Public-safety personnel who saved lives and braved difficult circumstances got their due March 30 at the 45th Annual Fairfax County Valor Awards.
The honorees are “strong, yet humble,” do not seek the spotlight in their work and would deny being heroes, said master of ceremonies Barry Biggar, president and CEO of Visit Fairfax.
“Fairfax County is truly blessed to have one of the finest public-safety systems in the United States,” Biggar said. “These high marks do not come without sacrifices.”
The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce hosted the ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Reston. The chamber honored these public-safety personnel with multiple medals:
• Fairfax County police Master Police Officer Lance Guckenberger and Pfc. Matthew Grubb received Gold Medals of Valor and 2nd Lt. Shannon Massey, Master Police Officers Brian Walley and Michael Morris, Sgt. Carolina Oliver and Pfc. Randy Bronte-Tinkew took home Silver Medals of Valor for arresting a suspect who allegedly had shot his roommate in McLean. Grubb was shot and wounded by the suspect during the confrontation.
• Fairfax County police Master Police Officer J. Kevin Clarke, K-9 officer Logan and Pfc. Jared Reeves and Vienna Police Department Pfcs. Emily Lichtenberg and Alex Murray received Silver Medals of Valor and Fairfax County police Master Police Officer Nathan Vanhusen, Pfc. Anthony Quarto and Pilot Matthew Hobbs earned Bronze Medals of Valor for arresting an armed suspect near the Washington & Old Dominion Regional Trail.
• Herndon Police Department Lt. Mark Dale and Senior Police Officer Henry Ruffin received Silver Medals of Valor and Sgt. Joseph Furman earned a Bronze Medal of Valor after they apprehended an armed man and a woman in a stolen-vehicle case.
* Fairfax County police Pfc. Alec Lamp took home a Silver Medal of Valor and Officer Shantelle Jennings earned a Bronze Medal of Valor for saving the life of a female stabbing victim following a domestic incident that left an apartment burning.
* Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Lts. John Long and John MacQuilliam, Master Technicians Chris Gay and Stephanie Brecht, Firefighter Blake Riggleman and Technicians Sean O’Neill, Chris Herbolsheimer and Dan Mechling earned Silver Medals of Valor and Capt. Terry Fayson, Lt. Brian Hallahan, Technicians Ryan Koonce and James Welling, and firefighters Mari Lehton-Christenson, Emily Hill, Sarly Clavel and Jamal Dickinson received Bronze Medals of Valor for protecting the lives of residents trapped in a house fire.
Chamber leaders also gave Silver Medals of Valor to:
• Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Volunteer Firefighter Timo Klotz, who despite being injured when a vehicle crashed through the front of the restaurant where he was eating still managed to render aid to other customers who had been hurt.
• Fairfax County police Master Police Officer Kevin Gemmell and K-9 officer Ajax and City of Alexandria Police Department Officers Adam Bing, Robert Honaker and Philip Morse for subduing and arresting a burglary suspect who allegedly had fatally shot two construction workers.
• Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Lt. Lawrence McGunnigle, Master Fire Technicians Robert Clarke and Toussaint Holland, and Fire Technician John Wright for rescuing an unconscious victim in a burning townhouse.
• Fairfax County police Pfc. Dean Rocco and Sgt. Matthew Duffy, who prevented a disgruntled former employee from immolating himself at his former workplace in Reston.
The following first-responders received Bronze Medals of Valor:
• Fairfax County police Pfc. Joseph Castilon and Officer Serina Kan, who saved the life of a suicidal man whose vehicle caught fire after he crashed it into other vehicles.
• Fairfax County police 2nd Lt. Deanna Weand, Sgt. Scott Reynolds and Pfc. Angelo Diaz, who attempted to de-escalate a domestic situation involving a young man armed with a compound bow and arrow. After the man emerged from the home with the arrow drawn in the bow, Pfc. Diaz discharged his rifle to protect those present, officials said.
• Fairfax County police 2nd Lt. Ari Morin and his K-9 officer Tango, Officer Ari Khodabakchian and Virginia State Police Trooper Jacob Weitzman, who arrested multiple suspects in an armed-robbery case.
