The New Castle County Department of Public Safety held an awards ceremony for the first half of the year on Thursday, October 30, 2025.

In addition to recognizing the meritorious service of police officers, paramedics, and 9-1-1 communicators, a young civilian was celebrated for her courage and calmness in the face of a near fatal car crash.

18-year old Peyton Harter was driving to school at Appoquinimink High School on the morning of April 9th, when her car collided with a school bus at the intersection of Summit Bridge Road and Brennan Boulevard.

The bus pushed the car into a barrier, pinned it, and then rolled over top of it.

What followed was one of the most complicated vehicle rescue extrications in the county's history that involved dozens of first responders.

One of the first a

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