On January 24, the 2012 Patricia Lewis Witness of the Year Award was awarded to a good Samaritan who was stabbed after stepping in to prevent a woman and a child from being attacked.

Deshaun White, 18, of Victorville, is the recipient of this year’s prestigious award, which is presented by the California District Attorneys Association and named after Patricia Lewis, a South-Central Los Angeles woman who testified about a street gang murder in 1982.

On May 30, 2010, a then-16-year-old White was walking toward a local grocery store when he witnessed defendant Frederic Miltimore strangling a 1-year-old baby and punching a woman in the head and face.

“In his mind, Mr. White had decided that if a fight with Mr. Miltimore was necessary to prevent the continued mistreatment of this 1-year-old baby, he would fight,” said Supervising Deputy District Attorney James Hill.

As White walked closer to the scene, he told Miltimore to stop the assault.

Miltimore dropped the child, causing her to fall to the ground, and began arguing with White.

As the verbal exchange continued, Miltimore pulled out a knife and stabbed White in the chest.At that point, Mr. White believed that he had been punched in the chest,” said Hill.

“But when he could not get his breath, and he saw the hole in his shirt and blood running from the wound, he realized that he had been stabbed.

”White’s stab wound placed him in critical but stable condition after being airlifted to a regional medical treatment facility.

Miltimore was eventually confronted by deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Fearing for the safety of the child, a deputy fired at Miltimore, striking him once.

The child was not harmed, and Miltimore is currently awaiting trial.

“This is the ultimate act of courage by a young man who, despite only being 16 years old, was willing to put his life on the line for people he didn’t even know,” said District Attorney Michael A. Ramos.

“In my mind, Deshaun White is a true hero.”

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

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