Quilt Recipients February 2020

Quilts were sent in February 2020 to the following first responders injured on duty.

Quilt Recipients February 2020

First Responder, Date, & Location	Quilt	Story
Sgt Milton Busby Florida Highway Patrol February 11, 2020 – South Bay, Florida		According to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue the incident happened at South U.S. 27 and John L. Evans Road around 11:15 a.m. Sgt Milton Busby was on duty when he was involved in a single vehicle motorcycle crash. Firefighters arrived and found the trooper in the roadway and his motorcycle with heavy damage. All lanes of U.S. 27 were blocked while a helicopter landed at the scene and transported Sgt Busby to Delray Medical Center with serious injuries. We hope this quilt will provide comfort during Sgt Busby’s recovery.
Deputy Gregory Agar Clark County Sheriff’s Office February 9, 2020 – Clark County, Washington		The collision occurred at around 2:30am on northbound I-5 near milepost 14. A DUI driver was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of I-5. Deputy Gregory Agar was traveling northbound and moved into the path of the vehicle to stop it from continuing the wrong way on the interstate. The vehicles collided at highway speeds and came to a rest on I-5. Deputy Agar was injured and taken to Legacy Salmon Creek. He is now at home recovering and doing well. We give this quilt to Deputy Agar to let him know we care and thank him for putting himself in harms way to ensure no one else was injured or killed. **Quilt donated by Rose Parkhill.
Officer Brendan Langdon Manchester Police Department February 4, 2020 – Manchester, New Hampshire		Officers Brendan Langdon, Olivia LaCroix and Kevin Shields responded to 6 Ahern Street at around 3pm for a domestic incident call. A suspect at the residence was ordered by the officers to come out of a room multiple times and refused. Officers then went in and a struggle occurred. During the time the officers were attempting to arrest the suspect he pulled out a knife. The officers were unaware the suspect had a knife, which he began to swing, stabbing all three of the officers. We send these quilts to let these three officers know we care and provide comfort during their recoveries.
Officer Olivia LaCroix Manchester Police Department February 4, 2020 – Manchester, New Hampshire		Officers Brendan Langdon, Olivia LaCroix and Kevin Shields responded to 6 Ahern Street at around 3pm for a domestic incident call. A suspect at the residence was ordered by the officers to come out of a room multiple times and refused. Officers then went in and a struggle occurred. During the time the officers were attempting to arrest the suspect he pulled out a knife. The officers were unaware the suspect had a knife, which he began to swing, stabbing all three of the officers. We send these quilts to let these three officers know we care and provide comfort during their recoveries.
Officer Kevin Shields Manchester Police Department February 4, 2020 – Manchester, New Hampshire		Officers Brendan Langdon, Olivia LaCroix and Kevin Shields responded to 6 Ahern Street at around 3pm for a domestic incident call. A suspect at the residence was ordered by the officers to come out of a room multiple times and refused. Officers then went in and a struggle occurred. During the time the officers were attempting to arrest the suspect he pulled out a knife. The officers were unaware the suspect had a knife, which he began to swing, stabbing all three of the officers. We send these quilts to let these three officers know we care and provide comfort during their recoveries.
