Purple Heart awards given to injured McHenry County deputies

WOODSTOCK – As is said about a Purple Heart, it’s an award no one ever wants to receive.

As McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren gave the honor to two deputies who were shot and injured in the line of duty, he said he wanted it to be the last time the award is issued.

“I cannot recall that this award has ever been bestowed on anyone prior to today,” Nygren said at Tuesday’s award ceremony. “It’s my sincere hope that it’s never bestowed on anyone again.”

“Roger that,” Purple Heart recipient Deputy Dwight Maness immediately quipped from a gurney he was wheeled in on just moments earlier. Maness was released from the hospital last week after spending about a month recovering from injuries to his leg that required surgery.

Maness’ presence at Tuesday’s award ceremony seemed to come as a surprise to the nearly 70 deputies in attendance, who jumped to their feet and cheered for him as he was wheeled in.

Deputies Maness and Khalia Satkiewicz both were shot while responding to a well-being check on Oct. 16 in Holiday Hills.

“How many hundreds of times have we been dispatched or involved in that kind of call?” the sheriff said. “Countless. Countless times.”

Scott B. Peters, 52, who is said to harbor anti-government and anti-police sentiments, is accused of firing more than a dozen rounds at the deputies through his front door. Peters has denied all charges against him. If convicted, he faces a possible life sentence.

Satkiewicz also received the Purple Heart. She was shot in the leg and has been recuperating at home.

The award ceremony Tuesday also honored members of the sheriff’s office for their various roles in the incident.

Deputy Eric Luna, who returned fire with the alleged shooter, was given the Award of Valor and Lifesaving Award. It also was the first time the sheriff’s office has given out the Award of Valor, Nygren said.

In all, awards and commendations were awarded to 34 sheriff’s office employees. Two Island Lake officers – Victoria Gwizdak and Gilbert Hueramo – who pulled the downed deputies to safety also were recognized with lifesaving awards. Hueramo stopped Maness’ bleeding with a tourniquet.

“There will always be a special bond between the two departments,” Nygren said.

After the ceremony, Maness and Satkiewicz paused for a long embrace and posed for pictures. Satkiewicz’s husband, Robert, a master sergeant with the Illinois State Police looked on and called Khalia “a tough gal.”

“I’m thankful for the guys that were there,” Robert Satkiewicz said after the ceremony. “When something bad like this happens, and you had to have the perfect combination of guys there, this was it. … If the stars had to align perfectly, this was it.”

List of Awards

Purple Heart Award

Deputy Dwight Maness

Deputy Khalia Satkiewicz

Award of Valor

Eric Luna

Life Saving Award

Victoria Gwizdak, Island Lake Police Department

Gilbert Hueramo, Island Lake Police Department

Deputy Eric Luna

Deputy Steven Nulle

Unit Citation - Investigations

Lt. James Popovits

Sgt. Mike Cisner

Sgt. Michael Muraski

Sgt. Robb TAdelman

Detective Michelle Asplund

Detective Ben Brock

Detective Jason Draftz

Detective Tom Jonites

Detective Caitlynn Kelly

Detective Ed Maldonado

Detective Kyle Mandernack

Detective David Mullen

Detective Michael Quick

Detective Derick Waters

Deputy Ryan Hoven

Deputy Jake Keltner

Deputy Michael Urgo

Unit Citation - Patrol

Lt. Donald Carlson

Deputy Patrick Dillon

Deputy Craig L’esperance

Deputy Chrisopher Marvel

Deputy Jason Novak

Deputy Kyle Oligney

Deputy Keith Sosnowski

Commendation Letters

Lt. Donald Carlson

Sgt. Eric Ellis

Dispatcher Jeremy Morris

Dispatcher Kelly Reid

Recognition Letters

Deputy Justin McKenzie

Deputy Edward Zeman

• All names are McHenry County Sheriff’s Office employees, unless otherwise noted.