400 Attend 2017 Statewide Night of Remembrance and Awards Ceremony
MADD Tennessee’s 2017 Statewide Night of Remembrance and Awards Ceremony was attended by approximately 400 attendees again this year. The event was opened by the Presentation of Colors by the Hendersonville High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC Color Guard and the singing of the National Anthem by Elizabeth Evans, Hendersonville High School Choral Director.
A moving candlelight vigil began with three symbolic candles lit by Officer Bradley Nave, a two-time victim of drunk driving crashes, who lit the candle to honor the survivors of impaired driving crashes; Kathy Kilgore-Beeler, who lost her son Cole, who lit the candle to remember those whose lives were lost due to an impaired driving crash; and by Director Vic Donoho of the Tennessee Highway Safety Office who lit the candle to assert hope for the future that we will have No More Victims. As the flames from these candles were shared among the 400 attendees across the room, 213 Tennessee Victims were honored and remembered as a slide show was presented on two screens at the front of the room.
After dinner, Keynote Speaker, Kenneth White of the Tennessee Highway Patrol talked about why he supports MADD, the various ways law enforcement can partner with MADD, and how his own personal history of losing his mother at age six, and later his brother, to separate impaired driving crashes has affected his drive to protect Tennessee families from impaired driving.
Three law enforcement personnel whose end of watch was in 2017 were then honored during our Fallen Officer tribute:
1. Police Officer Eric Wayne Mumaw, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
2. Deputy Sheriff Jimmy Tennyson, Maury County Sheriff’s Office
3. K9 Cain, Crossville Police Department
The annual awards presentation was co-hosted for the second year by MADD National President, Colleen Sheehey-Church who had earlier shared the story of her 18-year-old son, Dustin, who drowned in an impaired driving crash and by Sgt. Vincent Turocy of the Tennessee Highway Patrol who serves as the Law Enforcement Chair on the MADD Tennessee State Advisory Board.
The awards ceremony began with the presentation of the BUI/DUI Enforcement Awards. As each group of honorees was called, victims/survivors personally pinned each recipient with their award as the audience heard a brief explanation of their victim story. Victims were moved and honored to personally congratulate the men and women who work so hard to protect other Tennessee families from this 100% preventable tragedy. Some of them were even involved with the cases of the victims represented, making the honor even more touching.
The first group called was for BUI Enforcment. To quality, officers had to have at least 10 BUI arrests in 2016 with a current conviction rate of 75%. The winners were:
Wildlife Officer Greg Julian, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, 12
Boating Officer Jeffery Roberson, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, 13
Boating Officer Josh Landrum, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, 18
They were pinned by Lt. Jeff Sanders from Metro Nashville Police Department’s Madison Precinct. Lt. Sanders was the supervisor for Officer Eric Mumaw who drowned attempting to save a driver with a .21 BAC who drove into the Cumberland River.
The Bronze DUI Enforcement Awards were given next to those who had removed 25 to 49 impaired drivers from Tennessee roadways in 2016 with a current conviction rate of 75%. There were three groups of winners. The first group included:
Trooper Bradley Atkinson, THP – Jackson District, 25
Trooper Christopher Dunn, THP – Fall Branch District, 25
Sergeant Kasey Fitts, THP – Administrative District, 25
Trooper Greg Marlowe, THP – Fall Branch District, 25
Trooper Charles McVey, THP – Chattanooga District, 25
Trooper Samuel Outlaw, THP – Nashville District, 25
Officer Chris Roark, Belle Meade Police Department, 25
Trooper William Shelton, THP – Fall Branch District, 25
Trooper David Hill, THP – Lawrenceburg District, 26
Officer John House, Woodbury Police Department, 26
Officer Cantrelle McMoore, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, 26
Trooper Terry Milholen, THP – Jackson District, 26
Trooper Ryan Quinn, THP – Special Operations, 26
Trooper Chris Bayless, THP – Knoxville District, 27
Officer Lee Jacob, Chattanooga Police Department, 27
Officer Benjamin Piazza, Chattanooga Police Department, 27
Trooper Michael Shull, THP – Administrative District, 27
Deputy Jonathan Stout, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, 27
Lieutenant Joe Terry, THP – Memphis District, 27
Trooper Thomas Thompson, THP – Lawrenceburg District, 27
Trooper Stephen Becker, THP – Nashville District, 28
Trooper Jason Cannon, THP – Nashville District, 28
Trooper Michael Coble, THP – Lawrenceburg District, 28
Officer Brian Dugre, Metro Nashville Police Department, 28
Trooper Randy Euler, THP – Chattanooga District, 28
Trooper Robert Franks, THP – Lawrenceburg District, 28
Trooper John Mayberry, THP – Jackson District, 28
They were pinned by Lisa Benedict whose huband Bob was killed in 2016 on the night of their only daughter, Reagan’s high school graduation and by Phaedra Marriott Olsen and Josh Marriott. Phaedra was hit by an impaired driver at age 22 in a crash that nearly took her life and left her in a wheelchair. Her son, Josh, was only four at the time.
