Sheriff recognizes residents for bravery

Two Pullman residents are being recognized by the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office for taking action that likely saved the life of a woman who was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend in early August.

The Sheriff’s Office announced this week it has awarded Isabelle Fowler and Jordan Campbell the Citizen Act of Bravery Award.

Fowler and Campbell were the two witnesses to an alleged stabbing and abduction in the early morning hours Aug.1 near the intersection of Whelan and Kitzmiller roads just outside Pullman.

Sheriff Brett Myers said they were in a car while delivering newspapers at 2 a.m. when they had a “gut feeling” to stop near a vehicle where it appeared a domestic violence incident was taking place.

Myers complimented them for not just ignoring the situation like many others would have done.

“They could have just kept going,” Myers said.

That is when, according to the Sheriff’s Office, a woman escaped from 35-year-old Jose Chagollan-Flores’s vehicle and climbed into the back of Fowler and Campbell’s vehicle while pleading for help. Fowler and Campbell called 911 to report the incident.

Chagollan-Flores then allegedly drove his Lincoln Navigator into the rear end of the witness’ vehicle at a high rate of speed. He then allegedly pulled the victim from the vehicle, threw her to the ground and stabbed her numerous times with a knife.

The victim was taken to Pullman Regional Hospital where she was treated for her injuries. Myers said she has made a full recovery.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they found Chagollan-Flores in the area and took him into custody on charges of assault and kidnapping. He remains in jail.

Myers said he wanted to recognize Fowler and Campbell for their bravery in the situation. Their refusal to leave when they felt something was wrong likely saved the woman’s life. The presence of their car likely encouraged the victim to try to escape the suspect.

“It was clearly an act of courage,” Myers said.

Myers said his office does not hand out the Citizen Act of Bravery Award very often, but decided to do so in this case because it felt Fowler and Campbell’s selflessness deserved more attention.

A Daily News call to Campbell was not returned Wednesday.

Chagollan-Flores is scheduled to have a jury trial on Oct. 12.

Anthony Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.