| An Arkansas State Trooper will share with two Lonoke police officers the Arkansas Attorney General’s 2021 State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award. The award and other statewide awards were presented by Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge during ceremonies today. State police Corporal Mark Blackerby, 33, of Lonoke County, was recognized for his role in saving a North Carolina kidnapping victim after two Lonoke officers were involved in an exchange of gunfire with the man who had abducted the teenage girl 9 days earlier. The local officers had stopped the suspect’s vehicle on February 20, 2021 near a Lonoke fast-food restaurant. As the driver exited the vehicle he shot and critically wounded one of the officers prompting the second policeman to return fire. The suspect then fled in the vehicle still holding the kidnapping victim. State trooper Blackerby later spotted the suspect and pursued the getaway vehicle until the driver lost control and struck an embankment. The kidnapper then took his own life. Corporal Blackerby quickly secured the 14 year old girl who was reunited with her family the next day. Additionally, during the award ceremony, state troopers from 45 of Arkansas’ 75 counties were recognized and awarded County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. The troopers were among nominees from a pool of other state, county and local law enforcement officers within their respective counties of assignment. Each of the state troopers was recognized for their individual dedication to law enforcement duties and community involvement in their home counties where they are assigned and serve. The troopers receiving top County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Awards were: Arkansas County – ASP Corporal Billy McCradic Ashley County – ASP Trooper Charles Allen Baxter County – ASP Special Agent Jackie Stinnett Calhoun County – ASP Trooper First Class Wade Schanzlin Chicot County – ASP Trooper Christian Morphis Clay County – ASP Special Agent Mark Vavak Cleveland County – ASP Corporal Greg Rowland Columbia County – ASP Trooper Brian Palmer Crawford County – ASP Trooper Rafael Guerra Cross County – ASP Trooper Tanner Hess Dallas County – ASP Trooper Jimmy Plyler Jr. Desha County – ASP Senior Corporal Kelvin Fells Drew County – ASP Corporal Lagarian Cross Faulkner County – ASP Trooper Tyler Langley Franklin County – ASP Trooper James Ray Fulton County – ASP Trooper Jason Long Greene County – ASP Corporal Todd Harris Hempstead County – ASP Trooper Trevor Dew Independence County – ASP Corporal Dustin Carpenter Izard County – ASP Trooper Remington Lively Jefferson County – ASP Trooper Shane Caviness Lafayette County – ASP Trooper First Class David Fielding Jr. Lawrence County – ASP Corporal Phillip Roark Lee County – ASP Senior Special Agent Aundrae Mack Little River County – ASP Trooper Joshua Broughton Logan County – ASP Corporal Jed Bolyard Lonoke County – ASP Corporal Mark Blackerby Madison County – ASP Trooper First Class Ronnie Boyd Marion County – ASP Corporal Robert Sanford Miller County – ASP Trooper First Class Dale Young Mississippi County – ASP Corporal Freddy Ware Nevada County – ASP Trooper Jacob Price Newton County – ASP Corporal Jayson Poole Ouachita County – ASP Trooper Justin Starnes Perry County – ASP Trooper Brady Nuckels Phillips County – ASP Special Agent Heath Gurley Poinsett County – ASP Corporal Scott McLaughlin Prairie County – ASP Special Agent Rodney Davenport Pulaski County – ASP Corporal Brandon Love, [tied with] Trooper Dakota Davis, Trooper Korbyn Freeman and Trooper Jeb Little Randolph County – Trooper First Class Zachary Paschal Sharp County – ASP Senior Special Agent Wendall Jines Stone County – ASP Trooper Jonathan Arnold Union County – ASP Trooper Victor Meza-Toro Woodruff County – ASP Trooper Jess Burris |
