Jean Gordon
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 12:34 pm

North Carolina Highway Trooper Ryan Lambert receives his Region C Award from Rutherford County Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg during an awards event recently regarding an armed encounter last March between deputies and officers in Rutherford County.

The Region-C Award recipients included the following professionals:

• Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, Captain Stephen Ellis, Deputy Hunter Haynes, Investigator Mason Jolley, Investigator Zach Walker, Investigator Dylan Henderson,Investigator Jarrett Guffey,

• Sergeant Joey Brandle, Rutherford County Fire Marshal's Office/Office of Emergency Management

• Investigator Jeff Lynn, North Carolina State Highway PatrolTrooper Ryan Lambert

Special thanks and recognition also goes to members of:

• The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation

• The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

• The North Carolina State Highway Patrol Aviation Unit

• The Rutherfordton Police Department

• The Forest City Police Department

• The Henderson County Sheriff's Office

• The Rutherford County Fire Marshal's Office/Office of Emergency Management

• The Cleveland County Fire Marshal's Office

Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services

• Regional One Air Medical

• Spartanburg Regional Hospital

The citations and awards were presented for their actions which involved an armed encounter between deputies and officers in Rutherford County last March.

In January 2024, Region C Awards Committee presented Lake Lure Chief Sean Humphries and Chimney Rock State Park Superintendent James Ledgerwood Region C Citations for their work in assisting a person in Chimney Rock State Park.