The second group of Bronze DUI Enforcement Award Winners were:
Trooper Tyler Milam, THP – Jackson District, 28
Trooper Edgar Perry, THP – Fall Branch District, 28
Officer Blaze Williams, Metro Nashville Police Department, 28
Trooper Jake Bramer, THP – Cookeville District, 29
Trooper Mark Chitwood, THP – Knoxville District, 29
Deputy Phillip Douglas, Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, 29
Trooper Charles Groce, THP – Cookeville District, 29
Trooper Michael Lowe, THP – Protective Services Div., 29
Sergeant Anthony Sherron, THP – Memphis District, 29
Trooper John-Mark Tarr, THP – Nashville District, 29
DUI Officer Calvin Taylor, Memphis Police Department, 29
Lieutenant David Roark, THP – Chattanooga District, 30
Trooper Charles Spires, THP – Nashville District, 30
DUI Officer Ronald Clark, Memphis Police Department, 31
Officer Ryan Allen, Metro Nashville Police Department, 32
Officer Justin Franklin, Metro Nashville Police Department, 32
Officer JaJuan Hamilton, Knoxville Police Department, 32
Deputy Bradley Lynn, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, 32
Trooper Cory Russell, THP – Knoxville District, 32
Trooper Joe Taylor, THP – Fall Branch District, 32
Trooper Jeremy Shelton, THP – Fall Branch District, 33
Trooper Keith Summers, THP – Chattanooga District, 33
Trooper Christopher Burrell, THP – Nashville District, 34
Trooper Douglas Williams, THP – Jackson District, 34
DUI Officer Daniel Banks, Memphis Police Department, 35
They were pinned by Rebekah Leonard Wolfe and her niece, Kody Leonard. Rebekah’s sister and Kody’s aunt, Steffanie Leonard, was killed in 2012 when an impaired driver going the wrong way on Interstate 65 in Nashville hit her head-on.
The final group of Bronze DUI Enforcement Award Winners were:
Trooper Brandon Jackson, THP – Cookeville District, 35
Officer Edward Nation, Knoxville Police Department, 35
Deputy Brian Ashley, Sumner County Sheriffs Office, 37
Officer Franklin Ayers, Jacksboro Police Department, 38
Officer Katie Ward, Memphis Police Department, 38
Trooper Robert Woody, THP – Knoxville District, 38
Officer Brandon Hicks, Metro Nashville Police Department, 39
Trooper Andrew Troxel, THP – Nashville District, 39
Sergeant Nathan Hall, THP – Fall Branch District, 40
Officer Ryan Henehan, Metro Nashville Police Department, 40
Trooper Rex Bailey, THP – Fall Branch District, 41
DUI Officer Allan Craig, Memphis Police Department, 41
Trooper Ernest Young, THP – Nashville District, 41
Trooper James Davis, THP – Memphis District, 42
Trooper Terrance Gann, THP – Chattanooga District, 42
Trooper Adam Potts, THP – Jackson District, 42
Trooper Ronnie Swafford, THP – Chattanooga District. 42
Officer Ky T. Luu, Metro Nashville Police Department, 43
Officer Cressie Prill, Metro Nashville Police Department, 43
Trooper Michael Sullivan, THP – Jackson District, 43
Sgt. John Grinder, THP – Nashville District, 44
Officer Casey Kirby, Memphis Police Department, 44
Trooper Frank Yates-Matoy, THP – Knoxville District, 46
Trooper Michael Lockard, THP – Memphis District, 47
Officer Coy Tucker, Knoxville Police Department, 48
Sergeant Ken Fox, Memphis Police Department, 49
Officer Dwight Mann, Memphis Police Department, 49
They were pinned by Phyllis Langston whose son, Jody Rector, was killed instantly when his car was t-boned by an impaired driver at a stop sign and by Tanya Read whose son, Nick Townsend, died two days after a crash with an impaired driver on his way home from volunteering at the Special Olympics.
