Awards Presented to Texas Heroes

February 16, 2012

Awards Presented to Texas Heroes

Today the Public Safety Commission and DPS Director Steven C. McCraw presented 30 awards for extraordinary demonstrations of heroism. Eleven Director’s Citations, four Lifesaving Awards, 13 Director’s Awards, one Purple Heart and one DPS Unit Citation were awarded to DPS personnel, law enforcement officers, and members of the public.

“I am honored to present awards to these individuals and units that have gone above and beyond to make Texas a safer place and assist those in danger,” said Director McCraw.

Public Safety Commission Chairman Allan B. Polunksy stated, “These award recipients are true Texas heroes.”

• Trooper Robert Bryan received a Director’s Citation for his efforts in evacuating a wounded Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy from the scene of a gunfight on January 26, 2011

• Corporal Timothy Pitts received a Director’s Citation for his efforts in rescuing a woman who was stranded in Lake Leon near Eastland after her boat capsized on January 5, 2011

• Trooper Kevin Sanmann received a Director’s Citation for his decisive action against a subject who posed a significant threat to a Plano Police Department detective, an ATF agent and himself during the execution of an arrest warrant on October 7, 2010

• Trooper Stephen Jay Tone received a Director’s Citation for his efforts in locating and rescuing four firefighters who had gone missing during a wildfire in Eastland County on April 15, 2011

• Corporal Jesse Stewart received a Director’s Citation for his response to a suicide call on January 24, 2010, in Rusk County, during which he negotiated with the subject until medical assistance arrived. Corporal Stewart also received a Lifesaving Award for supporting first responders and performing CPR on a driver who had fallen unconscious on January 25, 2010, near Kilgore. The man’s breathing and pulse were restored, and Corporal Stewart continued CPR until medical assistance arrived

• Staff Sergeants Michael Lemmon, Christopher Barclay, Kevin Allison and Scott Allan Hamilton received Director’s Citations for their response during a training mission in Corpus Christi Bay on May 12, 2011, when they rescued two fishermen from a boat that had caught fire

• Former Agents J. Wesley Crites and James York received Director’s Citations, and former Agent Jimmy Murray received a Purple Heart, for their efforts during the execution of a search warrant on March 3, 1972, in Houston, when a female suspect attempted to flee. The suspect shot Agent Murray, and Agents Crites and York returned fire and took the suspect into custody

• Trooper Charlie Lunceford received a Lifesaving Award, and Canton Police Department Sergeant Steve Hall received a Director’s Award, for reviving a woman who had fallen unconscious after choking on February 10, 2011

• Trooper Barry Evans received a Lifesaving Award, and James Douglas Beggerly received a Director’s Award, for performing CPR on a subject who had collapsed shortly after being arrested near Tyler

• Trooper Brian Powell received a Lifesaving Award, and Gene Smithwick received a Director’s Award, for performing CPR on a man in Weatherford who had gone into full cardiac arrest

• Mr. Ramon Trevino received a Director’s Award for his assistance to Trooper Arnold Rodriguez on August 28, 2010, in restraining a combative subject who was being arrested for DWI in Brownsville

• The U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Border Security Enhancement Security Team in Alpine, including Chinyere Abosi, Jose Santa Cruz, William Fort, Kemp Johnson, Robert Soria, Erick Tarango, Don Alvarenga, Alex Rodriguez, and Brian Scholz, received Director’s Awards, and the Alpine office of the DPS Criminal Investigations Division received a DPS Unit Citation, for their efforts to dismantle drug trafficking operations in their area. These efforts resulted in the arrest of 41 subjects and the seizure of 11,553 pounds of marijuana, 15.76 kilograms of cocaine, $267,213 in cash, seven firearms and 12 vehicles.