Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bestowed 57 first responders, peace officers and firefighters with The Star of Texas Award during a ceremony Monday in Austin for demonstrating "remarkable courage and heroism in serving and protecting their communities throughout the state."
The Star of Texas Awards were created by the Texas Legislature in 2003 to honor men and women who have been seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.
“Today, Texas honors the extraordinary few – those who have demonstrated the character and the courage to repeatedly put their lives on the line to serve and protect their communities,” said Governor Abbott. “Today we recognize acts of uncommon valor – by first responders, firefighters and law enforcement officers – willing to put everything on the line to keep us safe. All of the men and women who protect and serve, and the families who stand by their sides, deserve our deepest respect. They represent the very best of Texas.”
The following are the local recipients in 2016. Nominations for next year must be made
Arlington
Officer Leticia Brooks received the award due to a car crash that she was involved in 2006 while on duty.
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A drunken driver struck a patrol car while it was blocking traffic due to another crash.
Brooks was standing outside the patrol car when the crash occurred. The impact of the crash caused Brooks to be struck by the patrol car and she suffered serious injuries from the incident.
She has recovered from the crash and is currently assigned to the patrol division.
Officer Michael Bali received the award due to being shot in the line of duty in November 2015.
Bali was assigned to a local task force working an assignment out of city when he was confronted by an armed person.
The person shot Bali in the leg as he was retreating from the scene.
He was treated a local hospital for serious injuries and has returned to full duty with the department.
"Law enforcement officers face grave danger every day as they perform their duties. I am proud of these two officers, the formal recognition and support from Governor Abbott, and the outpouring of community compassion shown to our department," said Arlington Police Chief Will D. Johnson, in a statement.
Cedar Hill
Police Officer Ann McSwain received the award after being seriously injured in the line of duty in 2014.
McSwain underwent surgeries at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas to graft the damaged skin. In an 2014 interview with NBC 5, she said she one day hoped to return to patrol.
Dallas
Dallas police officer Vicente Pablo Moreno received the award after being seriously injured in the line of duty. The Dallas Police Department has not released any further details.
Euless
Officer David Hofer, 29, posthumously received the award after being shot and killed in a shootout March 1 near an elementary school.
Hofer was one of a number of officers who responded to a "shots fired" call near J.A. Carr Park in Euless. "Upon arrival, officers encountered a suspect with an unknown weapon," Euless Police Chief Mike Brown said in March. "The suspect immediately fired upon officers, striking one of them. Officers returned fire, striking the suspect."
Hofer was rushed to Baylor Medical Center Grapevine where he was pronounced deceased.
Fort Worth
Matt Pearce, a Fort Worth Police Officer shot five times in the line of duty, received The Star of Texas Award Monday.
In March 2016 a shootout between Fort Worth police, a fugitive and his son, left one suspect dead and Pearce critically wounded.
After almost two months in the hospital Pearce was released and expected to continue with rehabilitation.
The Colony
Police Officer Carlos Guillermo Henderson received the award after being seriously injured in the line of duty in July 2015.
Henderson was investigating a sleeping driver stopped at an intersection. When Henderson opened the door to put the vehicle in park the driver woke up and drove off, throwing Henderson to the ground.
Henderson landed on his shoulder and had to undergo several surgeries and physical therapy.
The department said they do not know who nominated Henderson for the honor.
The 2016 recipients of the Star of Texas Awards are:
Peace Officers Killed in the Line of Duty
Darrell Lamond Allen, Marlin Police Department
Adrian Arellano, El Paso Police Department
Richard Allen Brush, Point Comfort Police Department
Paul Aaron Buckles, Potter County Sheriff’s Office
Caran Renee Coward, Livingston Police Department
Reuben B. DeLeon Jr., Houston Police Department
Steven Keith Fleming, Gainesville Police Department
Darren H. Goforth, Harris County Sheriff’s Office
David Stefan Hofer, Euless Police Department
Thomas Luell Keen, Harris County Sheriff’s Office
William Karl Keesee, Texas Department of Public Safety
John Mathew Maki, Celeste Police Department
Michael Joe Naylor, Midland County Sheriff’s Office
Jeffrey Don Nichols, Texas Department of Public Safety
David Ortiz, El Paso Police Department
Michael Anthony Pimentel, Elmendorf Police Department
Jeffrey Emmons Radford, Bell County Constable Precinct 3
Mark Luis Scianna, Bexar County Constable Precinct 3
Jesse Valdez, Harris County Sheriff’s Office
Donald Ellis Wass, Washington County Sheriff’s Office
Emergency Medical First Responders Seriously Injured in the Line of Duty
Howard Gene Holmes, 3n1 Volunteer Fire Department
Fire Fighters Seriously Injured in the Line of Duty
Jeremiah Matthew Casares, Austin Fire Department
Eddie Hykel, West Fire Department
George W. Nors, West Fire Department
David Alan Maler, West Fire Department
Emmanuel Mitchell, West Fire Department
Peace Officers Seriously Injured in the Line of Duty
Michael Paul Bali, Arlington Police Department
Leticia Flores Brooks, Arlington Police Department
Ryan Edward Burns, Lubbock County Sheriff’s Department
Joseph Canales, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
Jennifer Castaneda, Jacinto City Police Department
Michael Jawad Chapman, Conroe Police Department
Richard Gilmore Doane, Concho County Sheriff’s Office
Michael Donato, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
Charles Joseph Duhamel, Harlingen Police Department
Ryan Lamar Durrett, Lubbock Police Department
Jacob Quintana Flores, Lubbock Police Department
Wilford Lloyd Garvin, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office
Carlos Guillermo Henderson, The Colony Police Department
Rodney Flores Hernandez, Texas Department of Public Safety
John Hogan, Lake Jackson Police Department
Brian Jackson, San Angelo Police Department
Stephen Andrew Jones, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
Andrew Scott Jordan, Corpus Christi Police Department
Timothy Ray Keele, Texas Department of Public Safety
Chad Matlock, Texas Department of Public Safety
Ann McSwain, Cedar Hill Police Department
Zachary Reid Mills, Texas Department of Public Safety
Vicente Pablo Moreno, Dallas Police Department
Michael Nicholas Orndorff, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Matthew A. Pearce, Fort Worth Police Department
Armando Perez, Austin Police Department
James Pittman, Austin Police Department
Steven Wayne Ruebelmann, Corpus Christi Police Department
Jeremy Justin Talbert, Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 4
Michael Anthony Thomas, Texas Department of Public Safety
Ricky D. Wallace,Texas Tech University Police Department
