Police officers honored with Life Saving Award

  • By Sharon Haught of the Wooster Weekly News
  • December 7, 2009
  • 781
                        
For a Sterling man, the work of two Wooster police officers and their unconventional partners likely saved his life. Patrolmen Robert Henderson and Victor Nedoma of the Wooster Police Department and their K-9 partners, Hades and Ex, were honored in a ceremony at city hall Nov. 23, for their work in locating an injured man who had cut himself with a miter saw. Both officers were presented with the Life Saving Award by Wooster Police Chief Steve Glick, who described the scene the officers encountered when they responded to a request for assistance from members of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, who had been dispatched to the residence of Larry and Cheryl Mohler at approximately 10 p.m. “On Oct. 16, the sheriff’s department, the Sterling EMS and fire crews responded to a residence on Zigler Road about a gentleman who had been cut with a miter saw. He was bleeding heavily, left the residence and could not be located,” said Glick. When the Wayne County officers who responded to the scene were unable to quickly locate the victim, the sheriff’s department contacted the Wooster Police Department and asked that the city’s K-9 unit respond to conduct a tracking exercise. While the Wooster Police Department normally has one K-9 unit on duty during each shift, by chance, a second unit happened to be on duty at the time, working overtime covering shift manpower, which allowed two K-9 units to respond to the request for assistance According to information released by the Wooster Police Department, when Patrolmen Henderson and Nedoma arrived on the scene, Sergeant David Woods, Deputy Daniel Vaughn and Deputy Joel Marmet of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office were already working in conjunction with fire and EMS personnel and members of the Mohler family to locate the victim. “In cooperation with the rescue personnel on the scene, a perimeter was established,” said Glick. “However, the brush was very heavy, it was dark and the victim could not be located.” When they arrived, “Patrolman Nedoma and Patrolman Henderson began looking for a place to start a track,” said Glick. “Patrolman Nedoma was able to locate some blood. From that blood they started to track.” After tracking for nearly 100 yards and making several turns, Henderson’s K-9 partner, Hades, was able to locate the victim lying face down in a field behind his home. Glick said as soon as the victim was located, Nedoma and Henderson rendered first aid. “Sterling EMS personnel were able to get the victim to the hospital and he has recovered.” With dozens of community and family members, members of the city’s administrative team and members of the law enforcement community looking on, Glick presented Henderson and Nedoma with a certificate and an insignia representing their accomplishments. “I’d like to recognize their knowledge, professionalism and determination to locate and assist the victim,” said Glick, noting that their actions “are in keeping with the highest tradition of law enforcement and the Wooster Police Department.” The victim’s wife, Cheryl Mohler, had her own heartfelt words of gratitude to add. “I’m just so grateful,” she said. “Thank you.”


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