California Highway Patrol Lieutenant

California Highway Patrol

8/21/2001

Special Act Award (Gold)

On August 21, 2001, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Officer Greg Klingenberg responded to a shots fired call in the unincorporated community of Dunlap, CA. Officer Klingenberg arrived on scene within 15 minutes and discovered that Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy Erik Telen had been ambushed while searching a home for a burglary suspect with his partner, Deputy Brent Stalker. Unbeknownst to Deputy Telen or Deputy Stalker, the residence contained numerous weapons, including a 12 gauge shotgun and a .357 magnum pistol. Officer Klingenberg took a position of cover as Sergeant Joe Rascon and Deputy Jim Lail entered the residence to extricate Deputy Telen. The suspect immediately began firing shots at the deputies through the kitchen wall. The deputies called for assistance, and Officer Klingenberg entered the kitchen, knowingly exposing himself to death and serious injury, to provide cover for the deputies. Despite being fired upon by the suspect in the residence, Sergeant Rascon and Deputy Lail returned fire, and were able to successfully extricate Deputy Telen from the residence. Officer Klingenberg, Sergeant Rascon, and Deputy Lail moved Deputy Telen to a position of cover behind a vehicle in the driveway of the residence. Sergeant Rascon instructed the deputies to provide cover fire while Officer Klingenberg drove his patrol vehicle to Deputy Telen’s location, where Sergeant Rascon and Officer Klingenberg loaded Deputy Telen into Officer Klingenberg’s patrol vehicle. At least one shot was fired while Sergeant Rascon and Officer Klingenberg attempted to load Deputy Telen into the patrol vehicle. Due to the immediate risk of gunfire, Sergeant Rascon and Officer Klingenberg were not able to fully load Deputy Telen into the patrol vehicle and the passenger door remained open while Officer Klingenberg drove in reverse down the driveway to medical assistance. As a result of this incident, Deputy Erik Telen suffered a gunshot wound to his head. Despite the heroic extraction and transportation from the residence to medical personnel, Deputy Telen succumbed to his injuries on August 21, 2001.

With no regard for his own safety, Lieutenant Klingenberg’s heroic act secured the safety of several Fresno County Sherriff’s deputies, and attempted to save the life of another. The State of California takes great pride in presenting this Gold Medal of Valor to California Highway Patrol Lieutenant Greg Klingenberg.