MUELLER WINS SOLICITOR'S AWARD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT EXCELLENCE IN CHEROKEE COUNTY

GAFFNEY - SC Highway Patrol Corporal Steve Mueller doesn't like to stand still.

His actions over the past calendar year include talking a suicidal man off an I-85 bridge, management of the investigation and clean-up of a 21-car wreck on I-85 and several courtroom appearances where he helped send dangerous criminals to prison.

Mueller's work ethic has caught the eye of his peers and 7th Circuit Solicitor Trey Gowdy. The trooper received the Solicitor's Award for Law Enforcement Excellence in Cherokee County tonight during an appreciation dinner on Aug. 8, 2002 at the Lake Whelchel picnic.

"Steve makes a difficult job look easy," Gowdy said. "He is dependable and he is very loyal to the law enforcement profession."

A committee of officers from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, the Gaffney Police Department, the Blackburg Police Department, the state Department of Natural Resources and the Highway Patrol recognized Mueller's work ethic when they named him to receive the honor.

Mueller received a commemorative plaque and a certificate that entitles him to drive a BMW X-5 Sport Utility Vehicle for three days. Mueller will have his name engraved on a plaque that hangs in the Cherokee County Solicitor's Office.

Fairway Advertising is also plans to unveil a billboard to honor Mueller and the top officer from an upcoming Spartanburg County law enforcement dinner.

Mueller, grabbed newspaper headlines in early July after he talked a man out of jumping off the bridge at Exit 106 of I-85. Motorists contacted 911 dispatchers about 8:40 a.m. on July 2, 2002 and told them that a man was standing on the bridge. While the man was still on the railing, Mueller talked him into sliding over to the portion of the bridge that hung over the grass median. The man, who blamed family problems as the cause of his suicidal thoughts, decided to step away from the railing after an hour of conversation.

"It was kind of a long ordeal but Steve handled it well," said Sgt. Joey Tucker, supervisor of the Highway Patrol office in Cherokee County. "He is calm under pressure and he always seems to make good decisions."

Two weeks after rescuing the suicidal jumper, Mueller set up a near assembly line of ambulances, troopers and tow trucks to clear a 21-car pile-up on I-85 near Highway 18. The wreckage was cleared from the roadway in a matter of about 90 minutes.

"You basically have to treat wrecks of this size like they are natural disasters," Tucker said. "You have to quickly assess the damage and get groups of people working together like a well-oiled machine."

Earlier this year, Mueller was instrumental in the prosecution of two men who received stiff prison sentences for the armed robbery of the Alltel store in Gaffney. He also served as a key witness in the felony driving under the influence case that landed a local man in prison with a 40-year sentence for a wreck that claimed the life of a 6-year-old child.

Mueller, a 12-year veteran of the Patrol, and his wife Shannon live in Gaffney. They attend Kirby Memorial Baptist Church.

Nearly a dozen sponsors helped fund the dinner. The sponsor list includes Shuford-Hatcher Funeral Home, Excel Financial Service, Burns Chevrolet, Associates Bookkeeping and Tax Services, Wal-Mart, Timken, Upstate Carolina Medical Center, BMW, Nestle Frozen Foods and The Herald-Journal.

"I appreciate the community's willingness to support with such a worthy cause," Gowdy said. "Police officers and their families make many sacrifices to keep the community safe and they richly deserve a night of relaxing fellowship."

For more information, contact Murray Glenn at 809-4892 or 596-3862.