THIBODAUX, LOUISIANA — Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Lt. Paul Lirette received the "Sheriff’s Star" award and eight residents received bravery commendations Saturday night for their roles in the July rescue of two babies trapped in a car submerged in Bayou Lafourche.

The awards were part of the Eighth Annual Lafourche Pride Banquet and Awards Program sponsored by the Lafourche Deputies Association.

Lirette, 59, is a 34-year veteran of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office and assistant commander of the Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division.

"He has a bulldog determination to solve a crime," Sheriff Craig Webre told the audience Saturday. "Paul has put more serious offenders away than anyone else in the Sheriff’s Office. He is the first on the scene and the last to leave."

Webre also presented eight commendations called "Lifesaving Awards" to some residents who pulled together to save the lives of Mathew Mathenia, 3 months, and Teigen Rogers, 8 months.

The two babies were trapped in baby seats in the back of a car that ran off La. 308 in Cut Off and plunged into Bayou Lafourche on July 12.

Three body shop employees at Ken’s Body Shop — Lonnie Chouest, 35; Kim Plaisance, 22; and Tucker Scioneaux, 22 — jumped into the bayou and pulled the babies out of the car.

Off-duty Louisiana State Trooper Tony Eymard, registered nurse Chris Guidry and former emergency medical technician Marie Barker stopped at the scene of the crash and performed CPR.

Two others, Trent Brady and Larry Dahms, jumped into the bayou to help the three body shop employees look for the babies.