OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL BLUE MAX "ACE" PROGRAM

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1 OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL BLUE MAX "ACE" PROGRAM Recovered Recovered Year Cases Vehicles Arrests Bolts ACEs Value $5,717, , $5,397, , $5,907, , $5,198, , $19,297, Grand Totals Cases: 42,987 Recovered vehicles: 37,631 Arrests: 28,060 Bolts: 17,638 ACEs: 597 Recovered value: $177,773,032 Tpr. Dana M. Hutton - Chillicothe Post 2001 Blue Max Recipient 1999 Pontiac $14,000 6/18/ Ford $1,500 6/23/ Geo $500 7/3/ Dodge $8,000 7/16/ Chevrolet $10,000 7/27/01 1 Tpr. Hutton earned the 2001 Blue Max Award by recovering a total of 11 stolen vehicles valued at more than $60,000 and apprehending 14 suspects. He recovered five stolen cars in five weeks to earn his ACE Award ACE Award Recipients Tpr. Christopher F. Castellanos - Canton Post 1995 Mazda $3,500 3/26/ Ford $2,000 5/18/ Pontiac $2,500 7/24/ Chevrolet $500 9/7/ Chevrolet $500 10/11/01 1 Tpr. Castellanos fourth recovery came when he stopped a suspect for expired registration and subsequently arrested him for driving under suspension. Stolen license plates, a stolen credit card, and a marijuana pipe were found during a search of the vehicle. Tpr. Bryan J. Cook - Dayton Post 1983 Ford $1,000 4/1/ Ford $1,500 5/7/ Buick $8,000 10/8/ Ford $8,500 11/16/ Chevrolet $7,500 12/10/01 1 Tpr. Cook s fourth recovery came after he was dispatched to an injury crash. The suspect driver was arrested for DUI. Contact with the vehicle s registered owner revealed the suspect did not have permission to use the vehicle and a report was filed with the Piqua Police Department.

2 Ohio State Highway Patrol ACE Awards Tpr. Brandon L. Cruz - Circleville Post 1976 Chevrolet $500 2/23/ Nissan $700 8/18/ Mercury $350 8/25/ Ford $24,000 8/28/ Oldsmobile $700 11/7/01 1 During August, Tpr. Cruz recovered three stolen vehicles within 10 days. During one of those recoveries Tpr. Cruz turned his patrol car around to stop the suspect vehicle for a traffic violation. Before activating his lights, he found the vehicle abandoned in a parking lot. Witnesses identified the suspect, who was apprehended a short time later as a passenger in a second stolen vehicle stopped by another officer. Tpr. Cruz was also a recipient of the Superintendent s Proficiency Award in Auto Larceny Investigations in Tpr. Todd J. Cunningham - Marion Post 1998 Dodge $15,000 2/13/ Ford $15,000 3/6/ Chevrolet $2,500 5/26/ Ford $9,000 7/27/ Mercury $750 11/30/01 Tpr. Cunningham s first recovery came after he responded to assist the Marion County Sheriff s Office in a pursuit and soon became the primary pursuing officer. After stopping in an alley, the suspect intentionally rammed Tpr. Cunningham s patrol car and fled on foot. He then apprehended the suspect after a brief pursuit. Tpr. Kenneth M. Featherling Mt. Gilead Post 1989 Chevrolet $1,500 2/17/ Buick $8,000 6/24/ Freightliner $155,000 8/10/ Ford $1,000 8/29/ GMC $10,000 9/9/01 1 Among Tpr. Featherling s Ace recoveries was a Freightliner tractor-trailer that was reported missing along with its driver by a trucking company. The truck and driver were located using information from the company s global positioning satellite system. Tpr. Featherling arrested the driver without incident for unauthorized use. Tpr. Featherling was also the recipient of the Criminal Patrol Award in Tpr. Lawrence V. Firmi - Mansfield Post 1995 Lincoln $15,000 8/2/ Chevrolet $1,000 8/20/ Chevrolet $1,000 9/4/ Ford $6,000 9/5/ Ford $500 9/26/01 2 As a member of the United States Air Force Reserve, Tpr. Firmi is among the more than 20 Highway Patrol employees who have been called to active duty as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Ace Award he earned in 2001 was his first.

