AMDS Airman saves life as Indy cop Published June 19, 2012 By Senior Airman Andrew McLaughlin 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- When an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer, who's also an Air Force reservist, responded to a disturbance call during a cold winter evening, she was confronted by a dangerous adversary and found herself fighting for her partner's life. For her actions that night in January 2011, Staff Sgt. Christin Rudell, 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, was named the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Officer of the Month for April 2012. Rudell, who has been a police officer for six years, also received a Medal of Valor from the IMPD in August 2011. The night of the incident, Rudell arrived on the scene with her partner in response to a report of an intoxicated woman causing trouble at a bar on the city's south side. They parked outside the bar thinking the suspect, Michelle Marsh, was inside, said Rudell. The bar owner soon told them that Marsh was in her car trying to leave. As the two officers approached the Marsh's car, it became clear that she had no intention of cooperating. Rudell's vehicle was parked behind and perpendicular to Marsh, who backed into the police car and pulled forward in an apparent attempt to flee, recalled Rudell. The IMPD officers, yelled at Marsh to stop, but she refused and abruptly drove her car in reverse and hit Rudell's partner, knocking her to the ground. As this happened, Rudell said she tried to break the driver's window to gain control of Marsh and the vehicle, but Marsh pulled forward and then backed up the car again, running over Rudell's partner lying helpless on the ground. She knew she had to protect her partner and take control of the situation, so she said she immediately pulled her service pistol and used it. She said this was the first time she had to fire her weapon in the line of duty, but didn't think twice because of her training. "(It was) an automatic reaction," she said. "The focus was definitely to keep anybody else from getting hurt." She fired multiple shots into the vehicle, some of them hitting the Marsh, who kept driving and cleared the police car, Rudell continued. Even though Marsh had plenty of space to flee the parking lot, she continued her assault and drove directly at both officers. Standing in front of her partner, Rudell said she fired at the car again, which veered off as the wounded driver finally decided to try to escape. But Marsh soon crashed the car less than a mile up the road and was arrested. With her partner badly injured, Rudell, who is a health service management apprentice at Grissom, said she administered first-aid until the medics arrived, using the training she received as both a police officer and an Air Force reservist. Fortunately, her partner survived her injuries, and after multiple surgeries, has recovered and returned to duty. Rudell said her partner's recovery has helped her cope with what happened that night, but that the incident will stay with her. "Seeing my partner injured, that will always stick (with me)," she said. She said officers undergo intense training at the police academy that prepares them for rapidly evolving confrontations under stressful conditions. This training was what she called upon when the situation became deadly. "We get in a routine of doing things a certain way, and (this) just reminds you how quickly things can change," she said. "It definitely keeps you on your toes." The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135 R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen and aircraft from the 434th ARW routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives. Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter.
