Six Months Later . . .

Back on October 14th, 2011, I was on duty, working Motorcycle Patrol, running stationary radar during school zone time in a small town in East Texas. I was aboard my 2006 R1200RT-P and had just shot off after a violator. The location was on a US highway--two lanes, one each way. As I made my way after the speeder, I was running up through the gears (probably just hit fourth and was going about 55+), with emergency lights and siren on. As I closed the gap between the violator and myself, I noted a small car make a left turn from a side road onto the highway into my lane. Traffic was heavy in the oncoming lane and I presume the driver was more focused on finding a gap than watching out for a motorcycle, much less one with lights and siren blaring.

With the oncoming lane denied as an out, and wanting to avoid a t-bone/rear-ender with the car that entered my lane, my only choice became heading for the ditch to the right. The ditch was interrupted by a private driveway with a concrete culvert. The bike slammed into the culvert and stopped forthwith. I was thrown up and over, with the handlebars breaking both my femurs and my left ankle . . . . The impact with the culvert was hard enough that my helmet (3/4 style w/open face) was ripped from my head, and I flew over fifty feet--over the driveway and along the drainage ditch. Conscious the entire time, I remember tasting concrete as I flew through the air . . . and then landed, with my first point of contact being my right forearm and elbow. The impact shattered my right humerus at the head into at least six pieces. As I lay there, I was checking fingers and toes when I noticed about eight inches of my right femur sticking up into the air.

Luckily, through the services of LifeFlight, it was possible for me to arrive at Memorial-Hermann @ the Houston Medical Center within about 55 minutes after the accident having taken place--this despite the scene having been nearly 80 miles away. My life and my leg were saved because of that fact, most especially because the ER Orthopedic Surgeon has had a couple tours in Iraq/Afghanistan.

I went through seven surgeries in the first thirteen days, and received 24 units of blood in total. Thanks to all who donate. After having spent over four months in the hospital, I've still got a long road to recovery.

:eek1 Ohhhh! My body hurts when reading this.

But, how could your helmet come off?

WOW! As a 14 year veteran LEO, I feel for you brother. Thanks for doing what you do, trying to make everyone safer, and sacrificing yourself in the pursuit of the same. I wish you well and to a speedy and successful recovery. Thank you for sharing your tale, and please keep us posted.

OMFG. My bones ache just thinking about what you might've gone though. Best of luck on a speedy recovery.

Son of a bitch! Your story alone hurts. Best wishes on recovery.

Retired for much much less than that....takes quite awhile for all the little minor pains to go away.

Ouch.

Holy S***! Reading your post made me yell out loud! Thank God you are here to tell the tale and are on the mend. As a fellow LEO of 23 years from Texas as well, I am truely very thankful that you are going to be ok. Lost a brother motorcop here at my department in 2007 and I think of him everyday. Any charges for the bozo that pulled out on you???

Now you know just how hard I hit the culvert . . . (yes, the strap was properly fastened.)

He pulled over, then looked like he was going to take off . . . some good folks on the scene prevented him from leaving. He was charged, but it was a traffic offense only, of course. His insurance has completely paid out and his case is disposed now. That's one of the reasons I waited six months to post.

That hurt to read.

Heal up and get back in the saddle. Thanks for your service!

vMike

Are you going to get back on the bike at work? I do not ride at work, I'm a patrol sergeant and would never ride at work because that'd take the fun out of it for me. I ride a Road King and it's my escape from the job. What happened to your hemet is very interesting though because most days I wear a 1/2 helmet. Maybe if you do ride on duty again you would change helmets???

This is an example of what I was wearing--this exact model of Super Seer Law Enforcement 3/4 helmet:

It takes quite an impact to break both femurs like that, and no manner of attachment is 100% effective. The forces involved were pretty severe, and it could have had a much worse outcome. (OP forgot to mention the crushed vertebra!) Just glad to have him still around.

nag loggrg

here's an av for you

thanks, guys.

The irony of a policeman crashing while in an effort to cite a motorist
for "unsafe" speeding is simply incredible.

Sad though the events indeed are, it points out the fact that riding on
the street we always need to leave ourselves an "out" in the event
another motorist does something stupid, which these days they do
very frequently.

Yeah, 69 in a 50 is a bit over the top, no? And, during school zone time, the limit drops to 35. Protecting those kids was one of the more satisfying things I used to do during my duty day . . .

The sad part is that even when you leave yourself an out, that out might still be a bite straight from a shit sandwich.

Heal quick!

Thanks for sharing and heal quick. With all that you remember you are obviously well trained in keeping your cool and controlling yourself were others would panic. Take care of yourself....

Scott in Shoreview
'79 Suzuki GS550

Hope you recover fully!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Hindsight is always 20/20, but just wondering here if actually hitting the car would have yielded less damage to your body. Sounds like hitting the culvert turned out to be quite devastating, injury-wise.
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Glad you are ok and on the mend! And like others here have said.. THANK YOU for your service! Hope you're back on the bike again really soon.