Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge honored Hempstead County Sheriff's Office Investigator Gary Dorman Wednesday at the annual awards and recognition luncheon at the 2015 Law Enforcement Summit at Camp Robinson. The Summit, in its 13th year, had a record 600 officers from across the state registered to attend over two days. Dorman was one of four honored from each congressional district for their heroic actions. He had been recognized earlier this year with a Medal of Valor by Sheriff James Singleton for the same incident, from March 12, 2015.

According to the narrative, at 3:30 pm that day, Hempstead County Dispatch received a 911 call of a one vehicle accident near Pate Creek on Highway 67 north of Hope. Emergency responders were also dispatched to the call that a SUV had ran off the road and was floating in Pate Creek with the driver inside.

Investigator Dorman was one of the first on-scene, who observed the Ford Explorer partially submerged with the driver sitting in the passenger seat.

The creek had unusually swift current due to recent heavy rains. As emergency personnel began to arrive the vehicle began to be carried away while rapidly sinking.

Investigator Dorman called out to the occupant to exit out the passenger window. Sheriff Singleton said "Dorman, without regard for his own safety, entered the swift water and reached and pulled the occupant to safety just as the vehicle sank to the bottom of the creek. Investigator Dorman, through his actions, prevented what could have been a very tragic ending to a vehicle accident. In my opinion, Investigator Doorman's actions saved the life of the occupant."