Five Troop E officers recognized at Patrol’s annual awards ceremony

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Five Troop E officers were among the 31 recognized during the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s annual awards ceremony Saturday in Cape Girardeau.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, congratulated the following employees who accepted awards at the Patrol’s annual awards and The MASTERS banquet Saturday.

Family, friends, and members of The MASTERS (Missouri Association of State Troopers Emergency Relief Society) gathered at the Drury Plaza Hotel Cape Girardeau Conference Center in Cape Girardeau.

Gov. Michael L. Parson provided the keynote address. Olson presented the Patrol awards; Kevin Zoellner, president of The MASTERS, presented The MASTERS Public Service Award.

The following Troop E officers received the Lifesaving award: Sgt. Douglas M. McDaniel, Corporal Shayne K. Talburt, Corporal Jonathan T. Wilson, Corporal John J. West and Trooper Lee E. Hughes.

On Oct. 13, 2018, the Charleston Department of Public Safety dispatched an officer to a Casey’s General Store where a man was reported to be on the ground and not breathing. McDaniel arrived on the scene where two other troopers were assessing the man’s condition. McDaniel recognized signs of an opioid overdose and administered Narcan. The man responded slightly, but required an additional dose of Narcan before emergency medical services arrived and took him to the hospital for further treatment. He survived the incident.

On May 26, 2018, Wilson was patrolling the Current River in Ripley County. He saw a family in distress after their inner tube flipped over, the ropes tying them together came loose, and the two adults and five children were thrown into the water. Talburt responded to Wilson’s call for assistance immediately. When Talburt arrived, all five children were in Cpl. Wilson’s vessel, which was taking on water due to the amount of weight and strong current. Talburt transferred all five children into his boat while Wilson went down river and rescued both adults. All seven people were transported to safety; they recovered from the incident.

On Feb. 8, 2018, West overheard the Poplar Bluff Police Department dispatch a call regarding an armed, male subject inside a residence. He then heard two Poplar Bluff city officers report shots being fired, a suspect being taken into custody, and their request for multiple ambulances. West responded and treated a seriously wounded female, who had suffered from gunshot wounds to her upper leg, left arm, and neck. West and a Poplar Bluff police officer applied direct pressure on the wounds to stop the bleeding and used a towel as a tourniquet. West also packaged the gunshot wound to the woman’s neck to stop the bleeding. These two officers then assisted paramedics in loading the woman into the ambulance.

On April 5, 2018, Hughes overheard and responded to a Poplar Bluff Police Department dispatch of a possible overdose. Hughes arrived at the scene and located the male subject unconscious with very shallow breathing. The person who had reported the man’s condition was present and told Tpr. Hughes the man had ingested Xanax and heroin. Tpr. Hughes immediately administered a dose of Narcan to the male subject, who showed improved breathing afterward. Emergency medical services personnel arrived on the scene and took over his care. The man was transported to the hospital for future treatment. He survived the incident.