A routine morning for Hampden County Sheriff’s Office Chief Financial Officer, Chris Gelonese, turned into a heroic rescue on Thursday when he saved a woman from a dog attack on Monastery Avenue.
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A routine morning for Hampden County Sheriff’s Office Chief Financial Officer, Chris Gelonese, turned into a heroic rescue on Thursday when he saved a woman from a dog attack on Monastery Avenue.
While driving through West Springfield, Gelonese noticed a woman pinned to the ground and screaming for help as she was attacked by two large dogs while walking her two small pets. Without hesitation, Gelonese stopped, activated his emergency lights, and intervened with a baton to fend off the dogs until their owner arrived.
After securing the scene, Gelonese called for West Springfield Police and an ambulance. The woman was brought to a local hospital for treatment.
Sheriff Nick Cocchi praised Gelonese for his swift action.
“Chris’s quick thinking and willingness to step in and help saved this woman from a much worse outcome. I couldn’t be prouder of how he responded in such a critical moment,” Cocchi said.
Gelonese has served with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office since 1995, beginning as a part-time correctional officer before rising to Chief Financial Officer in 2017.
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