Produced by DPS Public Information, (512) 424-2080 June 2004

Trooper killed in traffic crash Dear Fellow Employee, Our annual Memorial Service Trooper Kurt David Knapp, 28, died in the at DPS Headquarters took on early morning hours of May 8 after a two-vehicle wreck on I-10, near added meaning after Tr. Kurt Comfort in Kendall County. Knapp died in a car crash just He is the 77th Texas Department of Public Safety officer to die in the days before. Several people from line of duty. HQ then traveled to Kerrville for Tr. Knapp was born in Prescott, and raised in Kerrville. He his burial. He will be missed and, graduated from Tivy High School in Kerrville in May 1994 and received his most of all, he will be remem- associate’s degree from Hill College bered and honored. Our prayers in Hillsboro in May 1996. In 1998, are with his family. he received a bachelor of science I also want to take a moment degree in criminal justice from South- to thank each and every one of State University in San our officers for their courage, and Marcos. for the sacrifices that are made on Knapp joined the DPS in October a daily basis. You are making 1998 and graduated from the Train- Texas a safer and better place. ing Academy in April 1999. His first Thank you. Be careful out there. duty station as a trooper was Ozona.

He was promoted to Trooper II in ○○○○○○ April 2003 and transferred to Fred- As I write this, we have 40 ericksburg in June 2003. He received DPS employees who have been several commendations during his ca- called to active duty to support reer. homeland security or to serve in He is survived by his wife, a 3- Iraq and Afghanistan. year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son. We truly appreciate these em- “As troopers, we all know our jobs are inherently dangerous, and we ployees and the sacrifices they accept that danger,” said Chief Randall K. Elliston. and their families—and their co- “However, knowing and accepting that danger does not in anyway lessen workers—are making. Please the pain we feel when one of our troopers is lost in the line of duty.” keep these employees in your “Tr. Knapp made the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life serving the thoughts and prayers as well. citizens of Texas,” continued Elliston. “For that, we all owe him a debt we can never repay. Our focus now will be in caring for Tr. Knapp’s wife and two young children, who are left without a husband and father.”

DPS online: www.txdps.state.tx.us DPS “on the air”: 512-424-7777 [email protected] Awards Troopers Mancha and Torres with and confessed. He is now serving a Director’s Citations. life sentence Tr. Richard Nelson, HP Lum- Sgt. Bobby Stephen Turner Two DPS officers were honored berton, was awarded a Director’s Jr., Narcotics Waco, was eating in May with the Texas Commission Citation when he and several other lunch with a Jackson County on Law Enforcement Achievement rescuers helped save a woman who Sheriff’s deputy, when a piece of Award for Valor. Tr. Clinton Pirtle, had crashed her car in a creek in food stuck in the deputy’s throat, cut- HP Canton, and Capt. Jerome Tyler County. She was trapped in ting off his air supply. Turner reacted Powell, DL Waco, were two of the the upside-down vehicle with a small quickly, twice performing the 11 Texas officers honored for valor air pocket. Nelson entered the frigid Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the at the ceremony. January waters to assist. At one food. His quick action may have In June 1998, Pirtle shot and point, rescue efforts robbed the saved the officer’s life—and it earned killed an armed suspect in the woods woman of her only air source. him a Director’s Citation. in Van Zandt County as the man at- Nelson reacted quickly, orchestrat- Sgt. Johnnie Jezierski, Special tempted to fire his weapon. A ing the towing of her vehicle, using Crimes , received a deputy later credited Pirtle’s quick several chains, tow straps and a Director’s Citation for his part in a reaction and shooting ability for sav- bystander’s vehicle. The woman re- two-and-a-half-year investigation. ing his life. gained consciousness when her res- Jezierski and other law enforcement In July 2002, Lt. Powell was on cuers got her to shore. officials put a dent in the theft his way to work when he stopped at DL Sergeants James Debrow and resale of infant formula. The the scene of an accident in Fort Bend and Toya Trevino both received money gained from these activities is County. Powell and another citizen Director’s Citations for putting them- believed to fund a