Sheriff’s office thanks heroes

EVERETT — Genelle Ackley’s lifesaving skills came in handy.

She was driving home one day in February 2008 when she saw a toddler run out onto Roosevelt Road.

Seconds later, Ackley said, she heard a loud noise when a full-size pickup struck the 2-year-old boy.

Ackley and another bystander, Tiffany Singer, rushed to the boy. Singer called 911 and Ackley performed CPR. She kept the boy alive until medics arrived.

For saving that boy’s life, Ackley and Singer received recognition from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office during its annual awards ceremony Wednesday night.

“Not only were Ms. Ackley and Ms. Singer heroes that day, they were excellent witnesses, too,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said. “They provided detectives with the details they needed to piece together the event.”

Ackley said she received first-aid training as part of her job driving a school bus for the Monroe School District.

“Everybody was standing there,” Ackley said, recalling the horrific accident. “I stopped and got out. Somebody needed to see if he was breathing.”

Several dozen other Snohomish County residents and sheriff’s deputies got certificates and letters commending them for serving their communities.

More than 200 people gathered at Cavelero Mid-High School southwest of Lake Stevens to cheer for their friends and colleagues.

Ackley’s family, along with the rest of the crowd, applauded as Sheriff John Lovick shook the woman’s hand and passed her a framed certificate.

“It was awesome to see these officers and regular people get awards. All their stories were great,” Ackley said.

On June 28, master patrol deputy Michael Sutherland and a fellow deputy responded to a 911 hang-up call. Upon their arrival at a Lake Stevens home, the deputies faced a strong, 260-pound man who was out of control.

As the man threw the deputies to the living room floor, Sutherland heard a snap. His ankle broke.

The struggle moved outside and the man began taking a toll on the other deputy, when Sutherland got up and got back in the fight. The excruciating pain didn’t stop Sutherland from helping his fellow deputy eventually overpower the suspect.

For his willpower and courage, Sutherland received from the sheriff a Distinguished Service Medal.

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office awards were presented to:

Special recognition awards: deputy Wynn Holdal and detective David Zander; reserve deputy Clarence Robertson.

Letters of appreciation: evidence control officer Karen Adams and Everett police specialist Deb Richardson; Sgt. Jeffrey Stemme; deputy Lorraine Gese.

Letters of Commendation: detectives Patrick Vander­Weyst, Janet Lee Malkow, Stephen Haley and Larry Cole; master patrol deputy David Bilyeu; deputies Dean Peckham, Marc Lewis, Douglas Murphy, Michael Vafeados, James Chelin, Chad Humphreys, Timothy Durand, Timothy Malkow, Robert Pilgrim, Adam Fortney, Douglas Murphy, Alexander Ross and James Miner; reserve deputies David Scontrino and Brian Pedde; lead law enforcement technician Brenda Gibbs; law enforcement technician Lester Mommsen; law enforcement secretary Catherine Dooley; Sgt. Richard Hawkins.

Certificates of Merit: Genelle Ackley and Tiffany Singer; Explorers Ashley Tochterman, Matt Tochterman, Lauren Kono and Michael Brown; U.S. postal inspector Rachel Sileski; Sabrina Risher; technical service manager Danise Shields; volunteers Chuck Wright and Mikelle Gaines; law enforcement technician Karen Forester; deputy William Ter-Veen; Sgt. Todd Swenson; chief pilot William Quistorf.

Civilian Employee of the Year: lead law enforcement technician Chris Leyda.

Reserve Deputy of the Year: Kathy Marino.

Detective of the Year: Tedd Betts.

Deputy of the Year: Beau Beckner.

Meritorious Service Medal: Dana Parks and Andrew Ziegler; Eben Sargent and David Sargent; deputies Marcus Dill, Terry Haldeman, Ian Huri, Bud McCurry, Brandon McCullar, Ealston Robertson and Thomas Dittoe.

Distinguished Service Medal: deputy Alexander Ross; master patrol deputy Michael Sutherland.

Reporter Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452 or kyefimova@heraldnet.com.