2024 Trooper of the Month

January | Trooper Chad Corriveau

Congratulations to Trooper Chad Corriveau for being selected as the recipient for the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month for January 2024.

On January 4, 2024, while deployed for Operation Lonestar in the Brownsville, TX area, Trooper Chad Corriveau and Texas Trooper Leonel Pizano observed a male running across the Fort Brown Levee Processing Center. Trooper Corriveau exited Texas Trooper Pizano’s vehicle and pursued the subject on foot. As Trooper Corriveau chased, the subject ran across the road toward a college campus. The subject tried lying down in some thick brush to conceal his himself but was soon taken into custody by Trooper Corriveau. When captured, the subject was concealed along a wire fence and pretending to be asleep. It was learned that the subject had an attempted Capital Murder charge from Austin, TX and previously had pled guilty to burglary and served seven years in TX state prison.

Trooper Corriveau’s exemplary performance and commitment to courteously serve and protect has prevented this subject from the opportunity to further victimize other U.S. citizens.

February | Trooper David Ramos

Congratulations to Trooper David Ramos for being selected as the recipient for the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month for February 2024.

On February 25, 2024, the Tampa Bay Regional Communications Center sent out updated details for an earlier Amber Alert for an abducted 7-year-old child from Riviera Beach. The suspect vehicle was a black 2019 BMW that possibly had Georgia tags and was believed to be driving to the Atlanta area. Based on law enforcement investigative efforts by Riviera Beach Police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the suspect BMW was believed to be in the Sumpter County area. Trooper David Ramos immediately responded to the area and took position along Interstate 75, just north of the Florida Turnpike. Soon thereafter, Trooper Ramos identified a northbound BMW matching the Amber Alert BOLO with a corresponding time delay to be in the area. Trooper Ramos overtook the suspect and confirmed the registration before conducting a felony stop while backed up by Sumpter County Sheriff’s deputies. Trooper Ramos apprehended the suspect, who had, in fact, kidnapped the child, and located the victim in the car, securing their safety. He notified FDLE of the recovery, who coordinated with Riviera Beach Police in continuing the ongoing criminal investigation. The suspect was arrested and charged with Kidnapping and transported to the Sumter County Jail, courtesy of your Florida Highway Patrol.

Trooper Ramos’ attention to detail and quick response to the Amber Alert update directly resulted in the safe recovery of this abducted child and the apprehension of a kidnapper. While incidents such as this require seamless coordination of law enforcement efforts, Trooper Ramos closed the circle and provided for the best possible outcome for an abducted child and family. Trooper Ramos’ exemplary professional law enforcement actions represent what Florida Troopers do daily to keep our residents and visitors safe. Some behind-the-scenes heroes related to this Amber Alert recovery are State Law Enforcement Dispatchers from Sanford RCC, Tampa Bay RCC, and specifically SLED Mark-Anthony Gibson (LWRCC). Additionally, FDLE MEPIC Analysts Jessica Harmon, Ashley Cline, and Kirsten Williams and Riviera Beach Police detectives who all contributed to this recovery.

March| Lieutenant Harry Coker

Congratulations to Lieutenant Harry Coker for being selected as the recipient for the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month for March 2024.

On March 1, 2024, Lieutenant Harry Coker was advised that a female passenger on one of several charter buses, loaded with students from a Jewish Academy, was traveling along the Florida Turnpike and received a threatening text. It threatened that someone was planning on bombing an unknown Jewish Academy. The female advised one of the chaperones on the bus, prompting the driver to stop at the Fort Pierce Service Center. A service plaza supervisor waived down FHP Trooper Abe DaCosta, who then made the notification to Lieutenant Coker. After receiving information that a bomb was potentially on one of the buses, Lieutenant Coker directed all the buses to stop at applicable service centers where they were evacuated, and a perimeter established. He set up an Incident Command Center to brief all responding units and agencies, while keeping his chain of command updated. Additional resources were requested from the local FHP District, FHP BCII, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Port St. Lucie Police Department, Jupiter Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Florida Department of Transportation. PSLPD and Jupiter PD utilized their explosive detection canine units to clear all the buses. The FHP UAV team conducted overwatch of the scene and provided information to Lieutenant Coker for response coordination. He requested local school buses to transport the students and bus chaperones to a local school until the threat was over. Once all buses and locations were cleared, Lieutenant Coker conducted a debriefing with all involved agency supervisors.

Lieutenant Coker’s leadership, communication, and rapid response resulted in the safe outcome of everyone involved in this incident. It is recognized that no incident commander can be successful without the combined efforts of the support personnel involved, so kudos to all first responders for their efforts to keep everyone safe and relatively calm.

April | Sergeant Joshua Malloy, Trooper Jeremy Fields, and Trooper Wesley Kelly

Congratulations to Sergeant Joshua Malloy, Trooper Jeremy Fields, and Trooper Wesley Kelly for being selected as the co-recipients for the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month for April 2024.

On April 17, 2024, Sergeant Malloy, Trooper Fields, and Trooper Kelly observed a Tampa Police Department (TPD) patrol unit, with emergency equipment engaged, enter the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) building driveway adjacent to Troop C Headquarters. A responding Tampa police officer advised that their agency received a bomb threat to the FDOT building. The suspect’s vehicle was located in front of the FDOT building, with the suspect still inside the vehicle armed with a handgun. Trooper Kelly and Sergeant Malloy immediately positioned themselves strategically to maintain a clear view of the suspect. Working with the Tampa Bay Regional Communications Center (TBRCC), Trooper Fields, considering the safety of others, confirmed the building was evacuated, removing others from an imminent threat. The suspect ignored all verbal commands to disengage and ultimately took his own life before others were harmed. With Trooper Kelly and Sergeant Malloy providing cover, TPD officers approached and opened the front door of the suspect’s vehicle and confirmed that the suspect was deceased and an explosive device was present. The device was disabled by the State Fire Marshall and TPD Bomb Squad.

This dangerous and potentially deadly situation is an excellent example of how law enforcement agencies work together every day, cooperatively, for the ultimate safety of everyone.

May | Sergeant Timothy Collins

Congratulations to Sergeant Timothy Collins for being selected as the recipient for the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month for May 2024.

On May 20, 2024, while on patrol, Sergeant Timothy Collins came upon a pickup truck overturned in the wood line of SR 57 in Jefferson County. While assessing the situation, he noticed a male trapped upside down inside the vehicle. The driver was covered in blood, struggling to breathe, and not moving. Sergeant Collins immediately requested EMS respond. He obtained a large crescent wrench and broke the rear window to gain access to the victim. Upon reaching the victim, he noticed that they appeared to be suffering from lack of oxygen, with their face being red/blue, his lips turned purple, and was obviously struggling to breathe. The victim was still secured by the seatbelt, with his head and neck pressed against the ceiling of the upside-down truck and obstructing his airway. Sergeant Collins crawled through the window into the vehicle through broken glass and blood and was able to release the driver’s seatbelt. He repositioned the victim to open the airway and restoring his breathing. Sgt. Collins continued to provide care while monitoring the victim’s vital signs and confirming breathing. After a short period, color returned to the victim’s face and appeared to breathe in oxygen. EMS arrived shortly thereafter, assumed primary care, and transported the victim for further lifesaving medical attention.