The next group of DUI Enforcement Awards was given to those who had earned Silver honors for removing 50 to 99 impaired drivers from Tennessee roadways in 2016 with a current conviction rate of 75%. They included:
Trooper Caleb Cooper, THP – Jackson District, 50
Trooper Randy McDonald, THP – Nashville District, 50
Officer William Whitworth, Metro Nashville Police Department, 50
Trooper Cody Martin, THP – Fall Branch District, 51
Officer Alex Moore, Metro Nashville Police Department, 52
Trooper Brandon Smith, THP – Protective Services Division, 52
Trooper Paul Clendenen, THP – Knoxville District, 55
Trooper Bradley Robbins, THP – Fall Branch District, 55
Trooper William Connors, THP – Fall Branch District, 56
Trooper Mark Miller, THP – Cookeville District, 56
Trooper Adam Miracle, THP – Knoxville District, 56
Trooper Michael Robertson, THP – Cookeville District, 59
Officer Andre Sanders, Goodlettsville Police Department, 59
Trooper Terry Parker, THP – Chattanooga District, 60
Deputy John Stith, Sumner County Sheriffs Office, 62
Trooper Clinton Tudors, THP – Chattanooga District, 64
Patrolwoman Carolyn Chambers, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, 65
Lieutenant Dwayne Stanford, THP – Jackson District, 66
Officer Kelvin Payne, Memphis Police Department, 67
Sergeant Vincent Meaker, THP – Nashville District, 68
Trooper Nicholas Solomon, THP – Nashville District, 68
Officer Anthony Morris, Memphis Police Department, 69
Officer David Abbott, Metro Nashville Police Department, 72
Officer Lionel Brown, Memphis Police Department, 73
Officer John Melia, Metro Nashville Police Department, 73
Officer Brian Blumenberg, Chattanooga Police Department, 73
Officer Jeffrey Buckner, Chattanooga Police Department, 75
Officer Megan Manus, Murfreesboro Police Department, 77
Officer Corey Smith, Memphis Police Department, 77
Officer Laneeze Stepney, Memphis Police Department, 79
Officer Marvin Richardson, Memphis Police Department, 85
Trooper Adam Cash, THP – Jackson District, 87
Trooper Lance Suggs, THP – Administrative District, 87
They were pinned by Tedd and Dawn Kruse who lost their daughter, Maddie, when a 7-time DUI offender hit her and her friends at 6:30am on a Sunday morning on the way to a beach trip.
The Gold DUI Enforcement Award Winners removed 100 to 199 impaired drivers from Tennessee roadways in 2016 and had a current conviction rate of 75%. They included:
Trooper Barry Qualls, THP – Lawrenceburg District, 108
Officer Craig Amabile, Metro Nashville Police Department, 109
Investigator Gary Frisbee, Chattanooga Police Department, 109
Officer Bradley Nave, Metro Nashville Police Department, 109
Trooper Patrick Dilday, THP – Memphis District, 125
Officer Quinn Rodriguez, Murfreesboro Police Department, 130
Officer Paul Stein, Metro Nashville Police Department, 140
Trooper Kenneth White, THP – Nashville District, 147
Trooper William Satterfield, THP – Knoxville District, 148
Trooper Vince Mullins, THP – Fall Branch District, 164
Trooper Chad Staggs, THP – Lawrenceburg District, 165
Trooper Brandon Rogers, THP – Memphis District, 176
They were pinned by Bonnie Smith whose daughter, Tammy Goodwin, a mother of two with dreams of owning a horse ranch, was killed by a drunk driver who fell asleep at the wheel.
The last group of DUI Enforcement honors was for the Platinum category given to those who removed 200 or more impaired drivers from Tennessee roadways in 2016 with a current conviction rate of 75%. This year only one winner was awarded: Trooper Stoney Morton with THP – Chattanooga District for 210 DUI arrests.
He was pinned by Millie Webb, MADD National President Emeritus, whose family was hit in 1971 in a fiery crash that took the life of her 19-month-old nephew, Mitch, several hours later and her four-year-old daughter, Lori, who suffered for two weeks before her death. Millie, who was critically burned and 7-months pregnant at the time, had an emergency c-section three days after the crash to deliver her daughter, Kara, who was born blind as a result.
Combined, the 128 men and woman honored with 2017 MADD Enforcement Awards, removed a staggering 6,641 impaired drivers and boaters from our roadways and waterways in 2016.
The next portion of our event was to present several Specialty Awards for those nominated for their efforts to support one or more of MADD’s mission prongs.
The Tennessee Excellence Award is given to the top regional prosecutor for outstanding commitment to enforcing DUI law and for supporting local volunteer’s victim-advocacy efforts. The recipient of the Middle Tennessee Excellence Award was General Jack Arnold of the 23rd Judicial District. The recipient of the West Tennessee Excellence Award was General William “Billy” Bond of the 30th Judicial District.
