Family members hug Cpl. Cauley after presenting him with an award for saving their relative's life. [Photo by Richard Marion]

OKEECHOBEE- Okeechobee County Sheriff Deputy Michael Cauley received the OCSO Lifesaving Award at the annual OCSO Employee of the Year Awards on Feb. 7.

Cpl. Cauley was recognized for helping save an accident victim’s life while off-duty in December of 2023.

On Dec. 18 dispatch received a report of a vehicle colliding with a motorcycle. The accident was server and the motorcyclist suffered an amputated leg and was losing blood quickly. Cpl. Cauley happened to be near the intersection where the accident occurred. He was off-duty at the time, but didn’t hesitate to jump into action.

Cpl. Michael Cauley and Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel E. Stephen. [Photo by Richard Marion]

Cpl. Cauley immediately went to aid the motorcyclist. He placed a tourniquet on the victim’s leg to stop the bleeding, saving the man’s life.

The victim from that accident made an appearance at the OCSO Employee Banquet. Both he and his family were there to thank Michael for his actions that day and help present the award to the deputy.

Cpl. Cauley was also recognized along with detective Noah Wenrick with the OCSO Special Performance Award for their work on a case in March of 2023. Cpl. Cauley and Det. Wenrick assisted in serving a warrant which resulted in a foot chase before the suspect was apprehended.

Over the next few days, they listened to call made by the suspect and learned that he had been armed with a gun during the chase and had hidden it somewhere in the residential neighborhood before being caught.

Cpl. Michael Cauley, Det. Noah Wenrick, and Okeechobee Sheriff Noel E. Stephen. [Photo by Richard Marion]

The pair tracked down more intel related to the gun and were able to secure a probable cause warrant and an arrest was made of the apparent seller of that stolen firearm who had illegally sold it to the original suspect months prior.