• Arlington Police Department Cpl. Juan Montoya, who was off-duty in the Baileys Crossroads area when he protected and aided an officer who needed assistance.
• Fairfax County police Pfc. Matthew Halvordson; Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Capt. Michael D’Amico; Technicians Stefan Bachman, Erin Bond and Justin Willis; and firefighters Richard Burton and Jasper Cooper, who saved the life of a man who was suffering cardiac arrest after inadvertently touching overhead electrical lines with scaffolding.
• Fairfax County police Detective Stacey Wells, whose cruiser was struck several times by gunfire as he tried to apprehend a a suspected intoxicated driver.
• Herndon Police Department Sgt. Damien Austin, who aided a man whose wife reportedly had stabbed him and drew his service pistol to hold her at bay when she approached.
These public-safety personnel earned Lifesaving Awards:
• Fairfax County Police Department Master Police Officers Matthew Grubb, Lance Guckenberger, Jose Hernandez Jr., Brian Lawton, Christopher Johnson, Heath McKennedy, Michael Morris, Dean Rocco, Jey Phillips, Christopher Simmons, Charles Reinhard and Gary Tuggle; Sgts. David Kroll, Carolina Oliver, Timothy Schilling and Christopher Taylor; Pfcs. Casey Hughes, Brian Hungarter, Jonathan Keitz, Cameron Kelly, Lucas Klugh, Zachary Laye, Michael Leung, Kyle McGraw, Robert Miller, Bradley Minger, Thomas Murphy, Brian Nichols, Anthony Quarto, John Rodgers, Reuel Roopnarine, Garrett Scott, Melanie Todd and Andrew Wallace; Officers Judeaus Lacey, Jonathan Milam, Matthew Shiflett and Patrick Wicker; 2nd Lts. Alan Cordray, Troy Knefel, Donovan Royal and Gregory Salino; Lt. Andrew Wehrlen; Detectives Robert Malloch Jr. and Ryan Quarto; Pilot Michael Mountjoy; and Auxiliary Police Officers Kimber Davidson and Ashleigh Soloff.
• Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Disaster Assistance Specialist I Michael Defina Jr. and Emergency Management Specialist II Ian Gregoire.
• Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office Pfc. Andrew Avrelo and 2nd Lt. Thomas Boyden.
• Vienna Police Department Master Police Officer Greg Hylinski.
• Virginia State Police Troopers Carlos Alejo, Christian Elkins and Lucie Vajglova.
The following public-safety workers took home Certificates of Valor:
• Fairfax County Police Department Pfcs. Mohammad Amini, Nathaniel Blake, Kyle Bork, Claire Buffa, John Choi, Justin Collier, Gregory Edwards, Jordan Griffin, Jacob Johanson, Erik Laursen, Jacob Poorman, Jake Ryan, Ryan Sheehan, Michael Stirling, Shaquon Wilkins and Katlin Wood; Officers Noble Banner, Kai Bridges, Richard Burns, Patrick DiGirolamo, Justin Hugh, Caleb McClain, Alexander Neumann, Masihullah Noori, Noah Schlossberg and Brandon Wright; Master Police Officers Scott Bates, Brian Bowers, John Buckles, Daniel Custer, Matthew Grubb, Mark Kracun, Michael Morris, Michael Scatchard, Nicholas Taormina and Charles Wolfert; Detective John Borchick; Sgts. Gregory Cox (and K-9 Knox), John Lamper, Carolina Oliver, Andrew Napieralski and Michael Schmied; Capt. Lucas Durden; 2nd Lts. Douglas Lingenfelter and Benjamin McIntosh; and Pilot Dalton O’Rourke.
• Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department Battalion Chief Mervin Barrera, Fire Technician Jacob Brendel, Firefighter Roberto Da Silva, Lt. Hannah Davis and Volunteer EMT Keith Rieser.
• Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office 2nd Lt. Georga Shammas.
• Herndon Police Department Pfc. Bryce Cooper.
• Virginia State Police Troopers Sesaly Barden and Sung Cho.
