The Hawai'i County Police Department on Tuesday honored a Kea'au woman who helped rescue a man from a burning car.

Kathleen Babayan was presented with a Certificate of Merit by police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri.

Police said that in the early-morning hours of June 2, Babayan was returning home from a prayer meeting when she saw an overturned car on fire along Highway 130. She checked the car and discovered an unconscious man inside.

She tried to pull the man from the car but was unable to do so alone. She summoned help and two men joined her in freeing the man from the burning car.

"Ms. Babayan, you demonstrated great personal courage at the risk of your own life to help another person in a dangerous and life-threatening situation," Kubojiri said at the ceremony at Cooper Center in Volcano.

Police are trying to contact the two men who assisted Babayan.