The Moore American
NORMAN, Okla. — Two Correctional officers from the Lexington Assessment and Reception Center saved the life of an employee who was taken hostage by an escaped inmate.
State Rep. Bobby Cleveland, R-Slaughterville, recognized their valiant efforts with a citation this week. Cleveland said the pair have been turned in for a national award, as well.
Additionally, Mark Hernandez was recognized as Nurse of the Year. He has been at Joseph Harp for 17 years.
Lt. Josh Lee, correctional security manager I, at LARC has been with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections since 1994. He is a second-generation DOC employee. Lee’s parents retired from DOC and he followed in their footsteps.
Lee is a Corrections Emergency Response Team commander. That training that came in handy earlier this year.
On March 12 at approximately 2:32 p.m., Lee was working the entry security point in the lobby of the Lexington Administration Building when an emergency radio call announced a hostage situation at the Population Management building.
An offender had taken a female employee hostage and planned to escape in her car. The offender was threatening the hostage with a box blade weapon pressing to her throat and had already cut her and physically assaulted her while making their way to her vehicle.
Lee rushed within 400 the yards from the scene.
Upon arrival, Lee saw that Sgt. Larry Henson had his service weapon drawn and shouted verbal commands to the offender to drop his weapon and let the hostage go.
The offender was focused on the armed officer, leaving an opening for Lee.
Acting quickly, Lee rushed in the passenger door and subdue the offender in a rear chokehold, getting the weapon and pulling the offender out of the car.
Lee was awarded the Medal of Valor Award for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
Henson, correctional security officer IV, has been with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for four years.
“Every day can be challenging, when you walk through the doors at Lexington Assessment and Reception Center,” Henson said.
On March 12, Henson was assigned as the Perimeter Security Officer. While on patrol, he received the emergency hostage situation call.
Responding to Unit 7 near the Population Management Building, Henson encountered the offender, who was forcing a female employee toward her car as a hostage to make his escape.
Henson saw the offender place a box blade weapon to the hostage’s throat and drew his weapon, positioning himself to take a shot if needed.
Henson’s verbal engagement with the offender was enough distraction to allow Lee to subdue the offender and remove the threat.
Henson also was awarded the Medal of Valor Award for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
Hernandez has been a Registered Nurse at Joseph Harp for more than 17 years. He said working in the medical field for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections is very challenging because of the number of patients.
Hernandez works with 110 to 115 offenders a day ranging from 18 years of age to 80 years old. Hernandez faces difficult situations daily, ranging from bipolar, depression, schizophrenia, suicidal and other mental health challenges.
The reward for Hernandez is to see patients improve and regain a normal status and way of life. Hernandez said his main goal is to help patients reach their full potential.
Hernandez works two 12 hours shifts and two eight-hour shifts a week. He makes patient rounds at least three times daily. Hernandez gives shots, sets broken bones, draws blood and checks for blood sugar.
He said the holidays are the toughest for the patients because of not being home with their families. This is the time when the facility sees a rise in crisis intervention incidents.
However, one reward is when a patient is discharged and later calls back to thank Hernandez and the medical staff for the treatment received.
Hernandez is married with two daughters and has a lot of family support for his position.
Hernandez won the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Nurse of the Year Award.