Medal Recipient Search
Drew Goodale, Cape Girardeau Fire Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Medal of Valor
On the evening of December 13, 2023, Firefighter/Paramedic Goodale was having dinner in a restaurant in New Hamburg, Missouri, when a civilian came in and reported a house was on fire down the street. Goodale and the restaurant owner drove the short distance to the house. Flames were showing from a first-floor window and about 25% of the house was involved in fire. Goodale opened the front door to check if anyone was inside. He heard a person moaning in pain. Entering without any protective gear, he found the severely burned owner of the house about 20 feet from the door. Firefighter/Paramedic Goodale pulled the man out of the burning structure and onto the porch. Goodale and the restaurant owner then moved the victim to the yard. The two provided medical aid until fire and EMS personnel arrived. Goodale assisted in an ambulance as the victim was moved to an air medical landing zone for an air evacuation. The victim was intubated on the scene and flown to a hospital with severe burns. The victim spent about a week recovering in the hospital. Because of Firefighter/Paramedic Goodale’s swift and brave actions while off duty outside his own jurisdiction, the victim was rescued from his burning home minutes earlier than the local fire service’s arrival. Firefighter Goodale is now a member of the St. Charles Fire Department.
Robert Fincher, Dalton Koch, James Mora, Wade McElfresh and Tom Thompson, O’Fallon Police Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Governor's Medal
On the afternoon of October 10, 2023, a 13-year-old boy experiencing a mental health crisis ran from his middle school to the Sonderen Street overpass over Interstate 70 with the intention of taking his own life by jumping from the overpass. Responding units arrived in less than three minutes and found the boy straddling the concrete barrier over I-70. Officers Mora, Koch and Fincher made contact with the boy and worked to establish a rapport with him, but he only wanted to speak with Officer Mora. Meanwhile, Sergeant Thompson supervised the scene on the overpass and staged firefighters and ambulance personnel to be ready to render first aid. Sergeant McElfresh closed the interstate and then directed that several tractor trailers be positioned under the overpass to break the juvenile’s fall, if necessary. Because the boy was swinging both his legs over the bridge ledge with nothing but the interstate beneath him, Officer Mora repeatedly inched closer. Mora closed the distance between them by displaying pictures of his dog on his cellphone, but the boy was still in crisis. Once he was close enough and the boy became distracted, Officer Mora risked his own life by lunging at the boy and then began pulling him back from the ledge. Officers Koch and Fincher helped secure the juvenile who was quite large for his age. Other officers assisted Officer Mora in getting the boy back to a safe position on the bridge. During a pressure-filled, life-or-death incident over loud, swift moving interstate traffic with a distraught boy’s life hanging in the balance, Sergeants McElfresh and Thompson and Officers Fincher, Koch and Mora demonstrated compassion, creative thinking, teamwork and unflinching determination to save a life.
Nicole Ellzey and Scharihen Ward, Missouri Department of Corrections
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Governor's Medal
On the afternoon of November 16, 2023, in the Jefferson City Correctional Center’s Housing Unit 3, an officer instructed an offender to return to his cell from an area considered out of bounds. Officer Ward was requested to assist in attempting to gain compliance. Once Officer Ward arrived at the scene, the offender struck her in the face with a closed fist several times. The offender then pulled a 7-inch metal prison-made weapon and began slashing and stabbing the other officer in the head, face and arm. Sergeant Ellzey observed the struggle from outside the wing, gained access and helped the officers take the offender to the floor. Sergeant Ellzey then got the weapon away from the offender. Officer Ward was then able to fully restrain the offender. Officer Ward suffered a puncture wound and bruising and swelling to her face. Sergeant Ellzey and Officer Ward, who like all corrections officers serve without firearms, risked their own lives to control a violent offender who possessed a lethal prison-made weapon, preventing additional lethal threats to staff and other offenders. Scharihen Ward has been promoted to sergeant. Sadly, Sergeant Ellzey died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm on June 9, 2024. She was 46.