3 Ohio State Highway Patrol ACE Awards Tpr. Shon L. Frost West Jefferson Post 1990 Pontiac $500 4/7/ Honda $2,500 8/16/ Saturn $9,000 9/2/ Chevrolet $4,000 12/3/ Buick $1,000 12/9/01 2 Tpr. Frost s first recovery involved a suspect who was stopped for a traffic violation and fled on foot. Tpr. Frost apprehended him while he was trying to climb a fence. In addition to the stolen car he was driving, the suspect also had a felony warrant for burglary. Tpr. Eric A. Gekler Mt. Gilead Post 1998 Toyota $10,000 2/21/ Pontiac $8,500 3/19/ Chevrolet $1,500 3/21/ Toyota $27,200 5/04/ Dodge $5,000 5/26/01 2 During Tpr. Gekler s fourth recovery, he located a vehicle that had been involved in an earlier pursuit, which was terminated. After Tpr. Gekler passed the vehicle and turned around, he found it unoccupied and observed the suspect running through a field. A Morrow County deputy took the suspect into custody without incident. Tpr. Aaron M. Hayes - Athens Post 1986 Ford $1,000 2/15/ Oldsmobile $1,000 7/19/ Mercury $1,500 8/5/ Plymouth $10,000 10/6/ Chevrolet $20,000 11/6/01 1 Tpr. Hayes third recovery came after he attempted to stop a vehicle that had been reported stolen to the Athens County sheriff. As the vehicle came to a stop, three suspects fled into a wooded area on foot. Tpr. Hayes arrested one suspect at the scene and officers from the Athens County Sheriff s Office apprehended the other two. Tpr. Samuel K. Hendricks Circleville Post 2000 Kawasaki $1,800 1/19/ GMC $5,000 6/08/ Ford $10,000 8/02/ Buick $1,000 8/14/ Chevrolet $2,000 8/28/01 1 Tpr. Hendricks recovered his first stolen vehicle only five months after graduating from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Training Academy. After recovering one stolen vehicle in June, he recovered three more stolen vehicles in August to qualify for his first Ace Award after less than a year as a trooper.

4 Ohio State Highway Patrol ACE Awards Tpr. Jason E. Highsmith West Jefferson Post 1994 Jeep $7,000 3/12/ Chevrolet $5,000 5/1/ Mercury $6,000 5/31/ Honda $3,000 8/15/ Geo $5,000 9/19/01 1 To make his first recovery, Tpr. Highsmith identified a suspect vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle on the Columbus Police Department s stolen list. As Tpr. Highsmith initiated a stop, the suspect took off, crashing the vehicle into three parked cars before fleeing on foot. He was arrested a short time later. Tpr. Travis A. Hughes Lima Post 1979 Buick $1,000 1/1/ Dodge $5,000 1/30/ Chevrolet $7,000 3/4/ Chevrolet $1,500 6/2/ Oldsmobile $3,500 7/24/01 1 Tpr. Hughes earned his third Ace Award when he recovered a stolen vehicle involved in a crash. He arrested the suspect for driving under the influence. Contact with the vehicle s owner also revealed it was stolen with a report filed through the Allen County Sheriff s Office. Tpr. Hughes also earned the ACE designation in 1997 and Tpr. Christopher S. Kelley Portsmouth Post 1989 Chevrolet $3,000 2/17/ Ford $1,000 4/23/ Chevrolet $1,000 4/25/ Honda $2,500 5/18/ Ford $7,000 6/30/01 1 Tpr. Kelley was honored at the Highway Patrol s annual awards banquet as the Jackson District s Trooper of the Year and the Portsmouth Post Trooper of the Year. His first recovery of 2001 came after he pulled the driver over for a traffic violation and noticed the vehicle s steering column was broken and the car was running without keys. Tpr. Michael D. Kemmer Mansfield Post 1991 Ford $500 3/1/ Plymouth $20,000 3/3/ GMC $15,000 3/14/ Buick $3,500 6/5/ GMC $5,000 10/13/01 1 Tpr. Kemmer was honored at the Highway Patrol s annual awards banquet as the Bucyrus District s Trooper of the Year, and was recognized as the Mansfield Post Trooper of the year in 2000 and For his first recovery, Tpr. Kemmer stopped the suspect for a vehicle defect and found that the V.I.N. plate had been tampered with and the federal identification stickers had been removed.

5 Ohio State Highway Patrol ACE Awards Tpr. Mark L. Masters Cambridge Post 1994 Chevrolet $4,000 7/2/ Lincoln $1,500 8/24/ Pontiac $2,000 11/2/ Dodge $10,000 12/4/ Ford $4,500 12/21/01 1 Tpr. Masters achieved his first recovery when he stopped to assist a disabled vehicle and a registration check revealed it was stolen. Two suspects were taken into custody, one with an outstanding felony warrant from North Carolina. He was the Cambridge Post Trooper of the Year in Tpr. Kenneth A. Metz Lisbon Post 1987 Ford $1,000 4/11/ GMC $3,000 4/27/ Chevrolet $15,000 4/27/ Chrysler $1,000 5/21/ Ford $19,000 6/7/01 1 Tpr. Metz was honored at the Highway Patrol s annual awards banquet as State Trooper of the Year. Two of his recoveries occurred within four hours of each other and three of the suspects he arrested were also charged with drunk driving. Tpr. Metz was recognized as the District Trooper of the Year in 2001, and the Lisbon Post Trooper of the Year in 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999 and He also received a Certificate of Recognition in Tpr. Marold S. Mills Cambridge Post 2001 Hyundai $12,000 1/9/ Ford $19,000 3/16/ Chevrolet $5,000 3/23/ Dodge $300 4/28/ Pontiac $500 6/4/01 1 Of the five suspects Tpr. Mills arrested through his Ace recoveries, four were also charged with drunk driving and the fifth was found with drugs and drug paraphernalia. Tpr. Timothy A. Root Granville Post 2001 Dodge $25,000 3/3/ Plymouth $1,000 4/14/ Dodge $2,000 4/28/ Dodge $2,500 5/26/ Dodge $4,000 8/19/01 1 To make his first recovery, Tpr. Root stopped a vehicle for speeding and discovered the driver had a felony warrant and that the car was stolen. He made another recovery when he stopped to assist a disabled vehicle and found it had been stolen out of West Virginia. He received two Certificates of Recognition in 2000.

