Woman Reunited With Santa Ana Police Officer Who Helped Her When She Ran Out Of Gas
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A young mother was reunited Wednesday with the Santa Ana police officer who brought her gas when she was stranded on the road with an empty tank.
Melissa Ritzo of Tustin was in the car with her 6-month-old son in Santa Ana about six months ago when her tank ran out. (Her gas gauge wasn't working).
The two sat in the car for more than an hour, since neither Ritzo's father nor her insurance company could come to help.
So, she called the police, and her luck turned around when Santa Ana police officer Jeff Launi arrived on the scene.
The officer helped move her car and brought her gas.
That's not all, though. He also gave her $20 to fill up and wouldn't accept repayment.
She told her story on KROQ's "Kevin & Bean Show," which caught the attention of the Santa Ana Police Department.
The department then arranged the meeting at their headquarters, where Ritzo thanked the detective for his kindness.
"That's why I took this job," Launi said. "I still like helping people, assisting people."
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