Medal Recipient Search
Cody Dunfee, Troop A, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On June 30, 2009, Trooper Dunfee accompanied Bates County Sheriff's deputies as they executed a search warrant at a rural house, looking for a man wanted on two outstanding attempted murder warrants. As part of the initial entry team, Trooper Dunfee utilized his SWAT training to begin clearing rooms in an attempt to locate the suspect. The suspect suddenly opened fire with a rifle, striking the trooper in the lower abdomen, but the bullet was stopped by the trooper's ballistic vest. Trooper Dunfee returned fire, hitting the suspect and forcing him to retreat to another room. Remaining calm under extraordinary circumstances, Trooper Dunfee was instrumental in guiding the safe withdrawal of the officers. The gunman was later determined to have taken his own life. Trooper Dunfee's presence and actions under fire prevented injury or loss of life to other officers.
Isabella Lovadina, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On Oct. 5, 2009, Officer Lovadina, who was off duty, had just left the St. Louis residence of an acquaintance with a friend when they were approached by two armed men and forced back into the residence. The gunmen’s intent was a home invasion-robbery. They threatened and terrorized the victims, including several young children, for more than 20 minutes. Several times the gunmen pointed their weapons to the victims’ heads and stated they would kill them. After robbing the victims, the gunmen directed them at gunpoint toward the basement doorway. Officer Lovadina believed that the victims were in imminent danger of being killed. Despite the fact that she was unarmed, she attempted to disarm one of the gunmen to protect the other victims. As she struggled valiantly with the gunman, she was shot several times and critically wounded by the second gunman, who also fired at two other victims, killing one of them. The gunmen fled the residence, but were later captured.
Andrew Ward, Troop D, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2008 Class
Awarded on: 11/19/2009
Medal of Valor
On Jan. 7, 2008, Trooper Ward rescued a motorist who was trapped inside a burning car on Route W in Butler County. Trooper Ward tried to remove the driver through the front passenger door, but the woman's foot was wedged under the brake pedal. Trooper Ward then dived through the driver door window and dislodged her foot. The vehicle filled with smoke as the fire intensified and Trooper Ward could not get himself out. After being pulled to safety by another trooper, Trooper Ward - without hesitation - ran back to the passenger door and, with the help of several civilians, pulled the driver from the burning vehicle to safety.
Daniel Berry and Todd Gray, Fulton Fire Department
2008 Class
Awarded on: 11/19/2009
Medal of Valor
On Feb. 29, 2008, Fulton firefighters Daniel Berry Todd Gray rescued a woman from a blazing house fire in Fulton. While inside the burning residence, attempting to find the victim, the blaze grew dramatically, filling the structure with thick black smoke. The fire then "flashed over," causing flames to cut off the firefighters' escape route. Despite this, the victim was located through a hand search, and the two firefighters were able to get her out through a bedroom window and then safely escape themselves.
Robert "Elmer" Bellefy, Belton Emergency Services
2008 Class
Awarded on: 11/19/2009
Medal of Valor
On March 11, 2008, Specialist/EMT Bellefy saved the lives of a mother and her adolescent daughter while responding to an accident and fire involving five vehicles on Highway 71 in Belton. The mother and daughter were trapped inside a burning vehicle. Specialist Bellefy first rescued the mother. To rescue the child, he had to crawl inside the burning vehicle, shielding the girl from the flames and heat, as he worked against time to free her leg that was pinned by twisted metal and the car seats.
Shawn Dougherty, Troop G, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2008 Class
Awarded on: 11/19/2009
Medal of Valor
On March 18, 2008, Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Shawn Dougherty responded to a vehicle caught in a flash flood in Carter County. After first rescuing one person caught near a vehicle in swift water conditions, Trooper Dougherty and others turned their attention to a second victim. That victim, who could not swim, was thrown a rope and, without warning, jumped into the swift water, dropping below the surface as he was swept away. Risking his own life, Trooper Dougherty jumped into the swift water. He swam toward the victim and repeatedly went under water to find the victim, then holding the victim's head above water until the victim could be safely pulled to the shore.
Donald Hayden, Pulaski County Sheriff's Office
2008 Class
Awarded on: 11/19/2009
Medal of Valor
On June 10, 2008, Deputy Hayden ended a shooting rampage by a heavily armed suspect at a trailer court in Dixon by shooting the suspect. Deputy Hayden responded to a domestic violence assault inside a trailer, shots fired at a neighbor, and the bludgeoning of another neighbor with a pistol. The suspect had fled but was then spotted returning to the trailer court. To protect residents, Deputy Hayden drove toward the suspect and used his patrol car to block the suspect's vehicle. The suspect exited his vehicle and started firing. More than twenty shots were fired by Deputy Hayden and the suspect in a close-range gun battle. Deputy Hayden was shot four times as he ended the threat to the trailer court.
Dale Jinkens, Troop A, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2008 Class
Awarded on: 11/19/2009
Medal of Valor
On Nov. 22, 2008, Sgt. Jinkens rescued a motorist who was trapped inside a burning vehicle on Interstate 70 in Independence. Sgt. Jinkens could not reach the victim because her vehicle was up against the concrete highway divider. Sgt. Jinkens organized motorists who had stopped and working together, they moved the vehicle far enough that he could squeeze between the divider and the car - still engulfed in flames - and rescue the driver, who was expected to make a full recovery.
Grant Hendrix, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2007 Class
Awarded on: 08/28/2008
Medal of Valor
On March 16, 2007, the Patrol was notified that Neosho Police officers Sgt. Dan Cook and Patrolman Mike Sharp were shot during a routine traffic stop. Sgt. Cook was shot in the arm while making the stop, while Patrolman Sharp was shot in the face while in pursuit. Trooper Hendrix was dispatched to the last known location of the suspect where he met a vehicle matching the description of the suspects. The vehicle attempted to escape Trooper Hendrix, and a short distance later Trooper Hendrix found the suspect’s vehicle stopped in the road. The suspect ambushed Trooper Hendrix and opened fire, striking Hendrix’s vehicle at least five times. The suspect attempted to flee in his vehicle, and stopped in the roadway again shortly after. Trooper Hendrix stopped about 50 yards away from the suspect’s vehicle, and the suspect opened fire a second time. This time, Trooper Hendrix returned fire while seated in his patrol car. Trooper Hendrix then abandoned his car, moving to the rear of his vehicle for cover. The suspect fled again, and Trooper Hendrix continued the pursuit as the suspect led him into a wooded area. Two deputies with the McDonald County Sheriff’s Department spotted the suspect’s SUV on a road, and the suspect rammed the deputies’ vehicle and then opened fire. The deputies returned fire and the suspect fled on foot. Later, a tip led law enforcement officers to a residence, and officers spotted the suspect running across a field near the location. The suspect was finally apprehended and arrested, ending a 13-hour manhunt.
Frederick Guthrie, Missouri State Water Patrol
2007 Class
Awarded on: 08/28/2008
Medal of Valor
On June 22, 2007, Officer Guthrie was investigating reports of capsized or swamped boats during his patrol on Smithville Lake during a severe thunderstorm. The lake had waves as high as six feet, creating conditions that were much too dangerous for Officer Guthrie’s standard patrol boat, forcing him to return to the marina. Before Officer Guthrie was able to reach the marina, he learned that a woman without a life jacket had been thrown from her boat and was clinging to a buoy in the lake. Risking his own personal safety, Officer Guthrie returned to the dangerous conditions on the lake and was able to rescue the woman from the water.