6 Ohio State Highway Patrol ACE Awards Tpr. Lance S. Shearer Delaware Post 1998 Buick $30,000 2/17/ Plymouth $500 4/28/ Chevrolet $23,000 5/18/ Dodge $7,000 7/08/ Dodge $14,000 7/21/01 1 Tpr. Shearer s first recovery came after an 18-mile pursuit. He located a vehicle wanted by the Columbus Police Department in connection with a hit-skip crash and a pursuit ensued. The suspect stopped after hitting road spikes, then refused to exit the vehicle until she was forced out with Chemical Mace. Investigation revealed the vehicle was stolen from U-Haul. Tpr. Shearer received the Superintendent s Proficiency Award in Tpr. Larry A. Skaggs Warren Post 1989 Chevrolet $5,000 2/12/ Ford $5,000 3/31/ Buick $10,000 5/22/ Pontiac $12,000 5/23/ Pontiac $10,000 7/24/01 1 Tpr. Skaggs was honored at the Highway Patrol s annual awards banquet for his heroism in preventing a man from committing suicide. His second Ace recovery came after a suspect involved in an attempted armed robbery carjacked a car then abandoned it in a parking lot. While searching the area, Tpr. Skaggs found him hiding in a dumpster. He was the 2001 recipient of the Superintendent s citation of Merit. Tpr. Timothy J. Timberlake Ravenna Post 1988 Chevrolet $1,000 2/12/ Chevrolet $1,000 5/28/ Toyota $10,000 6/11/ GMC $15,000 8/2/01 1 Bobcat $10,000 11/28/01 3 Tpr. Timberlake s fifth Ace recovery came after he stopped a vehicle for having an insecure load. The suspect was subsequently arrested for driving under suspension and also gave several different stories about the Bobcat he was towing. Further investigation revealed the Bobcat was stolen. Tpr. Frank G. Vazquez West Jefferson Post 2000 Lincoln $20,000 2/12/ Ford $34,000 3/12/ Chevrolet $12,000 5/8/ Ford $5,000 9/4/ Honda $5,000 10/15/01 2 On November 6, 2001, Tpr. Vazquez, 26, succumbed to injuries sustained in a traffic crash November 5, 2001, on northbound Interstate 270 in Franklin County. He was outside of his patrol car issuing a traffic citation when a drunk driver struck his car from behind. Tpr. Vazquez is the 35th Patrol officer to be killed in the line of duty and the first to be awarded the Ace Award posthumously.

7 Ohio State Highway Patrol ACE Awards Tpr. Charles-Matthew J. Wilkerson West Jefferson Post 1985 Chevrolet $500 5/17/ Chevrolet $5,000 6/22/ Nissan $1,000 6/24/ Pontiac $1,000 6/29/ Pontiac $5,000 7/21/01 1 Tpr. Wilkerson s first two Ace recoveries came during routine patrols of rest areas. After conducting registration checks on the vehicles, both came back as stolen. Tpr. Wilkerson initiated stops on each vehicle as the suspects went to leave the rest area and arrested both without incident. He was recognized as the 2001 West Jefferson Post Trooper of the Year in 1999 and Tpr. Ryan S. Wilson Findlay Post 1996 Pontiac $5,000 1/17/ Ford $20,000 9/6/ Oldsmobile $10,000 9/28/ Cadillac $2,000 10/6/ Chrysler $7,000 12/2/01 1 Tpr. Wilson s fifth recovery occurred after he stopped a suspect for a speed violation and observed that the car s ignition had been punched. The owner s parents reported that their son was missing and a report was filed with the Detroit Police Department. The suspect would not provide any information about the victim s whereabouts and was charged with receiving stolen property. Tpr. Andrew R. Worcester Fremont Post 1975 Harley Davidson $2,000 7/7/ Chevrolet $35,000 8/15/ Chevrolet $15,000 8/15/ Mercury $1,000 10/13/ Chevrolet $500 10/25/01 1 On August 15, 2001, Tpr. Worcester recovered two stolen vehicles and apprehended five suspects within 90 minutes. His first recovery that day was a vehicle he stopped for a traffic violation that was reported stolen from Indiana. Tpr. Hughes earned his third Ace Award when he recovered a stolen vehicle involved in a crash. He arrested the suspect for driving under the influence. Contact with the vehicle s owner also revealed it was stolen with a report filed through the Allen County Sheriff s Office. Tpr. Hughes also earned the ACE designation in 1997 and 2000, a Certificate of Recognition in 1996 and 2000, and was named Fremont Post Trooper of the Year in