Officer name withheld Memphis Police Department January 12, 2020 – Memphis, Tennessee		Just after midnight a Memphis Police Department Officer was sitting in his car with lights on while blocking southbound traffic on McLean near Overton Park, so that MLGW could work on the power lines that had been knocked down due to recent storm damage. Police say that’s when a DUI suspect crashed into the officer’s vehicle. The officer was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. We hope this quilt will provide comfort while this officer continues to recover
Officer Tiffany Wright Franklin Police Department February 17, 2020 – Franklin, Ohio		Franklin Police Officer Tiffany Wright was attacked by a dog behind a Warren County Waffle House. Officer Wright was hospitalized but has since been released. Officer Wright was called the 6800 block of Ohio 123 around 10:15pm to check on the welfare of a dog. She found a vehicle with blankets covering the windows and knocked on the window, where a woman opened the door. "As soon as the vehicle door opened, the dog (a German shepherd mix) jumped over the female occupant and attacked the officer," police said in a news release. Officials said the woman tried to help the Wright after the dog jump on her. Office Wright was bitten on her forearms and twice in her left leg, police said. We send this quilt to provide comfort to Officer Wright during her recovery
Officer name withheld Fort Lauderdale Police Department January 16, 2020- Fort Lauderdale, Florida		A Fort Lauderdale Police Officer was called to a crash around 4pm on Northwest 19th St, between Northwest 26th Terrace and Northwest 24th Terrace. The officer was attempting to stop a suspect from leaving the scene of the crash when she deployed her Taser. Instead of surrendering, witnesses told police, the suspect attacked the officer. We send this quilt to let this officer know we care.
Trooper name Withheld New York State Police January 22, 2020 – Salina, New York		A state trooper was injured while investigating a crash on the Onondaga Lake Parkway. The trooper’s patrol car was rear-ended. The trooper suffered minor injuries. This accident is a great reminder to all to slow down and move over when coming upon an emergency vehicle that is pulled over. We are very thankful this Trooper was not more seriously injured and we send this quilt to let him know we care.
Officer Jonathan Castlegrante Chandler Police Department January 27, 2020 – Chandler, Arizona		Castlegrante was dispatched to a neighborhood near Dobson Road and Warner Road to assist detectives from the Phoenix Police Department who were conducting a theft investigation involving a vehicle. Officer Castlegrante observed a suspected vehicle a neighborhood and attempted to pull it over. The suspect refused to stop and fled. On January 27th around 7am, Officer Castlegrante discovered the same vehicle backed into a parking stall at the Hampton Inn. He further observed a male exit the vehicle and walk into the hotel. Officer Castlegrante walked into the hotel lobby in search of the occupants and located the suspect near the ground floor. Officer Castlegrante began a conversation with the suspect and explained he was detained. Officer Castlegrante radioed for additional backup and that is when the suspect ran. The suspect ran and jumped into his vehicle and while attempting to arrest the suspect Officer Castlegrante had a struggle. The suspect started the vehicle and drove it away from the parking space trapping Officer Castlegrante inside. The struggle continued and during this time the emergency button on the Officer’s portable radio was activated. Officer Castlegrante was taken to a local hospital for treatment. We hope this quilt provides comfort to Officer Castlegrante during his recovery.
Officer Brian Cala Rochester Police Department January 26, 2020 – Rochester, New York		Around 11am officers were called to Glendale Park, near Maryland Street to assist after receiving a report of someone was breaking windows and potentially under the influence of drugs. Officer Brian Cala knocked on the front door and the suspect advanced on him and stabbed him once in the face. The suspect ran from the scene but was apprehended after a foot chase on Dewey Avenue. We send this quilt to Officer Cala and all our best for a speedy recovery.
Officer name Withheld Riverdale Police Department January 23, 2020 – Bloomingdale, New Jersey		Police were searching for a car that the suspect was driving in connection with a theft investigation in Riverdale. There was a report of shoplifting at the Riverdale Home Depot store on Route 23 north. Police vehicles from Bloomingdale and Riverdale were pursing the suspect vehicle when it turned onto Mathews Drive, which is a dead end. The suspect then turned the car around and was face to face with police vehicles. A Riverdale Police Officer tried to get out of their car, the suspect drove forward and hit the police vehicle, pinning the officer’s leg. We hope this quilt will provide comfort to the officer during this time.
