The Charles County Sheriff’s Office honored Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police Troopers and citizens for various contributions to the Sheriff’s Office and the community at a bi-annual Awards Banquet held on May 28 at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Community Center.
Lt. Ralph Acquaviva, Marty Margolis and Jeanie Marie Quade received a Silver Medal of Valor.
On June 2, 2002, Lt. Acquaviva, Margolis and Kenneth Murphy observed a boat capsize on the Potomac River just off of Sawn Point. Lt. Acquaviva retrieved his boat and the men maneuvered over to the vessel. Four men were overboard and clinging to a small portion of the vessel that was not submerged. Lt. Acquaviva, Margolis and Murphy threw life jackets to the victims. One victim was able to put on his life jacket before being swept away by high seas. He was later rescued down river. Lt. Acquaviva and Margolis entered the water to assist the other men with their life jackets and with the assistance from Murphy, who remained in the vessel, brought the victims safely into the vessel. Murphy received the Bronze medal of valor for his actions.
On December 12, 2002, Jeanie Quade came upon an accident on Blossom Point Road in Welcome in which a two year child was trapped in the back seat of a burning vehicle. Quade entered the vehicle, unstrapped the child and led the child and driver to safety.
Other Bronze Medal of Valor recipients included Sgt. James Stine and Cpl. Renee Cuyler.
In December 2002, Sgt. Stine responded to a routine call for a neighborhood disturbance. As officers were leaving the scene, a woman threatened a man with a shotgun who was in the company of Sgt. Stine. Sgt. Stine ordered the man to lie on the floorboard of the vehicle. The female refused to drop the shotgun after being order to do so. Sgt. Stine was able to maneuver himself into a position of advantage and disarm her.
On January 17, 2004, Cpl. Cuyler, Officer Michael Kennedy and other emergency personnel responded to a pond in Waldorf for the drowning report. Using a canine lead and rope, Cpl. Cuyler made a make-shift safety line and ventured out onto the ice, lying down in order to disperse her weight evenly. Unfortunately, the ice broke and she was assisted out of the water by other officers. The boy was rescued by Emergency medical and fire personnel. Kennedy received the meritorious service award for his actions during the incident.
Other recipients of the Meritorious Service Awards include Lt. Kevin Barrows, Sgt. Dale Overstreet, Sgt. Brian Herlihy, Sgt. Michael Almassy, Sgt. Kevin Leahy, Cpl. James Martin, Cpl. David Garino, Cpl. Sean Brown, Cpl. Rhett Calloway, Cpl. Benjamin Voorhaar, Cpl. Joseph Carucci, Cpl. Kevin Keelan, Cpl. Jeffrey Puffenbarger, PFC Joseph Piazza, PFC Jermain Jones, PFC George Higgs, PFC Harry Ivers, PFC Robert Gottschall, Lt. Christopher Becker, Sgt. Jeffrey Holter, Sgt. Troy Berry, Sgt. James Ondrish, Corrections Officer David Baden, Officer David Gross, Officer Clarence Black, Cpl. Jody Powell, Cpl. Richard Zink, Cpl. Charles Baker, Cpl. David Beall, PFC Christopher Spaulding, PFC Mark Kaylor, PFC John Richard Elliott, PFC David Walker and Corrections Officer Raymond Anderson.
Recipients of the Sheriff’s Awards include PFC Paul Faucheux, PFC Lee Potter, TFC Shawn Murphy, Michael Ballenger, Jonathan Gibbs, John Wade, Doug Cooley, Victor Curtis, Beverly Deniston, Diana Donahue, Gregory Jones, Cpl. Rhett Calloway, PFC Mark Davidson, PFC Jermain Jones, PFC Claude Clevenger, Corrections Officer Travis Yates, Police Communications Supervisor Debra Deakins, Roland Beach, Mary Ellen Brown, Regina Clark, Brent Compton, The Bike Doctor, John Stine Sr., James Stine, Ralph Cross, Debbie Shuck-Reynolds, Dick Gregory, Keith Grier, Sandra O. Washington, Graham Bartholomew, Rosemary Raiman, Fern Brown, Sgt. Reynal Aportadera, Patti Franklin, Rhonda Glaze, Mike Mudd, Dr. Elaine Ryan, Corey M. Reynolds and Jerry W. Williams.