Palo Alto, CA -- On October 8, 2003 at about 9:45 a.m., a mechanical malfunction at the Southern Pacific railroad crossing caused the warning arms to stay in the down position at Churchill and Alma Street although no train was in the area. This situation created a huge traffic snarl in and around the train crossing intersection. Police communications were notified of the situation and dispatched units accordingly.

Community Service Officer Gabe Mora arrived and was positioned in the slow lane of southbound Alma Street directing traffic. Mr. Mora heard an extraordinarily long train whistle sounding from the northbound train and caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of a pedestrian on the train tracks. When Mr. Mora looked fully toward the tracks, he saw an elderly female between the north and south bound tracks inside the downed crossing arms. He sprinted onto the tracks, put his arms around the small elderly female's waist and pulled her from the path of the oncoming train toward the Alma Street crossing arm. Mr. Mora put the woman down just outside the crossing arm and shielded her from the rushing train until it had passed.

Without the quick thinking and fearless action by Mr. Mora, the elderly woman would not have made it all the way across the intersection before the train's arrival. Mr. Mora, without a doubt, saved the elderly woman's life. The police department is in the process of identifying the woman.

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