Fire Captain John McNamara could see the wounded police officer lying in a trail, but he and his team couldn't get to him because an armed suspect was still loose in the area.

It was April 23, 2005, the Raley's Market on Buchanan Road had just been robbed, and Pittsburg police were in pursuit. While police were chasing two suspects who had abandoned their car on the Antioch-Pittsburg border on Buchanan Road, one fired two shots at pursuing officer Larry Lasater, mortally wounding him.

In the ensuing moments, firefighters and police attempted to save Lasater's life - efforts that would result in three firefighters being cited as heroes by Lasater's widow Jo Ann.

The trio is on a list of Top 10 heroes by Firedog, a technology support and repair division of Circuit City. Depending on the outcome of online voting, they could win $100,000 for their home station, No. 83, located at Buchanan Road and Gentrytown Drive in Antioch.

Photo by John Van Landingham

www.antiochpress.com.