Firefighter Matt Dawson Lubbock Fire Rescue January 11, 2020 – Lubbock, Texas		Lubbock Police Department and Lubbock Fire Rescue responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash on northbound I-27 and Drew Street around 8am. The vehicle was traveling southbound and crossed over into the northbound lanes and came to rest. Around 8:30am both departments arrived on scene and began to work the first crash. While working the crash, a second vehicle pulling a trailer and traveling southbound on I-27 crossed over into the median and came to rest several yards south of the first crash. While first responders were working both crashes, a third vehicle traveling southbound on I-27 crossed into the median and struck two firefighters and a police officer. Sadly, Officer Nicholas Reyna and Firefighter Lt. Eric Hill died as a result of this accident. Firefighter Matt Dawson was critically injured with broken bones. We send our love to both departments and families for their loss. We send this quilt to Firefighter Matt Dawson to comfort him during his recovery.
Deputy Siscilee Gouge Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office January 26, 2020 – Newport, Oregon		Deputy Siscilee Gouge was dispatched shortly before midnight after a caller reported that a juvenile was under the influence and had assaulted another person at the residence. When Deputy Gouge arrived and attempted to speak with him, the juvenile retreated to the kitchen. At this time the juvenile started beating kitchen utensils together and repeatedly attempted to kick her. In the struggle that followed, Deputy Gouge and the juvenile fell to the ground and he bit Deputy Gouge on the arm. We give this quilt to Deputy Gouge to let her know we care.
Officer Horton Houston Police Department January 15, 2020 – Houston, Texas		Around Noon police were attempting to stop a driver who sped away from the site of a car crash. As officers pursued the driver, the suspect crashed into two others, including a Houston Police Department Cruiser, at the intersection of South Barker Cypress Road and Westheimer Road. We send this quilt to Officer Horton to let the officer know we care.
Trooper Khalat Ghazi Tennessee Highway Patrol January 9, 2020 – Chattanooga, Tennessee		Around 8 pm Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Khalat Ghazi was injured after being shot during a car chase on U.S. Highway 27 heading north toward Highway 153. Troopers tried to stop a vehicle heading north from downtown Chattanooga when they began to exchange gunfire. The suspect then crossed the median and left the roadway and crashed. Troopers and the suspect exited their vehicles and began to exchange gunfire again. Trooper Khalat Ghazi was struck, and the suspect was also injured. We hope this quilt will let Trooper Ghazi know we care and provide comfort during his recovery.
Officer name withheld Colorado Springs Police Department January 11, 2020 – Colorado Springs, Colorado		Police had initiated a traffic stop around Midnight. near the intersection of Galley Road and Arrawanna Street when the driver shot at the officers. The shooter drove from the scene, crashed the vehicle near Pikes Peak Avenue and Dunsmere Street and fled. An officer was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. We send this quilt to let this officer know we care.
Officer Ricardo Castillo Miami Beach Police Department January 11, 2020 – Miami, Florida		Officer Ricardo Castillo had been patrolling the beach-front promenade as part of the department’s Operation Safe Streets initiative, a campaign to increase police visibility in the Entertainment District. Around 9pm officers made contact with a suspect at 10th Street and Ocean Drive, across Ocean Drive from the Clevelander South Beach Hotel. During the initial contact the suspect moved suddenly, and Officer Castillo was stabbed. He was in the ICU, but in stable condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital. We hope Officer Castillo continues to recover and we send this quilt to comfort him.
Officer Michael Panos Martinsville Police Department January 1, 2020 – Henry County, Virginia		Around 9:30pm on New Year’s Day, Officer Michael Panos attempted to stop a suspect for a traffic violation at the intersection of Memorial Boulevard and Askin Street. The suspect refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated and went down Theatre Street in Henry County where the suspect jumped from the moving vehicle and ran away. Once officers located the suspect, the pursuit ended in gunfire in front of the Glen Ridge Apartments. Both an officer and the suspect were hit in the exchange. We hope this quilt will provide comfort to Officer Panos while he continues to recover.
