Cpl. Annette Goodyear made history in 2008 by becoming her town's first female police officer. She has been exemplary since then, but on the rainy morning of February 4 she changed the course of history again.
This time, for a middle school girl whose life many believe she may have saved.
Cpl. Goodyear was working crossing guard duty that morning when a car failed to stop and headed straight for the child as she was crossing. Goodyear was able to get the child out of the way just in time.
Unfortunately, Cpl. Goodyear was not able to get out of the way and was hit as the vehicle tried, but failed, to stop. The impact knocked Goodyear to the ground where the car narrowly missed running over her as the driver swerved and braked trying to control the vehicle.
Cpl Goodyear stayed laying in the road as people, including the driver, came rushing to check on her. The stunned child checked on Goodyear quickly before running to look for more help.
Security cameras caught the entire accident, which Cecil County Public Schools Superintendent Jeffrey Lawson posted on Twitter.
He hailed Goodyear as a "hero police officer."
This is what hero police officers do! North East Police Officer Annette Goodyear saved a student from harm\u2019s way early this morning.pic.twitter.com/efpgjqucuO— Dr. Jeffrey Lawson (@Dr. Jeffrey Lawson) 1644007358
It's a title most people agreed with.
Hero. For real. Thank you!— Bob Kristovich (@Bob Kristovich) 1644008258
Unbelievable! To throw yourself literally in harms way to save a child! No words Thank god she was okay— #VoteBlue & follow Palmer Report and Tomi Ahonen (@#VoteBlue & follow Palmer Report and Tomi Ahonen) 1644396540
Officer Goodyear, may you have e many GREATyears for your act of heroism and selfless action. Bless you.— M'kay (@M'kay) 1644262685
She\u2019s a real hero. She did that. #bravo #hero #realone— Dr. Woods (@Dr. Woods) 1644244613
Agreed! What a hero. That situation could have been so much worse. Hopefully, Officer Goodyear will be 100 percent soon. Wish I could give her a hug!!— Melissa Engelhard (@Melissa Engelhard) 1644245847
Some called out the department that put Goodyear there without hand-held signs that are much easier for drivers to see and obey.
From someone who was a crossing guard in Junction City KS, it's a danderous job, glad to here the officer is doing well, I would suggest like they gave us a hand held stop sign,never think a driver see your hand up at first keep it up before and after the child safely cross— Alma C. Smith (@Alma C. Smith) 1644265349
Any crossing guard directing traffic for children must carry a big STOP sign. She should have stood by the side walk instead of standing out in the middle of the crosswalk. However, regardless of all these said, the policewoman is still a true HEROINE in saving the child.— Ching Ping Cheung (@Ching Ping Cheung) 1644339257
Not that it would have made a difference in this case, but why are these guards not equipped with signs? \nShe put up her hand and then dropped it and looked away. How do you normally tell a guard from some nut in the street?— Sayit Straight \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\u269b\ufe0f\ud83d\udca2\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a (@Sayit Straight \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\u269b\ufe0f\ud83d\udca2\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a) 1644231515
Got to give driver benefit of doubt that when the officer put her hand down the driver could have thought it was OK to proceed. They need to give her a stop sign like I see most crossing guards have.— VR Rider (@VR Rider) 1644248023
The police department and Superintendent will undoubtedly be looking into the incident and making procedural changes designed to prevent this from happening again.
In the meantime, Cpl. Goodyear and the child both get to live to see another day.
Goodyear was taken to the hospital for examination and released with only minor injuries. She immediately went to check on the child after her release.
The reunion was emotional for everyone.
Goodyear told news outlets:
"She came down the stairs saw me standing there and as she was walking toward the door she was getting teary-eyed, and you could see it and when she got teary-eyed, then her dad started getting teary-eyed, and we all started at that point."
"I was just so thankful she was standing there and that she was ok."
Fox 5 covered the incident.
The driver was given multiple citations for things like failure to stop for a pedestrian, failure to yield at a crosswalk, expired registration and negligent driving.