of Nix’s family members arrived about 30 minutes later.

“By that time, Officer Machac was soaked, but her only concern was helping me,” Nix said. “She was so helpful, polite and caring.”

Jim Heasty, John Nichols, Eric Olsen
HPD
After attending a funeral, Marilyn Irvington got in her car and turned the key – but nothing happened. Her battery was dead.

Irvington noticed Jim Heasty, John Nichols and Eric Olsen standing across the street with their motorcycles waiting to escort the funeral cortege to the cemetery. She explained her problem to them. They came over to her car, checked the battery and discovered that a lead had come loose.

The officers left for a few minutes then returned with a wrench, Irvington wrote. They scraped corrosion off the lead, reattached it and wrenched it down.

“Voilà, the car started, just like that,” she wrote. “I was extremely grateful to have the problem solved so ably and quickly. Thank you again.”