Troop G Corporal Robert Kyle Jones Recognized

LITTLE ROCK –  Arkansas State troopers and ASP personnel were recognized at the Arkansas state capitol Wednesday night during the department’s’ annual award ceremony. Honorees included:

Corporal Robert Kyle Jones, assigned to Troop G, headquartered at Hope, who was presented the Trooper’s Cross for his role in a July 16, 2019 Howard County water rescue incident. Two women and a small child were trapped inside a bus that had stalled along a flooded roadway near Dierks.

“As heavy rain continued to fall, realizing it would be only a short time before the already swift current of the rising waters would turn into a churning river, Corporal Jones drove to his nearby home to retrieve a kayak and three life vests. He then returned to the area only to realize his worst fear; water was already inside the bus and rising. Upstream from the bus Corporal Jones entered the fast-moving stream and maneuvered the kayak toward the vehicle knowing he would have to crash into the rear of the bus in what would be his one and only chance of getting inside to save the three occupants. With the help of the adult women, Corporal Jones was able to crawl through a window of the bus to get the life vests into the hands of the occupants. He then exited the bus through an emergency exit, re-entered the kayak and reached for the child being handed to him by the women. Once Corporal Jones was able to get the child into the hands of emergency personnel on higher ground, he returned to the bus twice more, successfully rescuing both adults.”

Twenty-one state troopers and four civilian employees were presented awards in six different service categories. The award recipients were selected based on nominations through their respective chain of command for particular acts of extraordinary service that exceeded standards of expectations in their assigned duties as defined in the Arkansas State Police Policy and Procedures Manual.

Governor Asa Hutchinson and Jami Cook, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Public Safety, addressed state police personnel through pre-recorded messages. Colonel Bill Bryant, Director of the Arkansas State Police presented the awards.