Congratulations to Troopers Mark Cross and Daniel Cole for being selected as co-recipients of the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month Award for June 2004 for their quick life-saving response in preventing a man from jumping from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Hillsborough County.

On May 31, 2004, Troopers Daniel Cole and Mark Cross arrived at the top of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to find a man threatening to jump in the water below. As they talked to the man, he became more and more desperate and began to stand on one leg on top of the barrier. While Trooper Cross maintained a dialogue with the man, Trooper Cole circled around in the darkness and got behind him unnoticed. Trooper Cole then rushed the subject and grabbed his arms as he began to fall over the side of the bridge. Together, the troopers pulled the man off the wall and back to safety.

Both troopers acted in the highest tradition of the Florida Highway Patrol, and are hereby commended for their actions, and congratulated for being selected as Troopers of the Month for June 2004!