The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Three officers recognized for heroic actions
Three officers were recognized for heroic efforts by the Lake County Chiefs of Police Association.
Painesville police officer Ryan Cueni, Mentor Detective Steven Ondercin and Mentor Patrolman Jason Myers were recognized for heroic efforts by the Lake County Chiefs of Police Association on Sept. 5.
Cueni was nominated for the award following a domestic incident he responded to on Feb. 2, where he faced a male holding a female at knife point.
According to the nomination submitted by Painesville Police Chief Dan Waterman, Cueni gained entry into the dark apartment through a window and unlocked the front door to let other responding officers in. He then made his way to the bedroom where two young children were hiding along with a female whom the suspect had pinned down while holding a knife over her.
Cueni who noticed the children were in a total state of panic engaged the suspect verbally before placing himself at risk by crawling over an overturned dresser and successfully got the children to get behind him and lock themselves in the closet as he tried to figure out how to free their mother. Another officer ended up using a stun gun on the suspect while Cueni and another office provided what was described as lethal cover. The woman was freed relatively unharmed and the suspect was arrested.
According to Waterman, Cueni is being awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery without regard for his own safety in facing an armed suspect.
Ondercin and Myers received the Life Saving Award.
Those officers were nominated for the award following a July 9 incident in which Myers was dispatched to assist the Fire Department with a 2-year-old thought to have drowned while in a pool at his grandmother’s house.
Mentor Police Chief Kevin Knight noted in the nomination Ondercin was in the area on an investigation which he cleared from and responded to the drowning call. Both officers arrived at the residence at about the same time and located the boy in the backyard unresponsive. A neighbor had started CPR.
Myers took over the administering CPR and the boy had labored breathing at that time and was coughing up water and phlegm.
Ondercin worked with Myers on the boy, checking his breathing and his pulse. The officers continued CPR until the fire department arrived and took over.
The boy was transported to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital where he made a full recovery.
“The Alert and prompt action by Ptl. Myers and Det. Ondercin in assessing the boy’s condition, administering CPR, clearing his airway and monitoring his pulse were essential in saving the boy’s life,” according to Knight.
The officers all said it was an honor to be recognized for their efforts actions.