Travis VanKuren isn't even out of high school yet, and he's already in a museum.

VanKuren, 18, a senior at Dallastown Area High School, was honored Thursday with the citizen award of merit from the Police Heritage Museum for his heroic rescue of a woman who was about to be raped in Springettsbury Township last year.

It was the first citizen award ever bestowed by the Police Heritage Museum, which has been honoring York County's top law enforcement officials every year since 2000.

Breaking from tradition, the Police Heritage Museum honored VanKuren for coming to the rescue of a 42-year-old woman who was screaming for help in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Springettsbury Township on April 19, 2007. A man later identified as Joseph Simon Holt, 20, of York, was trying to kidnap the woman and intended to rape her, said Springettsbury Township Police Chief David Eshbach.

When the woman screamed for help, several adults in the area didn't respond. But VanKuren, then 17, approached the woman and asked Holt what he was doing. Holt released the woman and fled.

Eshbach praised VanKuren's efforts, saying the teen saved the woman from "some horrific outcome if not her life."

"He did more than anyone has in our township, as a citizen, in a long time," said Eshbach.

VanKuren said receiving the reward is an honor. He said he will graduate from high school this spring, and is joining the U.S. Marines.

Other awards: The Police Heritage Museum also named York City

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Police Officer Paul DeHart III as its law enforcement officer of the year Thursday at a ceremony at the York County Administrative Center.

DeHart is a 10-year veteran of the York City Police Department and is the department's 2007 officer of the year. He helped detectives crack a robbery ring in December and chased down a man who robbed a York City bank on the day of an ice storm in February 2007.

The other nominees for the law enforcement officer of the year were Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer Kevin Clouser of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Sergeant Jack Greene of the Southwestern Regional Police Department.

The Police Heritage Museum also gave the Award of Valor to York Area Regional Police Officer Trent Buschman and York City Detective Troy Cromer for their roles in a Jan. 25 firefight with Antonio Luis Sotomayor, 18, in York City.

Sotomayor shot multiple times at state Trooper Christopher Keppel that day after police tried to arrest Sotomayor for selling crack cocaine. When Sotomayor shot at Keppel, Cromer and Buschman opened fire on Sotomayor and struck him about a dozen times. One of the shots hit Sotomayor in the hand, and he accidentally shot himself in the head, killing himself with his own gun, according to the York County Coroner's Office.

Pennsylvania State Police Major Steven McDaniel thanked Cromer and Buschman for coming to Keppel's aid in the shooting.

"You saved his life," McDaniel said.

Three other officers also received President's Commendations for their work, including Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer Allen Orwig of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Patrolman Steve Gebhart Jr. of the West Manheim Township Police Department and Patrolman 1st Class David Morris of the West Manheim Township Police Department.

-- Reach Brock Parker at 505-5434 or bparker@yorkdispatch.com.