Fallen state trooper honored with medal of valor

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)-Governor Bevin says to the crowd at the Kentucky State Police Award Ceremony, “I to pray for your safety. I pray for the safety of those in uniform who put on a uniform that others don’t want to put on frankly.”

Last year one of those men in gray didn’t come back home.

Bevin announces the “Governor’s medal of valor is posthumously presented to Trooper Cameron Ponder.”

After a long silence the crowd give sa standing ovation for Trooper Ponder who was not quite a year in the service when his life was cut short last September.

Trooper Ponder’s father Joe says, “He chose to be a Kentucky State Trooper because he knew he could do good things.”

Trooper Ponder was pulling over Thomas Johnson-Shanks who was driving with a suspended license. The suspect later drove off reaching speeds more than 115moh. When he blew a tire Ponder’s car abruptly hit the suspect. That’s when the suspect leaned out of his window firing multiple shots at ponder. Ponder died and later, after about an eight hour manhunt, troopers shot Johnson-Shanks.

Ponder was dedicated to helping others to the very end. Before his death he was trying to arrange housing for the young kids in the suspect’s car.

Joe Ponder says, “Certainly he was concerned for their welfare. Even I’m sure as he was shot at. I know he never would’ve returned fire because it was a car full of children, you know. Snd he wouldn’t have done anything to harm them even to save his own life.”

Ponder’s father says the awards mean a great deal to them, but they will never replace the man they treasured.

“He had a heart of gold. He was strong as iron and out of his tongue floats silver. So these medals are honorable medals but he was truly our medal.”

Ponder’s family also accepted the Guthrie Crow award on Trooper Ponder’s behalf. It’s an award named after KSP’s first commissioner for troopers that suffer a severe wound or injury in the line of duty.