variety of criminal helped a stunned elderly woman who selves in danger while preventing an enterprises, including terrorism. At was unable to get out of a burning apparent suicide attempt in Houston. one point, infant formula theft losses vehicle. At one point, Debrow lunged toward in Texas declined from $2.5 million the man to keep him from jumping to $1.1 million. Detective Randy from an elevated highway. The man Merritt and other members of the Short Shots was actually dangling from the U.S. Pasadena Police Department’s Com- 59 north entrance ramp on Sam munity Defense Unit received Dive Team members needed Houston Tollway pounding on Director’s Awards for their efforts in The Dive Recovery Team is tak- Debrow’s arms. Trevino then joined the investigation of the case. ing applications for divers. Applicants the effort, and with the help of a Har- Fingerprint Technician Jill must be commissioned DPS officers ris County deputy, they pulled the Kinkade, Crime Lab Austin, as- and have a basic diving certificate. man to safety. sisted in helping solve the 34-year- Applicants must contact Major When an elderly woman old of a sister of a Texas David Baker at 512-424-2115, stopped breathing, her friends drove Ranger, receiving a Director’s Cita- and they must send the applications her to the McAllen DPS parking lot. tion for her efforts. Texas Ranger through their chain of command to DL troopers Juan Mancha and David Maxwell, Co. A Bay City, the THP Chief’s office. Cesar Torres began performing talked a Houston detective into re- CPR. They revived the woman twice opening the 1969 case. Maxwell 40 years and still going strong… by the time EMS personnel arrived. nominated Kinkade after she en- Congratulations to DL Examiner Eight days later, the woman died at hanced poor quality fingerprint evi- James Doug Edins of Sweetwater, the hospital. The woman’s friends dence and searched several data- who recently marked 40 years with thanked the troopers for their efforts bases before coming up with a DPS. He has also been a HP and in the local paper. DPS honored match. The suspect was confronted DL trooper along the way. DPS online: www.txdps.state.tx.us DPS “on the air”: 512-424-7777 [email protected] HP Captain slots opening Plainview; Adolphus Pressley, Sgt., Rep., Cust. Svc. Austin, 5 mos., 25 The competitive examination for Spec. Crimes Houston to Sgt., days. the position of Captain, Highway Rangers Houston. Patrol Service, will be conducted at Deaths the DPS CLE auditorium in Austin CLE Kurt David Knapp, Tr. II, HP on Tuesday, June 22 beginning at 8 Donald Glen Fleming, Sgt., Fredericksburg (Oct. 1998-May a.m. The top twelve candidates, plus Narcotics Svc. Sherman to Lt., Nar- 2004) died May 8; James Andrew any ties, will be called before the oral cotics Svc. Paris; Curtis Dale Bitz, Taylor, Jr., Cust. III, HP Odessa board the following day in the THP Sgt., Narcotics Svc. Palestine to Lt., (June 1996 – April 2004) died April conference room. Three candidates Narcotics Svc. Palestine. 18, 2004; Mary Ramirez Huitron, will make the eligibility list. ret. Admin. Tech. II, DL Ft. Worth Application form HR-106 should THP (Sept. 1984 – Nov. 2000) died April be submitted directly to HR no later Rene Raul Ramirez, Jr., 20, 2004; Thomas Franklin than 5 p.m. Thursday, June 17. Ap- Oper. III, Comm. McAllen to Supv., Carey, Jr., ret. Sgt., HP Winnie plicants also must submit a copy of Comm. Laredo; Linda Carol (April 1948 – Aug. 1977) died April the HR-106 to their service com- Tubesing, Oper. III, Comm. Gar- 8, 2004. mander through proper channels. land to Supv., Comm Corpus Christi. Donald Glenn Palmer, ret. Lt, Call 512-424-5900 for the mailing Narcotics Svc. Liberty (July 1968 - address and fax number. Retirements Aug. 1996) died April 18, 2004; There is an announcement and a Charlie J. Havrda, Chief, Carlene Childress Raines, ret. HR-106 available in Outlook at Pub- Rangers Austin, 34 yrs., 6 mos., 8 Clerical Supv. IV, Crime Records lic Folders/All Public Folders/Law days; Joe Keith Mitchel, Supv., Austin (Oct. 1952 - March 1979) Enforcement Promotions. Narcotics Svc. Austin, 29 yrs., 10 died May 1, 2004; Joseph Gary more Short Shots on page 4 mos., 29 days; Hilan Mark Priddy, Hennigan, ret. Tr. III, HP Woodville Sgt., Training Austin, 25 yrs., 11 (Feb. 1967 - Dec. 1988) died May Mile Markers mos., 6 days; Christopher Joe 3, 2004. Watson, Sen. Tr., CVE Gainesville, Jack W. Ingram, ret. Tr. II, HP Promotions 20 yrs., 3 mos., 19 days; La Grange (Feb. 1942-Aug. 1980) DL Marianne Galatas Nichols, died May 9, 2004; Dorothy L. Estella