Police officer's act of kindness, pays off expired tags of driver he pulled over

On Valentine's Day Hillary Davis was driving on a Gainesville road when she noticed she was being pulled over by a police officer.

She knew she had expired tags, and says she couldn't afford a ticket with several sick family members and her father in law recovering from open heart surgery.

"He pulled me over, I instantly started bawling before he even came to the car, like this poor poor man, most men don't like women that cry."

Officer Eddie Veracruz, a five year officer with Gainesville PD got out of his squad car.

But to Hillary's surprise he didn't give her a ticket, he told her to meet him at the Cooke County Tax Assessor's office. There he paid roughly $90 for the expired tags out of his own pocket.

"We're trying to get by day by day and this man had no idea what he was walking into, he was wonderful," said Davis.

Unknown to everyone, this wasn't the first time Officer Veracruz came into the lives of the family.

In 2015 Hillary's 8-year-old autistic son Sterling got out of the house and was wandering the streets.

The officer who found him and brought him safely home was none other than Officer Veracruz.

Sterling remembers when Officer Veracruz came to his rescue, he said, "And a police saved me and to the police station, and let me draw something."

Barry Sullivan is the City Manager for the City of Gainesville. He said of Officer Veracruz, "Actually he sort of acted like their guardian angel."

On Wednesday Veracruz was awarded a Medal of Distinction coin by Sullivan through the City of Gainesville for his act of kindness.

"He's a wonderful man and people need to respect our cops more," said Davis.

"A police officer is being recognized for what I think truly is in most of their hearts to help out the community," said Sullivan.