Injured Undercover Officer

In April of 2008, an undercover unit of the Saint Petersburg, Florida Police Department was carrying out surveillance on possible suspects thought to be involved in a series of armed robberies. During the stakeout, Detective Anthony Peterson alerted his unit that the suspects had just entered a video store. Peterson and his partner followed, keeping the suspects in sight, but putting themselves at risk. As they moved closer to the door, the suspects abruptly exited. One began firing. Peterson was shot several times, but returned fire. The shooter was hit and went down. Even with his injuries, Peterson covered his assailant until his unit came to his aid. After recovery, Peterson was recognized as “2008 Officer of the Year” and received the 2009 Attorney General Award.

Two Children Trapped

L-R: Representative Chris Cunningham, presents members of the 4th battalion, Langston Malim,
James Kyle Schultz, Anthony Tommasini, Adam Cole and Brad Polizzi with their PFIA plaques.

On the evening of July 17, Bladensburg, Maryland’s Engine 809 and Truck 809 arrived at a raging apartment fire and went to work. The flames had consumed the kitchen, dining area and living room and were travelling down the hallway. Barman Kyle Schultz was searching ahead of the hose line to find two trapped toddlers.

For more on this story refer to the Spring '10 issue, page 9.

Fire Fighter Tries to Save Sergeant

Regrettably, a Maplewood, Minnesota police sergeant was shot execution style on May 1, 2010 while responding to the report of a carjacking. (See “PFIA Remembers” listing for Joseph Bergeron on page 19.) A retired St. Paul fire fighter, and one-time police officer, was out for a jog when the officer’s cruiser passed him. Bill Langevin was about 200 feet from the car and saw the two carjacking suspects shoot him point-blank and run off. He immediately went to Bergeron’s aid. Unable to locate the radio on the dash due to all the blood and gore, Langevin grabbed the radio from the sergeant’s belt to call for help. Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Langevin was able to give excellent descriptions of the sergeant’s assailants. Fortunately, they had not noticed him in the vicinity or he may have shared the same fate. Both suspects were later apprehended. One was fatally wounded struggling with arresting officers, the other surrendered two hours later, after a failed attempt at suicide.

Langevin, 61, has a long history with the St. Paul Fire Department. His greatgrandfather was a volunteer fire fighter and one of the first full-time fire fighters back in 1885. His grandfather was the chief of the department in the 1930’s, and his father was a district chief, who died in the line-of-duty. His brothers are all proud of his actions that day.

College Cop Braves Blaze

A Notre Dame College police officer was heading home on October 13, 2009, when he spotted a truck smoldering in the ditch. A screaming woman was still pinned inside! As the flames in the engine compartment grew, McAnallen and a resident of Oberlin, Ohio attempted to free the 39-year-old victim. The dashboard had folded into the seat on the passenger side and the driver’s side door was crushed, so they ended up pulling her through the driver’s side window. She was transported to a hospital and admitted in critical condition. The Fire Department arrived shortly after her extrication and
extinguished the blazing pickup.

53-year-old McAnallen, who has served in the military, worked as both an emergency medical technician and in law enforcement in the past. He now works two days a week at Notre Dame and enjoys a quieter life. The mother of three is fully recovered and happy to be alive, even though she may permanently have to walk with a cane.

Stressful Scenario

Above, L-R: PO Kevin Newman, PS Jerry Enneking, PO
Shyane Schneider, PFIA Regional Manager Dan Louder, PFIA
Representative, PS Greg Toyeas and Sgt. Pete Watts.

A young man purposely cut off a marked patrol car in Cincinnati on November 17, 2009. Specialist Greg
Toyeas attempted a traffic stop, but the driver got out armed with a handgun. He ignored orders to drop the weapon. Specialist Jerry Enneking and Sergeant William “Pete” Watts arrived as backup and observed the suspect attempting to ambush Toyeas. Sgt. Watts fired his gun. The shot missed, and the suspect fled to a store where he threatened a civilian driver. He was spotted by Officer Shyane Schneider as he tried to steal the man’s truck. Schneider did not see that he was armed, and deployed her taser. The suspect then pulled out his gun and fired. By this time, Officer Kevin Newman arrived. Schneider shouted, “Gun!” to alert Newman, who fired several defensive shots. The suspect was fatally wounded and the incident
was brought to a close with no injuries to the officers.

Don’t Drink & Drive!

Two Gates Mills, Ohio police officers are being lauded for saving a woman from a fiery wreck on November 10. The 66-year-old motorist failed to navigate a curve in the road and struck a concrete barrier. Officers Michael Day and Michael Pollutro arrived to find that the driver’s side door was impossible to access due to impact with the barrier. Since the car was on fire and there was no time to waste, Day broke the driver’s side window with his baton.

The 911 caller helped the two officers pull the woman free, as she was not assisting much in her own rescue. Both the officers and the woman were treated for a few minor lacerations suffered while negotiating the window. She was in possession of open intoxicants and was, most likely, driving drunk.

Three Trapped Occupants

Police officers in Garfield Heights, Ohio were the first on scene at an early morning fire on January 7, 2010, where a 21-year-old pregnant woman, her elderly father and uncle were trapped inside their home. Officers Michael Danzey, Matthew Berdysz, Patrick Hace and Eric Cornell entered immediately. They located the 74-year-old father and carried him out to safety. Meanwhile, the young woman was able to jump to safety from the second floor of the home. Fortunately, no harm came to the unborn child.

By now, the fire department had arrived, and Lt. Pat Nelson entered the premises to search for the second victim. Fire fighters Michael Coyne and Tom Nemeth found the 76-year-old uncle while extinguishing the flames on the second floor. He had severe burns on his feet and ended up in critical condition.

Ax Attack

Cleveland police officers were forced to fire at an axwielding man who brutally attacked the director of the Volunteers of America Building the morning of February 10. When Sgt. James Dziuba and Officers Francisco Cruz and Christopher Holstein arrived, the 48-year-old homeless veteran was standing over his victim, holding a camping ax and a knife. The 59-year-old woman had several severe wounds on her face and head. Dziuba ordered the man to drop his weapons. When he did not comply, Cruz and Holstein both tasered him. At this point, the man charged them. Dziuba immediately reacted to save his men, and fired two shots at the suspect.

Both the victim and the suspect were rushed to the hospital, but neither survived their injuries.