A Morongo Basin Sheriff’s deputy was recently honored with the Lifesaving Award by the Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Loraine Pinedo was on patrol in Yucca Valley April 25, 2020, when she was dispatched to a home in the 56700 block of Desert Gold Drive for a report of a man not breathing and turning blue. Deputy Pinedo arrived at the location within minutes and located the unresponsive man, 29-year-old Randy Martin, inside the home. Martin’s fiancé Mei-Ling Jerez was performing chest compressions on Martin when Deputy Pinedo arrived. Pinedo took over the chest compressions while Jerez provided rescue breathing. After five minutes of continuous CPR, Martin regained consciousness and began breathing on his own. Martin was transported by fire personnel to a local area hospital where he was treated. The award recognizes Deputy Loraine Pinedo for assisting in saving the life of the combat veteran, father, and soon-to-be husband.
