Michael Miranda received the Silver Star after helping rescue a mother and her children from a truck that rolled down a steep embankment while other state employees were recognized for extraordinary acts of heroism
A correctional officer from Folsom State Prison has been recognized among California’s most courageous public servants after receiving the Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor for helping rescue a family from a serious crash along Highway 101.
Correctional Officer Michael Miranda of Folsom State Prison was honored with the Silver Star Medal during the Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor ceremony, recognizing acts of heroism that go above and beyond the normal call of duty while placing the employee’s own safety at risk.
Miranda was one of just two state employees statewide to receive the Silver Star distinction this year.
“We celebrate the brave and selfless acts of our employees,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber. “When they were needed most, they courageously risked their own safety to help others. Today’s awards are a celebration of their bravery, selflessness and unwavering dedication to community.”
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Miranda came upon an oversized truck that had rolled down a steep embankment in dense fog near Willits on Dec. 5, 2023. The vehicle was precariously balanced against a manzanita shrub as a woman inside desperately worked to free her children.
The woman was able to pass one injured child through a window to Miranda, who carried the boy to safety with the help of a bystander. Miranda then joined another bystander in breaking the truck’s windshield to free the woman and her infant child from the wreckage.
The rescue earned Miranda the Silver Star Medal, awarded for acts of heroism performed above and beyond normal duties and at personal risk to save human life or state property.
While Miranda’s recognition carries special significance for the Folsom community, he was among a group of state employees honored for extraordinary actions taken when confronted with life-threatening emergencies.
The Governor’s Gold Star Medal, the program’s highest distinction, was awarded to 10 state employees whose actions involved extraordinary risk to their own lives while attempting to save others.
Among them were Ryan Diangson and Steve Smith of the California Health Care Facility and Jeremy McGhee of Facility Planning, Construction and Management, who rescued a 94-year-old woman from a burning home on Oct. 12, 2024. The trio entered the smoke-filled residence after learning the woman was still inside and guided her safely out of the structure before emergency crews arrived.
Johnny Huynh and Sgt. Alesandro Padilla of Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training were honored for intervening in a violent assault at a church in Elk Grove. The pair responded when a frightened woman sought help after being chased by a man who later became aggressive and assaulted Padilla. Together, they subdued the suspect and prevented further violence.
Lt. Raymond Siordia of the California Men’s Colony earned a Gold Star for assisting an injured motorist whose pickup truck had spun out in near-zero visibility on Highway 101. After narrowly avoiding a collision himself, Siordia removed the driver from danger as vehicles continued skidding nearby in the dense fog.
James Jones and Sgt. Jose Navarro of the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility were recognized for rescuing victims from a head-on freeway collision involving a vehicle fire. The two men worked alongside local law enforcement to pull multiple people from the wreckage and provide comfort to victims awaiting medical assistance.
Retired Lt. Dana Boggs of the Correctional Training Center received a Gold Star after stopping to help following a violent crash on Highway 50. Boggs rescued both a trapped driver and the driver’s dog from an overturned vehicle resting dangerously close to active traffic lanes.
Correctional Officer Sandra Mendonca of the California Medical Facility was honored for rescuing a young woman from a severely damaged vehicle on Interstate 80. After pulling the victim from the wreckage, Mendonca carried her across active traffic lanes and administered first aid until emergency responders arrived.
Parole Agent Michael Dilger of the Division of Adult Parole Operations received a Gold Star for protecting children during a youth baseball game in Barstow when a nearby brawl escalated into gunfire. According to CDCR, Dilger directed the children to safety and used his own body to shield a child who froze on the field as bullets struck nearby structures.
The second Silver Star recipient, Lt. Robert Smalley of Mule Creek State Prison, was recognized for assisting a sheriff’s deputy who became outnumbered while responding to a fight during a high school graduation ceremony. Smalley helped detain a suspect and defuse what officials described as a potentially dangerous situation.
The Governor’s State Employee Medal of Valor program is administered by the California Department of Human Resources. State agencies submit nominations that are reviewed by a statewide Merit Award Board before recipients are selected by the CalHR director.
Since the program began in 1959, more than 800 California state employees have received Medals of Valor. The award remains the highest honor California bestows upon its public servants.
For Miranda, the recognition highlights how the commitment to protecting others can extend far beyond the walls of a correctional institution. Faced with a dangerous roadside emergency, the Folsom State Prison officer stepped into action, helping save a mother and her children when seconds mattered most.
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