Officer Joshua Ames Omaha Police Department December 31, 2019 – Omaha, Nebraska		Police were called to Evans Tower for a domestic disturbance after 10pm on New Year’s Eve. Officers arrived on scene and knocked on the door of a residence on the fifth floor announcing themselves. Police heard a scream and having no response, they kicked in the door. A gunshot was then heard from inside the apartment. Upon entering they found a suspect armed with a gun. Hudson had the gun raised. The police discharged their weapons and the suspect was killed but one officer was hit in the leg. We send this quilt to Officer Ames to help in his recovery.
Sgt Stewart Sloan Winston-Salem Police Department December 20, 2019 – Winston-Salem, North Carolina		The shooter came to work with two handguns and the intentions of killing his coworker. Police received multiple calls about the shooting starting at 6:30am. On arrival, police officers encountered employees fleeing the building. The employees told police to go to the western end of the building and that the shooting suspect was there. When the police officers got to that end of the building, they encountered the suspect leaving the building and he began to fire on a group of police officers, firing multiple shots and hit Sgt Stewart Sloan twice. Officers applied a tourniquet to Sgt Sloan, and he underwent surgery at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. We thank all the officers for running towards danger and helping to ensure no one else was hurt. We send this quilt to Sgt Sloan to comfort him during his recovery.
Trooper Jerrod Burtnett Texas Highway Patrol December 28, 2019 – Lubbock County, Texas		A crash on Highway 84 and County Road 3600 that severely injured a state trooper and pinned a man in his pickup for a couple of hours was all caught on camera, by KCBD News Channel 11 photographer. The photographer was on scene of a multi-vehicle crash when another crash was about to happen. “That’s when we could hear more tires screeching, and then just barely see headlights coming in through the fog,” said Photographer Caleb Holder. Caleb was not hurt, but he was not the only one there. The video shows a trooper running for his life away from the truck. Then he trips. Trooper Jerrod Burtnett was hit by the semi. The video of this event is very scary to watch. We are glad that Trooper Burtnett was not killed. We hope this quilt will provide him comfort while he recovers.
Battalion Chief Towner Tualatin Fire and Rescue December 21, 2019 – Sherwood, Oregon		Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue responded to a residence in Sherwood for a call around 8 am. While on scene, Battalion Chief Towner, who was working on a ladder, fell from the ladder and was treated on scene and taken to a local hospital for evaluation. We hope this quilt will provide him comfort while he recovers.
Trooper Dan O’Neil and K9 Ruby Rhode Island State Police February 4, 2020 – Warwick, Rhode Island		Around 11pm Trooper O'Neil was finishing up with a stop. The stop vehicle had left, and Trooper O’Neil had pulled off onto the grassy portion of the highway. A driver then hit this parked cruiser from behind after losing control on I-95 north in Warwick just past exit 13. Ruby went to a veterinary clinic to be checked and Trooper O'Neil was brought to Rhode Island hospital and were released and are home recovering. K9 Ruby received national attention for her journey from unwanted shelter dog to search-and-rescue hero. She won a national award as search and rescue dog of the year. K9 Ruby and Trooper O'Neil have an unbreakable bond. We are sending these quilts to help the team recover and show them we care.
K9 Dante Lynnwood Police Department January 31, 2020 – Lynnwood, Illinois		K9 Dante had a serious accident when Officer Tambrini threw Dante’s ball and it bounced off the ground sideways into some park equipment. K9 Dante was so focused on the ball that he ran into the park equipment. He injured his vertebrae and was in such pain that he could not walk so Officer Tambrini rushed Dante to emergency care. The response from the community and others have raised support and funding to provide K9 Dante with whatever surgeries he needs and for his continued recovery. We send this quilt to help comfort him during his recovery.
