A police officer from Montgomery County, Maryland, wants to get back to work, even after the job cost him his legs.
Sgt. Patrick Kepp was hit by a car driven by a teen driver running from police on Interstate 270 on Oct. 18. His legs had to be amputated as a result of the injuries, but that is not dampening his spirit, law enforcement officials said on Wednesday.
鈥淪gt. Pat Kepp is in really phenomenal spirit,鈥� said Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones.
Even after the life-altering injury, Kepp has his eyes on the future, Jones said, and that includes the nine-year veteran not giving up on his career.
鈥淗e knows he has a very long journey in recovery and rehabilitation, but he wants to come back and still be a police officer,鈥� Jones said.
Montgomery County Chief Administrative Officer Rich Madaleno said he was also impressed with Kepp鈥檚 attitude.
鈥淚鈥檝e had a chance to visit the sergeant on multiple occasions,鈥� he said, 鈥淓xtraordinarily good spirits for someone who鈥檚 gone through such a traumatic injury.鈥�
Madaleno believes if anyone can overcome this type of injury, it鈥檚 Kepp.
鈥淭here are few people I think you would feel so confident about,鈥� Madaleno said, 鈥淚f there鈥檚 someone who is going to be back up and on the job, it鈥檚 going to be Pat Kepp and we鈥檙e going to be thrilled to welcome him back to the Montgomery County Police Department when he is ready.鈥�
Kepp was injured as officers were trying to pull over 19-year-old Raphael Mayorga, who is accused of leading police on a chase on I-270 between Watkins Mill Road and Middlebrook Road. As Kepp attempted to lay out stop sticks, witnesses said Mayorga steered his Dodge Charger at the sergeant, hitting him, and kept going before stopping further down the road on I-270.
According to prosecutors, Mayorga was well-known to police as someone who tried to lead them on high-speed chases frequently. Kepp himself even arrested Mayorga earlier this year for numerous traffic infractions. Even after multiple arrests, he was allowed out of jail on bond.
鈥淲e are concerned that this young man who was arrested in this case was still out on the streets, and he shouldn鈥檛 have been,鈥� Madaleno said, 鈥漃art of it is because there seem to be inadequate state laws to deal with aggressive driving, truly reckless driving.鈥�
Madaleno said Montgomery County is already working with the police department, the state鈥檚 attorney, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore鈥檚 administration to remedy some of the holes in current traffic laws.