Justin McElroy, St. Joseph Police Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Medal of Valor
On the night of December 26, 2023, Officer McElroy recognized a U-Haul box truck as the suspect vehicle in a commercial theft earlier in the day. He notified dispatch and attempted to make a traffic stop of the truck. Officer McElroy pursued the vehicle when the driver would not stop. The pursuit lasted for about three miles, during which another St. Joseph police officer deployed a tire deflation device, damaging several tires. A woman then called 911 and said she was a passenger in the truck. The truck then left the roadway in an industrial area, where it became stuck on railroad tracks. Officer McElroy exited his vehicle and ran to the truck, taking cover at the rear. As he peered around the back of the truck, he observed the driver partially open the door and aim a gun in Officer McElroy’s direction. Officer McElroy broke from his cover position and fired at the gunman, striking the door and the frame of the truck. The gunman fell from the vehicle with his gun and indicated he had been shot. Backup officers had arrived and now secured the passenger, who was unharmed. Officer McElroy, quickly moved to the gunman and attempted to render aid. The gunman was found not to have been shot and he was taken into custody. During a highly stressful pursuit and confrontation with an armed convicted felon, Officer McElroy remained calm, took account of a passenger in the stolen vehicle, and kept fellow officers informed at all times. His courageous efforts ended a dangerous situation for himself, his fellow officers and the community.
Chris Coleman, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Medal of Valor
On May 21, 2023, Deputy Sheriff Chris Coleman responded to a motor vehicle crash on Highway T near the intersection with Fiddle Creek Road. There were downed power lines, so Deputy Coleman closed Highway T. While directing traffic be saw that an Ameren Missouri truck had arrived; shortly after, he noticed smoke coming from the truck. He grabbed a fire extinguisher from his patrol vehicle and as he headed to the Ameren truck, he saw that the lineman was in contact with the truck, which was in contact with a live wire. Deputy Coleman extinguished the flames and, risking his safety to protect the lineman, grabbed the man by his pants leg and pulled him away from the electrified truck. The lineman was suffering from life-threatening injuries. Deputy Coleman called for medical assistance, warning that the truck posed a grave danger. EMS arrived and rendered aid to the worker. Deputy Coleman observed the truck was again igniting and extinguished the flames as the medical team cared for the lineman just a few feet away from the truck. The victim was transported by helicopter to a hospital and survived his injuries. Deputy Coleman had alertly responded to a dynamic scene and his quick thinking helped save the lineman’s life.
Larry Bunt Jr. and Clint Koons, O’Fallon Police Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Medal of Valor
On the afternoon of December 3, 2023, a gunman fired at least three shots at the clocktower in front of O’Fallon City Hall. Officer Koons saw a vehicle matching the broadcasted vehicle description driving north on Main Street and quickly caught up with the suspect. He initiated a traffic stop and the suspect pulled over. Officer Koons exited his vehicle, took up a cover position and issued commands to the suspect. The suspect ignored the orders and reached inside his vehicle. He then drove off. As he was fleeing, Officer Bunt was arriving on scene and took the primary unit position in an authorized pursuit; Officer Koons followed as the secondary unit. The gunman drove west on Highway P and entered a subdivision, coming to a stop in a cul-de-sac. He immediately exited the vehicle with his shotgun raised in the direction of both officers. The officers, fearing for their lives and the safety of the public, exchanged fire with the gunman, who then took cover at the front of his vehicle. Officers Koons and Bunt repositioned themselves for better cover. The gunman then stood up and pointed his shotgun at the officers, attempting to fire as he ran into an open field. The officers fired again, striking the gunman, who went down but continued to move with the shotgun by his side. Officers Koons and Bunt took cover and waited for additional officers to arrive. Once sufficient officers were on scene, Officer Koons organized a team to take the gunman into custody. When officers reached the gunman, he was deceased. Officers Koons and Bunt, despite being under fire and extreme stress, put their own lives at risk in order to protect the public and contain a violent threat to the community.
