GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Sergeant Patrick Kepp was trying to stop a suspect during a police chase in October, when he was hit by the driver, later causing him to lose both of his legs. On Thursday, he was greeted with a hero's welcome as he was discharged from UMD Medical Center, Shock Trauma before a police escort helped transfer him to Walter Reed Medical Center.
Just before 4 a.m. on Oct. 18, officers attempted to stop 19-year-old Frederick Raphael Mayorga when a police chase began along Interstate 270 in Gaithersburg.
During a press conference, police said Kepp got out of his cruiser to deploy the stop sticks when Mayorga intentionally drove at him and hit him, while driving 110 mph. Kepp was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Kepp, who has been with the department since 2014, lost both of his legs in the crash.
Mayorga was later arrested and charged with attempted intentional first-degree murder. Police said Mayorga was well known to officers in the department for trying to bait officers into chasing him. In fact, Jones said Kepp had arrested Mayorga in the past for driving 135 mph on I-270.
On Thursday, Kepp was transferred from the UMD Medical Center, Shock Trauma Unit to Walter Reed Medical Center. With the help of a wheelchair, Kepp left the hospital as a crowd of friends, family and other police officers applauded him. He was then taken to Walter Reed with a police escort.
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36-year-old Sergeant Patrick Kepp has lost the use of his legs after a driver hit him on I-270. It happened early this morning near Watkins Mill Road in Gaithersburg