Hempstead County Sheriff James Singleton has awarded Lt. Frank McJunkins a Medal of Valor for his work involving a murder investigation in which he was wounded.
On March 12, 2008, Hempstead County Sheriff’s Lt. Frank McJunkins, Arkansas State Police Agent Scott Clark, and ASP Sgt. John Bishop were working a homicide on Highway 29 South near Hope. The three officers left the scene and drove several miles to a mobile home situated in a secluded, wooded area of rural Hempstead County.
It was at the mobile home officers believed they might locate a suspect wanted in connection with the initial Homicide investigation.
The officers were told by a resident at the home that no one was inside. Clark and McJunkins obtained consent to enter the home while Bishop took up a position to guard the home exits. As Clark and McJunkins approached a rear bedroom area inside the home, an individual later identified as the murder suspect, was discovered hiding behind a plastic sheet and opened fire on the officers,wounding Clark.
Clark and McJunkins returned fire simultaneously as Bishop entered the home and began laying suppressive fire in order to provide cover for Clark and McJunkins to take safer positions.
Although wounded, Clark managed to escape the gunfire and was transported to a hospital by another agent who had arrived on the scene. The suspect was later determined to have been killed in the exchange of gunfire with officers.
For his courageous actions under fire and his dedication to his fellow officers and the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office, McJunkins was awarded the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Medal of Valor.
Deputy Receives Medal of Valor
Sheriff James Singleton also awarded the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Medal of Valor to Investigator Gary Don Dorman on Friday July 10 for his actions on March 12, 2015.
At 3:30 P.M. on that day Hempstead County Dispatch received a 911call of a one vehicle accident near Pate Creek on Highway 67 East of Hope, Arkansas. The call as given out to emergency responders was that a SUV had ran off the road and was floating in Pate Creek with the driver still inside.
One of the first to arrive on scene was Dorman, who observed a ford explorer partially submerged with the male driver sitting in the passenger seat. The current in Pate creek was unusually swift due to recent heavy rains, as emergency personnel began to arrive the vehicle began to be carried away and rapidly sink due to the swift current.
Dorman called out to the occupant to exit out the passenger window as the occupant exited, the sinking vehicle Investigator Dorman without regard for his own safety entered the swift water of Pate creek and reached the occupant and pulled him to safety just as the vehicle sank to bottom of the creek.
Dorman through his actions prevented what could have been a very tragic ending to a vehicle accident. Sheriff Singleton said it was his opinion Investigator Dorman’s actions saved the life of the occupant.