Diaz Valenzuela, Sgt., Secr. HP Austin, 9 mos., 16 days; Gebert, ret Admin. Asst., Account- DL Odessa to Lt., DL Midland . James Donald Weaver, Sgt., Nar- ing Austin (May 1963-Feb. 1990) cotics Svc. Wichita Falls, 29 yrs., 2 died May 11, 2004. Director’s Staff mos., 18 days; John Edward Raymond Roussett, Sgt., Air- Cruddas, Sen. Tr., CVE Temple, 25 On the craft Houston to Lt., Aircraft Hous- yrs., 11 mos., 6 days; Rafael Albert ton. Hernandez, Sen. Cpl., HP San An- mend... tonio, 24 yrs., 3 mos., 21 days; Best wishes for a speedy recov- Walter Kermit Robinson, ery from line-of-duty injuries go Earl Ray Pearson, Asst. Chief, Sen. Tr., HP Llano, 22 yrs., 3 mos., to: Rangers Austin to Chief, Rangers 17 days; Larry Gene Brown, Sen. Ranger Sgt. Ronald Duff, Austin; Ray Coffman, Captain, Tr., CVE Abilene, 20 yrs., 3 mos., Co. A Livingston, fractured neck Rangers to Asst. Chief, 19 days; Larry Wayne Payne, Sen. after a crash Rangers Austin; Clarence H. Tr., CVE Marshall, 20 yrs., 11 mos., Tr. Paul Sigman, HP Texar- McDonald III, Sgt., Narcotics 25 days; kana, surgical complications Svc. Decatur to Sgt., Rangers Sharon M. Montgomery, DPS online: www.txdps.state.tx.us DPS “on the air”: 512-424-7777 [email protected] New Ranger chief, assistant chief named Short Shots, continued from page 3 Earl Pearson, a 28-year veteran of the Texas Department of Public Safety, has been named chief of the . Ray Coffman, Speir Scholarship deadline also a 28-year veteran of DPS, has been named assistant chief. Wilson E. Speir Scholarship “Earl Pearson has shown himself to be more than capable of leading the applications will be accepted through Texas Rangers,” said Col. Thomas A. Davis Jr., director of the DPS. “I August 15. Students must be classi- am confident that he will do an excellent job.” fied as full-time criminal justice ma- Pearson had served as assistant chief of the jors and enrolled in Texas universi- Rangers since 2001. He was captain of Hous- ties. Two scholarships will be ton-based Company A for five years. awarded for $500 per semester for Pearson, who was born and raised in Rotan up to two semesters. Preference will northwest of Abilene, graduated from the DPS be given to qualified students whose Academy in 1975 and started his DPS career parents are involved in law enforce- as a Highway Patrol trooper in El Paso. He ment. Applicants should submit re- also was a trooper in sumes, transcripts of completed col- Snyder and Abilene, and was a Highway Patrol lege work and photographs to: Pearson sergeant in Houston and Brenham. Director’s Office, c/o DPS, P.O. Pearson joined the Texas Rangers in 1989 and was stationed in Brenham Box 4087, Austin TX 78773-0110. until he promoted to and moved to Waco in 1992. He promoted to captain of Company A in 1996. DLD wins award “Becoming Senior Ranger Captain is something that every Ranger The Driver License Division has supervisor aspires to,” Pearson said. “I feel honored that the director, the won a regional Customer Service Ex- assistant director and the Public Safety Commission had enough confidence cellence award from the American in me to place me in this position. I look forward to leading the Texas Rang- Association of Motor Vehicle Admin- ers.” istrators. The award recognizes ex- Coffman, meanwhile, was captain of the San Antonio Company D of cellence in improvement of customer the Rangers since 2001. service delivery initiatives among A Lubbock native, he graduated from the U.S. and Canadian motor vehicle and Academy in 1975 and started his career with law enforcement agencies. The DPS as a Highway Patrol trooper in Brownsville. award will be presented this month In 1979, he promoted to Narcotics and during the Region II Conference in later promoted to lieutenant. New Orleans. In 1986, Coffman took a pay cut to join Hurricane season the Texas Rangers, serving in McAllen and Brady. June 1 marks the beginning of the In 1996, he promoted to lieutenant and spent hurricane season for Texas. Pre- five years assigned to Company F, Waco. paredness tips can be found in the “I am truly honored,” Coffman said of his EMS section of the DPS Web site. Coffman promotion. “I feel very fortunate because the Alex, Bonnie and Charley will be the other five captains were just as qualified as I was. I look forward to work- first three named storms of the sea- ing closely with Chief Pearson, a longtime friend.” son. Many deaths during tropical storms are attributed to people try- ing to brave flooded roadways.

DPS online: www.txdps.state.tx.us DPS “on the air”: 512-424-7777 [email protected]