The Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM) proudly recognized Officers Reid O’Hala, Isabella Prihoda, and Corey Altheim of the Canton Police Department with the 2026 Police Officer of the Year Award during our Annual Convention in Grand Rapids. This year’s ceremony brought together law enforcement professionals from across the state to honor the year’s most distinguished acts of service.
Seven Extinguishers and a Race Against the Flames
The officers were honored for their coordinated and courageous actions during a life-threatening crash and vehicle fire on July 5, 2025, in Canton Township, Michigan.
Officers O’Hala and Prihoda were dispatched to a personal injury accident near Michigan Avenue and Lilley Road. Initial reports indicated a serious head-on collision, with vehicles engulfed in flames and the possibility of a fatality.
Upon arrival, officers observed a silver Ford Fusion heavily damaged and actively burning near the driver’s side. A passerby had already rescued a child from the rear seat, but the driver remained trapped inside the vehicle.
Officer Prihoda immediately approached the vehicle and located the driver, who was pinned between the seat, door, and steering column. She worked to find a path for rescue while providing reassurance to the victim in a moment of extreme distress.
Officer O’Hala retrieved a fire extinguisher from his patrol vehicle and began working to suppress the flames. Realizing the fire was too large for a single extinguisher, he called for additional units to bring extinguishers to the scene.
As more officers arrived, including Officer Altheim, a coordinated effort began to take shape. Officers deployed multiple fire extinguishers, ultimately using seven, to contain the growing fire.
Despite intense heat, smoke, and the risk that the fire would worsen, officers moved in close to the vehicle to create a critical window for rescue. Officer Altheim remained with the trapped driver, helping her stay calm and focused as the situation continued to unfold.
When the Canton Fire Department arrived, they assumed fire suppression and began extrication. Officer O’Hala remained at the vehicle, continuing to assist and support the driver until she was freed and transported to the University of Michigan for emergency care.
Due to their exposure to smoke and proximity to the fire, Officers O’Hala, Prihoda, and Altheim were transported to St. Mary’s Hospital for evaluation and were later released.
The Canton Fire Department confirmed that without the officers’ immediate and sustained efforts to control the fire, the trapped driver would not have survived.
Congratulations to the Canton Township Police Officers Association’s Officers
In a situation where seconds mattered and conditions worsened by the moment, these officers worked together with focus and determination to preserve life. Their actions reflect the strength of teamwork, the importance of quick decision-making, and a shared commitment to protecting others when it matters most.