Heroic Calipatria prison employee saves life

While driving to work on Highway 111, Ms. Rosalie Cota came up on an overturned vehicle. She did not hesitate to stop and dial 9-1-1.

A press release from Calipatria State prison recounts that on Friday, September 6, Cota saw the injured man suffocating from a deployed airbag. He gave her his utility knife and she deflated the airbag. Cota then identified herself as working at the Calipatria State Prison Parole Division.

The injured man was Sergeant Vrooman , also from Calipatria prison.

Cota was able to open the trunk of Vrooman’s vehicle and crawled in to reach him. She saw Vrooman had sustained a serious head injury and immediately wrapped it in a blanket.

Cota kept Vrooman calm by talking with him for 40 minutes until first responders made it to the scene.

Vrooman suffered life-threatening injuries and might have succumbed to them had it not been for Cota’s actions. It was determined he had four broken ribs, a scull fracture, and a Pneumothorax puncture.

He continues to recover and maintains contact with Cota , to which he is grateful for saving his life.

Ms. Cota is to be commended for her quick thinking, instantaneous response, and beyond selfless actions which saved the life of Sergeant Vrooman .