40 Cited As Heroes: Cop's Fishing Trip Reels in Two Lives

40 Cited As Heroes
Cop's Fishing Trip Reels in Two Lives

By REUVEN BLAU

When Police Lieut. Daniel Carione was unable to help rescue people trapped in a car that had driven into the Gowanus Bay two years ago, he learned an important lesson.

Photo by: Roland Dorcean GOING OVER THE LEDGE: Capt. Daniel Carione, left, didn't hesitate to jump into the chilly waters during a fishing trip on Canarsie Pier last September to help rescue two drowning young men. His wife, Jennifer, and mother-in-law, congratulated him after he was awarded the Medal of Valor at the NYPD's June 15 Medal Day ceremony. "I was told to stand down, to not go in," he said, referring to his supervisor's orders based on the belief that diving into the waters off Sunset Park would be too dangerous. "I watched two people die in a drowning accident. With that, I always said that if it ever happened again, I wouldn't hesitate."

Nice Trip While It Lasted

So when he heard loud splashing sounds during an evening fishing trip with friends on Canarsie Pier last September, he didn't think twice. "I'm thinking, Jesus, this is the end of my fishing trip," he recalled after receiving the Medal for Valor at the NYPD's annual Medal Day ceremony June 15 in front of 1 Police Plaza. "I look over and I see a guy in the water. Not knowing what happened, another individual jumps in."

Mr. Carione, who has since been promoted to Captain, handed his gun and cell phone to his friend and took the 15-foot plunge off the pier into the chilly waters. "I separate the two," said Mr. Carione, who took advanced swimming lessons both at the FBI's National Training Academy and while he served in the Army Reserves. "One kid was trying to help the other, [but] he couldn't swim. He's drowning himself."

Later, Mr. Carione learned that the incident started after an emotionally disturbed man became enraged and threw the young autistic man off the pier. The autistic man's friend then jumped in to try to save him.

The Chief-Leader/Alana Marcu THEIR DAY TO SHINE: Officers attending the NYPD's June 15 annual Medal Day ceremony disperse after cheering on 40 of their colleagues who were honored for protecting civilians and apprehending dangerous suspects last year. Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly hailed their efforts and the entire force for helping make New York City the safest big city in the nation. Officer Carione instructed the friend to use the strong current to swim to a secure area nearby, but wasn't able to make it to the spot himself while holding the semi-conscious autistic man. "I wrapped my legs around a pylon and treaded water for a half hour," he said.

With the help of rescue lines tossed from above, Captain Carione rigged a support position until additional help arrived. The autistic man and his friend survived. The emotionally disturbed man - who Mr. Carione never saw - drowned.

In all, Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly honored 40 officers, many of whom were involved in gun fights with suspects. They also awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously to the families of Dets. Dillon Stewart and Daniel Enchautegui.

'In Presence of Courage'

"Thomas Jefferson said, 'One person of courage makes a majority,''' Mr. Kelly told the gathered award-winners and their friends and families. "If that is true, then we are in the presence of an overwhelming majority today."

The majority, he added, has made the city the safest it has been in decades, protecting citizens from crime and the threat of terrorism.

RAYMOND W. KELLY: A Jeffersonian tribute. Mr. Bloomberg noted that according to the FBI's preliminary report, New York City was once again named the safest big city in the nation. "And this hard-earned title is a testament to the dedication and courage of the men and women in the NYPD," he said.

Doubly Brave

Police Officer Ernest Kenner was awarded the Police Combat Cross and also received the Medal of Valor for helping apprehend suspects during two separate shootouts.

In the early morning hours of Jan. 1, 2003, Officer Kenner, along with Sgt. Michael Losco and retired Police Officer Carlos Santana, heard shots being fired nearby. They drove to the scene, where the officers, who are assigned to the 73rd Precinct in Brownsville, saw a man shooting at a crowd of people from behind a parked car.

They took cover behind their patrol car and repeatedly ordered the man to stop, but the assailant then began firing at them as he tried to run off. They returned fire, fatally hitting him. For their efforts, the officers were awarded the Police Combat Cross, the department's second-highest honor.

Officer Kenner was also honored for his quick thinking on June 14, 2002. Driving home, he saw two men exchange gunfire. He pulled over, called 911 for help, and instructed the people in the area to take cover. After following one of the suspects into an apartment building, he identified himself and ordered the man to stop.

Returned Fire

The perpetrator instead began shooting at Officer Kenner, who returned fire, fatally hitting the suspect twice. The second gunman was later apprehended.

The other officers who received the NYPD's second highest honor were: Sgt. Dominic Williams, Detectives James Rose, Norris Walton, and Gregory Wright.