Destiny Brant, nominated by Matthews Volunteer Fire Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award
On the afternoon of Sunday, August 6, 2023, a vehicle with five people inside rolled over on rain-soaked Highway H, one-half mile west of Matthews. The overturned vehicle landed in a flooded ditch. Destiny Brant, who had just graduated from college a few weeks earlier, and her mother were driving to their home in Canalou when they spotted the overturned vehicle in the floodwater. Without regard for her own safety, Brant entered the ditch, swam through four-foot-deep water and pulled two children from the vehicle. Upon arrival, Matthews’ firefighters quickly went to work and extricated the three others still entrapped in the vehicle. All five victims recovered from minor injuries. Brant, who had just left Sunday church services, courageously acted as a true Good Samaritan.
Louis Miklovic, nominated by Missouri State Park Rangers
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award
On September 1, 2023, tragedy struck during an annual family camping trip to Washington State Park, on the border of Washington and Jefferson counties. Joshua Miklovic and his two sons had hiked into Big Foot Cave. As they exited the cave, six-year-old Peter lost his footing and was teetering off the edge of the bluff. Joshua attempted to pull Peter back, but father and son fell 80 feet off the bluff and then tumbled down another 100 feet of steep, rocky terrain. Eleven-year-old Louis immediately sprinted to the trail head parking lot, found a park ranger, and the urgent need for help. He then led State Park Ranger Jacob Jenkins to a location where they could observe his father and brother. While Ranger Jenkins called for additional assistance, Louis used his cellphone to explain what had occurred to other family members. While Peter was alert with no major injuries, his father had suffered a broken back, severe head laceration and a concussion. First responders created a rope system and rappelled to the victims. The only way to evacuate Joshua, who was in critical condition, was to lower him down the bluff to the Big River and then use a small boat to transport him to a park beach and then fly him by helicopter to a hospital. Peter had a minor head laceration that required nine staples. Joshua required multiple surgeries and 150 stitches to close a nine-inch head laceration and continues to recover. Despite the trauma of witnessing his father and brother fall from the bluff, Louis immediately went for help, provided complete and accurate information to rangers, remained calm throughout the ordeal, and continued to share helpful information with first responders.
James Muhlbauer and K-9 Champ, Kansas City Police Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Red, White and Blue Heart Award
On Feb. 15, 2023, Officer Muhlbauer and K-9 Champ were in their patrol vehicle eastbound on East Truman Road with a green light when a driver ran through a red light at Benton Boulevard and crashed his vehicle into their vehicle. The motorist, who was driving at approximately 89 miles per hour, also killed a pedestrian. Officer Muhlbauer devoted his life to protecting the residents of Kansas City and for 20 years he excelled in his chosen profession, including in 2014, when he arrested a notorious murderer who had just killed five people. For the last year of their lives, Muhlbauer and K-9 Champ worked as inseparable partners and guardians of the community.
Lance D. DeClue, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Medal of Valor
On the morning of July 28, 2023, Master Sergeant DeClue heard radio traffic indicating a Crawford County Sheriff’s deputy was in pursuit of a stolen vehicle on Route B and the suspect had fired several rounds from a handgun out his window toward the deputy. The deputy said the driver was headed toward Westover Road. Master Sergeant DeClue drove to Westover Road to deploy a tire deflation device but the pursuit had already passed the location. DeClue’s vehicle was not pursuit rated, so he followed in the direction of the pursuit. The gunman was now reported to be passing in no passing zones and had almost struck an oncoming vehicle head-on. DeClue monitored traffic to figure out the next location where he could attempt a tire deflation and settled on Highway 49, but the gunman began crashing through gates into the Doe Run Mine property. DeClue then observed the vehicle turning around where one of the Doe Run Mine roads came to a dead end. He was now moving head-on toward DeClue’s patrol vehicle on a one lane road. DeClue determined he needed to end the pursuit immediately because the subject had already fired at a deputy and had attempted to ram civilian vehicles. DeClue cut the wheel of his patrol vehicle and rammed the suspect vehicle, disabling it. DeClue then exited his vehicle, drew his handgun and ordered the subject to show his hands. The subject complied and was taken into custody. Throughout a dangerous ordeal in which the subject endangered the lives of many people, including DeClue, the master sergeant remained calm, methodical and determined to take the safest course of action, ultimately capturing the subject by risking his own safety.