HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 501 Offered March 6, 2006 Commending Quinton Allen. ----------
Patrons-- Joannou, Alexander, Howell, A.T., Lewis, Melvin and Miller; Senator: Rerras
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 WHEREAS, Quinton Allen, a Norfolk police officer, was enjoying a day of fishing on the James River near the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge Tunnel  on August 4, 2002; and

WHEREAS, on his way back to the Little Creek Marina in Norfolk, Quinton Allen heard shouting and desperate calls for help; and

WHEREAS, several hundred yards in the distance, Quinton Allen saw a 19-foot boat, bottom side up with two men struggling in the water; and

WHEREAS, neither man was wearing a life jacket and one man, who called out that he could not swim, kept losing his hold on the capsized boat and continually rasping and swallowing water; and

WHEREAS, Quinton Allen dove into the water with a flotation device and secured it beneath the first man’s arms; and

WHEREAS, another boat arrived on the scene and the driver threw out an additional flotation device that was attached to his boat by a life line, and Quinton Allen secured the line around the second man, who could not swim; and

WHEREAS, the second man was pulled to safety, but it was necessary for Quinton Allen to get on the vessel and hoist the man out of the river and safely onboard; and

WHEREAS, Quinton Allen was recognized for his “courageous action without regard for personal safety which saved human life” by the Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend Quinton Allen for his successful efforts in saving the lives of two fellow citizens; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Quinton Allen as an expression of the General Assembly’s appreciation for his heroic actions.