Medal Recipient Search
Curtis B. Bohanan II, Jefferson City Police Department, and Christopher J. Suchanek, Cole County Sheriff
2011 Class
Awarded on: 10/11/2012
Medal of Valor
On Dec. 10, 2011, a high-speed pursuit of a man suspected of murdering two people in Dent County moved toward Jefferson City on Highway 50/63. Officer Bohanan positioned his patrol car as the second pursuit vehicle. As the pursuit continued in Jefferson City, spike strips were deployed and the suspect’s vehicle struck the strips. Eventually, the suspect was forced to pull over and he entered the Capitol Plaza Hotel parking lot. Bohanan followed the suspect into the hotel lobby, where the suspect fired toward him. Bohanan was forced to return fire.
Joseph G. Heath, St. John’s Ambulance Service, and Jeffrey S. Elliot, Springfield Fire Department
2011 Class
Awarded on: 10/11/2012
Medal of Valor
On Jan. 15, 2011, fire crews and EMS were dispatched to a Springfield house fire as heavy black smoke poured out of the structure. A young woman raced to the responders, telling them her two daughters were trapped in a bedroom. Medic Heath immediately pulled himself into the burning structure through a broken out window. Despite the intense heat and thick smoke, and his lack of protective clothing or breathing apparatus, Heath was able to find one of the children and pass her through the window to safety. A battalion chief ordered Heath to exit the structure due to the increasing danger. Springfield Fire Department Rescue 1 had arrived on scene and was able to make entry to the house through the back door. Rescue Specialist Elliot entered the burning house and, despite the smoke and heat, was able to conduct a search and locate the second child, who was on the floor in the bedroom. Elliot cradled the child in his arms and carried her outside to awaiting medical personnel. Both girls were treated immediately for second and third-degree burns and survived.
Darren M. Rodgers, Arnold Police Department and Gerald L. Williams, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On Jan. 29, 2010, Cpl. Williams received a lead that the suspect in the theft of almost 50 guns - including fully automatic weapons - was hiding in a shed in Imperial. Sgt. Rodgers was part of the team assembled to capture the dangerous suspect. Williams, Rodgers and another officer approached the shed.
Mathew R. Crosby and Jorden G. Lewis, Rock Hill Police Department
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On April 8, 2010, Patrolman Crosby and Lt. Lewis responded to a violent domestic dispute in an apartment complex. While trying to make contact with the suspect, a man appeared at the top of a stairway blocking the officers in the narrow stairwell below. The man raised a gun and fired two shots at the officers. The first shot grazed Crosby in the head and the second shot entered his shoulder. The bullet lodged in his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. Despite his injuries, Crosby returned fire, as did Lewis. Both officers' shots struck the gunman, causing him to fall from the stairway onto Crosby. Despite his wounds, the gunman continued to struggle with Lewis, attempted to retrieve his pistol and threatened, "I'm going to kill you all."
Donald L. Doza, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On April 28, 2010, Trooper Doza responded to an injury accident on Interstate 70 in Cooper County. A van with a camper attached had crashed into a guardrail, causing extreme damage to the vehicle; smoke from the camper was filling the van. Two medics and a firefighter were on the scene but fire trucks were stuck in traffic. The driver was unconscious inside the van. The van doors would not open, so Doza broke the driver's window with his baton. Doza tried to pull the driver out through the window, but the driver's legs were wedged underneath the steering wheel. Doza called for assistance but none was forthcoming. Propane tanks inside the camper began exploding, fueling the fire. Doza broke the front windshield, but the smoke and flames made it impossible to get to the victim from this direction. He returned to the driver's window and was now joined by a firefighter. As gasoline flowed around their feet, the firefighter pulled the victim's arms and Doza now managed to free his legs. The victim was pulled from the van moments before the camper exploded. The 80-year-old victim continues to recover.
Joseph R. Haman, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On May 27, 2010, Officer Haman stopped a suspicious vehicle in north St. Louis. While the officer was conducting an investigation of the vehicle's occupants, a passenger in the rear seat opened fire. The gunman fired from point-blank range, hitting the officer six to eight times. Despite being critically wounded, Haman was able to dive for cover and return fire, striking the suspect vehicle and causing the gunman to retreat. Despite his life-threatening injuries, Haman remained composed and focused as he radioed for help. Haman, a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq, provided responding officers with a description of the gunman and detailed information so that a search could begin. St. Louis police were able to locate and arrest the suspected gunman the same day. Police credit Officer Haman's ballistic vest with saving his life.
Kenneith D. Smith Jr., St. Joseph Police Department
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On July 21, 2010, Officer Smith responded to a domestic disturbance call in St. Joseph. As he arrived, the officer spotted the suspect running toward a woman and her young child. When the suspect saw Smith, he ran toward his van and attempted to flee the scene. Smith blocked him, but the suspect refused to obey the officer's commands. The suspect began struggling with Smith and was able to reach a gun hidden in his van. With the gun in his hand, the man told Smith that he was going to kill him. As the two continued to struggle, he placed the gun at Smith's head and pulled the trigger. The officer was able to push the man enough so the bullet missed him, hitting the van. As the struggle continued, Smith pulled his service weapon and repeatedly told the gunman to drop the gun or he would have to shoot. When he aimed his gun at the officer's face, Smith had no alternative but to fire once, killing the gunman. Officer Smith bravely acted to protect the woman and child and exhausted all options, putting his own life at even greater risk, before being forced to use deadly force.
Steven M. Landsness, O’Fallon Police Department
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On Oct. 23, 2010, Sgt. Landsness was off duty and walking along a trail near the Missouri River in Sunset Park in Florissant when he heard several people yelling that someone was in the river. He quickly spotted a woman struggling against the current, about 75 feet from the shore, in a treacherous area of the Missouri that has claimed several lives in the past. Despite her calls for help, others stood by on the riverbank or called for her to swim with the current. Recognizing the woman was exhausted and struggling to keep her head above the surface, Sgt. Landsness quickly entered the river, swam to the woman and calmly brought her to the shore, saving her life.
George Ball, Dent County Sheriff's Office and Steve Lawhead, Fort Leonard Wood Police Department
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On Jan. 31, 2009, Sgt. Ball and Lt. Lawhead both responded when a woman and her dog fell through the ice and into a lake in Dent County. Neither officer was scheduled to patrol that day and both were in civilian clothing, but when they heard the emergency call they immediately responded.
Chris Harris, Troop F, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On May 5, 2009, Sgt. Harris joined the pursuit of a heavily armed motorcyclist who had made threats against public officials at the Osage County Courthouse and was firing shots at Osage County Sheriff's deputies. Sgt. Harris was closing on the pursuit when he heard that a deputy's car had been hit. He then spotted a deputy's patrol car stopped in the middle of westbound U.S. Hwy. 50 and had to take evasive action to avoid a crash, temporarily driving off the roadway. Back on Hwy. 50, Sgt. Harris neared the motorcycle and, seeing that the subject had a gun, took over as primary pursuit vehicle on the right. With the armed motorcyclist traveling more than 70 miles an hour and approaching Jefferson City, Sgt. Harris knew he had to move to end the pursuit to protect motorists and other officers. Sgt. Harris struck the rear of the motorcycle with the front of the patrol car. The driver fell off the motorcycle and then took his own life with a handgun. An investigation revealed the subject had two handguns, a rifle, shotgun and more than 700 rounds of ammunition.