PBSO Hometown Heroes Quilt Award

Please join us as we award Deputy Lisa Benson

On May 6, 2025, Deputy Lisa Benson was dispatched to a hit and run accident in which the victim was laying on the ground in the roadway, bleeding from the back of the head with serious injuries.

Deputy Benson quickly responded to the area and located a vehicle traveling nearby which had heavy front end damage and a smashed windshield. Deputy Benson initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle to investigate further and learned that the driver was involved with the crash.

DUI and VHI were unable to respond, and Deputy Benson took lead on the investigation, arresting the driver at the scene for DUI. In the following weeks, Deputy Benson took initiative and collaborated with the State Attorney’s Office and VHI Unit to collect evidence necessary to upgrade the charge to DUI involving serious bodily injury.

Deputy Benson conducted in depth follow-up investigation to gather all evidence, including authoring and executing a search warrant for medical records and a vehicle infotainment system search warrant. Deputy Benson coordinated with the VHI Unit to serve the vehicle search warrant and analyze the data from the suspect vehicle.

Additionally, a week after the incident, Deputy Benson located the transient victim through investigative means to obtain a detailed sworn statement. The victim sustained serious injury and is seeking ongoing medical treatment for both serious physical injuries and brain trauma.

Due to Deputy Benson’s tireless effort, pertinent evidence was gathered and the charge was upgraded to felony DUI causing serious bodily injury. It is apparent that without Deputy Benson’s quick response and determination to locate the suspect vehicle, the suspect likely would have gotten away that day and the victim would not have seen justice.

Deputy Benson’s investigation went well beyond the typical responsibilities of a road patrol Deputy Sheriff. While most deputies would have concluded their involvement following the initial misdemeanor DUI arrest, Deputy Benson showed exceptional initiative and advancing the case.