Captain Gary Winheim Eustis Police Department December 19, 2019 – Orlando, Florida		Police were in the process of obtaining an arrest warrant for a suspect for that a previous robbery when Captain Gary Winheim reported hearing gunshots near the Winn-Dixie, then spotted the suspect driving out erratically. Captain Winheim was on duty and nearby, so he quickly arrived at the location, where he confronted a man. An exchange of gunfire ensued that left Captain Winheim injured. Eustis Police Chief Gary Calhoun said during a news conference Thursday evening that Captain Winheim had been shot in the ear, and the bullet went through his neck and is lodged in his back. We send this quilt to provide comfort during his recovery. We were happy to receive a wonderful thank you and picture letting us know he had returned to work!
Trooper Hugh Grant Arizona Department of Public Safety December22, 2109 – Phoenix, Arizona		Trooper Hugh Grant was violently attacked when patrolling for drunken drivers along with a member of the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Trooper Grant spotted the suspect throw a street sign onto a road in suburban Phoenix and ordered him to pick it up. The suspect would not pick it up and then began walking in the middle of the road and wouldn’t obey commands to stop. Attempts to stop the suspect with a stun gun did not work and then the suspect rushed the officer and punched and kicked him. According to Col. Frank Milstead, Director of the Department of Public Safety: “It was a vicious encounter,” dashboard camera video of the attack shows. “He was in a fight for his life.” The video shows the men tussling, and at one point, the suspect throws Trooper Grant to the ground. Trooper Grant feared for his life and the life of a woman riding along with him as a member of the group also known as MADD. Police often allow private citizens and journalists to come on ride-alongs while they patrol. When he began to realize this was escalating, he was trying to keep her out of danger, Milstead said. Trooper Grant had injuries to his face and head. We send this quilt to provide comfort to Trooper Grant while he recovers.
Officer Tyson Damron Kimberly Police Department December 9, 2019 – Kimberly, Idaho		Officer Tyson Damron was sent to the hospital after his patrol vehicle collided with a car that failed to yield at a stop sign. The other vehicle was going south on 3400 East at 3:30pm and stopped at the stop sign on Hwy 30 known as Layne Pump Corner. The other vehicle then failed to yield, entered the intersection and collided with Officer Damron's patrol vehicle. Both vehicles came to rest on the south shoulder of eastbound Hwy 30. Officer Damron was taken by ambulance to St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center. We send this quilt to Officer Damron to let him know we care. Finished quilt provided courtesy of Rose Parkhill, Amboy, WA.
Officer Andy Anderson Polk County Police Department January 7, 2020 – Polk County, Georgia		Officer Andy Anderson was chasing a suspected robber who fled into a wooded area surrounding the train tracks in Polk County, located about an hour west of Atlanta. Authorities said he was so focused on catching the suspect that he didn't step far enough away from the tracks -- or see the oncoming train. The entire event was captured on his body camera. It shows the train, blowing its horn, appeared to be just a few feet away from Officer Anderson as he continued to chase down the suspect. Seconds later, the video showed Officer Anderson being knocked into the woods from the train's force. He landed in bushes beside the tracks and could be heard moaning for help for several minutes. We are thankful for Officer Anderson’s dedication and that he wasn’t hurt any worse. We hope this quilt will provide him comfort while he recovers. “Finished quilt courtesy of Michele Bautsch, Marietta, GA.”
Trooper Ryan Mousaw New York State Police December 11, 2019 – Arietta, New York		Trooper Ryan Mousaw was sent to a home in Arietta in Hamilton County on Old Piseco Road around 8:45 pm for a mental illness call. Trooper Mousaw spoke with the resident of the home and observed the resident exhibiting signs of instability. Next, Trooper Mousaw attempted to bring the man to a hospital for an evaluation and the man began to struggle. Attempts to subdue him with a stun gun did not work and during the struggle the man hit Trooper Mousaw in the head with a hatchet, cutting the troopers head. Trooper Mousaw was transported to Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville, Fulton County. He was treated for a cut on his head, a sprained right arm and a sprained right wrist, according to New York State Troopers. We send this quilt to let Trooper Mousaw know we care and hope it provides comfort during his recovery.