August 8, 2024
Marion County Deputy Praised for Going ‘Above and Beyond’ to Assist Stranded Driver
By Kyle Coppola
Marion County Deputy Praised for Going ‘Above and Beyond’ to Assist Stranded Driver
MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A Marion County Sheriff’s deputy is being praised for his exceptional service after assisting a citizen whose vehicle became disabled earlier this week.
The woman, a double amputee, called for help when her vehicle’s brakes malfunctioned, causing her to coast safely to the side of the road. The issue stemmed from a malfunction in the device that provided her with controls for the gas and brake pedals, leaving her stranded and unable to continue driving.
(Marion County Deputy Brandon Childress. Photo Credit – Marion County Sheriff’s Office.)
Deputy Brandon Childress responded to the call and attempted to fix the problem on-site. Although he was unable to repair the malfunction, Deputy Childress went “above and beyond” by helping the woman retrieve the necessary part to resolve the issue.
The citizen, grateful for the deputy’s assistance, described it as “one of the best experiences she has ever had with law enforcement.” She wanted to ensure that Deputy Childress’ supervisors were aware of his exemplary service.
In a statement, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office expressed pride in Deputy Childress, highlighting his dedication to protecting and serving the community.
The Sheriff’s Office also encouraged others to share their positive experiences with MCSO employees through their MCSO Mentions Program, which allows citizens to nominate deputies and staff for acts of kindness and exceptional service.
Thank you for your incredible service Deputy Brandon Childress.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