The Power of You(th) Award is given to a youth that has excelled in his or her efforts to prevent underage drinking. The recipient of the Middle Tennessee Power of You(th) Award was presented to Bailey Williams-Pierce of Hendersonville High School. The recipient of the West Tennessee Power of You(th) Award was presented to Ebony Greer of Southwest Community College.
The Power of Community Award is given to a school or organization that has excelled in their efforts to prevent underage drinking. This year’s recipient of the East Tennessee Power of Community Award was Drive 4 Life Academy. The recipient of the West Tennessee Power of Community Award was Briarcrest Christian School. The winner of the Middle Tennessee Power of Community Award was the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Communications Division for their production of, “Two Seconds from Tragedy”, a video meant to bring awareness about victims who have experienced acute tragedy due to traffic crashes caused by negligent drivers.
The Tennessee Golden Achievement Award is the highest level award to be given to a MADD Tennessee volunteer. It is presented to a MADD volunteer who has excelled in promoting the mission of MADD to eliminate drunk driving, fight drugged driving, prevent underage drinking, and support the victims of these crimes. The East Tennessee Golden Achievement Award was presented to Kim Ledford. The recipient of the Middle Tennessee Golden Achievement Award was Millie Webb. The recipients of the West Tennessee Golden Achievement Award were Stan & MaryAnn Flowers.
The Outstanding Department Award is given to a law enforcement department/agency/section that excels in exhibiting compassion to impaired driving victims, partnering with youth on underage drinking prevention, or taking a proactive approach by implementing programs or enforcement campaigns to reduce DUI injuries and fatalities in their jurisdiction. The recipient of the 2017 Middle Tennessee Outstanding Department Award was THP District 3 – Troop E – Robertson County. The 2017 West Tennessee Outstanding Department Award was given to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
The Outstanding Service Award is presented to an officer or supervisor that excels in exhibiting compassion to impaired driving victims, partnering with youth on underage drinking prevention, or taking a proactive approach by implementing programs or enforcement campaigns to reduce DUI injuries and fatalities in their jurisdiction. The 2017 Middle Tennessee Outstanding Service Award was presented to Captain Matt Majors of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The winner of the 2017 West Tennessee Outstanding Service Award was Sergeant Chris Wilkerson of the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office. (Sgt. Wilkerson is not pictured. He was unable to attend due to a family emergency.)
The next category of awards was new to the 2017 ceremony: Top DUI Enforcer by Region. The top Trooper, Officer, and Deputy from each region was recognized for their enforcement efforts in 2016.
The West Tennessee Top DUI Enforcer for a Sheriff’s Office was Patrolwoman Carolyn Chambers of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office with 65 impaired drivers in 2016. The West Tennesse Top DUI Enforcer for a Police Department was Officer Marvin Richardson of the Memphis Police Department with 85 impaired drivers in 2016. The West Tennessee Top DUI Enforcer for the Highway Patrol was Trooper Brandon Rogers of the Memphis THP with 176 impaired drivers in 2016.
The Middle Tennessee Top DUI Enforcer for a Sheriff’s Office was Deputy John Stith of the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office with 62 impaired drivers in 2016. The Middle Tennessee Top DUI Enforcer for a Police Department was Officer Paul Stein of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department with 140 impaired drivers in 2016. The Middle Tennessee Top DUI Enforcer for the Highway Patrol was Trooper Chad Staggs of the THP Lawrenceburg District with 165 impaired drivers in 2016.
The East Tennessee Top DUI Enforcer for a Sheriff’s Office was Deputy Jonathon Stout of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office with 27 impaired drivers in 2016. The East Tennessee Top DUI Enforcer for a Police Department was Officer Gary Frisbee of the Chattanooga Police Department with 109 impaired drivers in 2016. This year’s East Tennessee Highway Patrol Top Enforcer was also our Statewide Top DUI Enforcer of the Year: Trooper Stoney Morton of THP’s Chattanooga District with 210 impaired driving arrests in 2016.
Finally, Phaedra Marriott Olsen, MADD Tennessee’s State Program Director, presented two additional awards for exemplary service. The first, the Director’s Choice Award, was presented to Sgt. Vinnie Turocy of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The second, the 2017 MADD Tennessee Employee of the Year Award, was presented to Michelle Rozell, Marketing Program Specialist.
MADD wishes to congratulate all of this year’s award winners and commends you for your efforts to protect and serve Tennesseeans on our roadways and waterways and to support the mission of MADD throughout the state.
We also want to extend a special thanks to the sponsors of the 2017 Statewide Night of Remembrance and Awards Ceremony, without whom this event would not be possible. Thank you to State Farm, Nissan, ADM, Uber, the Tennessee Wildlife Officers Association, the Tennessee State Troopers Association, and the Tennessee Highway Safety Office.