Police Officers John Boyle, Christopher Scarry, Freddy Vega, and Raymond Gutierrez were awarded the Police Combat Cross.

"There was a robbery that came in over the air," Officer Boyle recalled, referring to the June 14, 2003 incident that started as they were working overtime in the 90th Precinct in Brooklyn. "There was a victim that was shot, and we pursued the perpetrator into a building."

The officers chased the assailant to the roof of the four-story building, but at first couldn't find the suspect. PO Vega lifted Officer Scarry over a raised section on the roof, where he discovered the man hiding.

Deception Proved Fatal

The officers ordered him to surrender, but as he finally leaned over as if to climb down, he began shooting at them. "He hid his gun on the roof," Officer Boyle said. They quickly sought cover and returned fire, fatally striking him after he jumped off the bulkhead.

Officer Boyle, standing next to his wife and 12-year-old son, Kevin, said that during the shooting his mind was consumed with thoughts of survival and "going home to my family."

The other officers who received the Police Combat Cross were: Joseph Picciotto, Stephen Zupic, Joel Rios, Sean Abrams, Arthur Marquez, Michael Alleva, John Melidones, David Lombardi, Walter Roberts, and Romeo B. Baloy.

The following officers were awarded the Medal for Valor: James Monaco, Anthony J. Sestito, Hector Natal, Branden Pedrosa, Gilbert Noa, Josue Barreto, Mehmet Buyukdag, James Jacoberger, Gregory Jung, Michael Callan, and Thomas Clarke.

The Purple Shield was given to: Dorian Burrell, Elaine Mamolite, Thomas Mitchell, and Maureen Cerati. The medal, which was first awarded in September 1995, was designed by retired Lieut. David A. Kondrup as a police version of the military Purple Heart, according to the NYPD. It is awarded to officers who have suffered extreme injuries on duty.

Survivors Not Forgotten

On March 17, 2004, Officer Mamolite and Sergeant Burrell were responding to a call for help when their patrol car was struck on the passenger side by another vehicle and then crashed into a city bus. They both sustained serious injuries as a result of the accident and remained in a coma for nearly a month.

"It's honorable," Ms. Mamolite said after the ceremony. "I thought people would forget, but you know what? They're great, they are always there for me."

She noted that she still talks with her former colleagues every day. "It's nice to be remembered," she added.

The NYPD added the names of Officers Stewart and Enchautegui, who died in the line of duty last year, to the Memorial Wall at the entrance of 1 Police Plaza in May. At last week's gathering, their families received posthumous Medal of Honor awards.

"These brave men will live forever in the hearts and minds of their fellow officers," Mr. Kelly said. "We are here today to ensure that the public never forgets what they did."

Shot While in Pursuit

On Nov. 28, 2005, Officer Stewart was fatally shot after a motorist he tried to pull over for running a red light in East Flatbush opened fired on him. Officer Stewart, who was driving the patrol car, did not initially realize that he was shot under the armpit and followed the suspect's car to a nearby garage.

The suspect, Allan Cameron, was apprehended a few hours later when cops found him in his girlfriend's apartment two blocks from the shooting.

Officer Stewart, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where doctors discovered that the bullet had punctured the left ventricle of his heart. They were able to close the wound, but he went into cardiac arrest after the surgery.

Mr. Cameron has since been charged in the killing, as well as in the attempted murder and robbery of off-duty Police Officer Wiener Philippe on Nov. 19, 2005. Officer Stewart, who was appointed to the NYPD in March 2000, was also posthumously promoted to Detective.

Tried to Foil Burglary

On Dec. 10, 2005, Officer Enchautegui, 28, heard glass breaking outside his Bronx apartment several hours after he finished his tour at the 40th Precinct. He called 911 and reported a burglary in progress, identifying himself as a cop.

When he went outside to meet with the police, he encountered the two suspects, Steven Armento, a convicted burglar, and Lillo Brancato Jr., an actor with a string of recent criminal offenses.

A gunfight ensued after Mr. Armento allegedly shot Officer Enchautegui. The officer, who was wearing his police shield over his clothing, fired his semiautomatic gun eight times, hitting both men. Before the shooting began, Mr. Enchautegui's landlord said that he heard his tenant identify himself as a cop and order the men to stop. Officer Enchautegui was shot in the spleen and was found by officers responding to the scene in the driveway with his cell phone in his hand.

Officer Enchautegui, who joined the NYPD in July 2002, was also posthumously promoted to Detective. The two suspects, who were apprehended in the street nearby, are awaiting trial for his murder.