Injured officer expecting to return to work

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, March 24, 2009

MONTICELLO – The loss of a significant portion of his foot, therestructuring of an ankle and a steel rod to repair a broken legwill not prevent Monticello police officer Shelby Smith fromreturning to duty on the town’s streets, the patrolman said.

“I’m doing great. I will be able to come back to work after myrecovery,” said Smith Tuesday during a telephone interview from hisroom at the USA Burn Center in Mobile, Ala. “I may not be able tocatch a 20-year-old, but they say I’ll be able to run again.”

Smith is recovering from injuries sustained in an accident Feb.24 at the intersection of Carmel and New Hope roads when he lostcontrol of his patrol car and struck a tree while pursuing asuspect.

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The officer was trapped in the burning patrol car until helparrived minutes later.

He received severe burns to his right foot as well as a crushedright ankle and broken left femur. The toes of his right foot wereso severely burned they had to be amputated and much of the footneeded to be repaired with skin grafts.

The patrolman said his doctors are predicting he’ll be able toreturn to Mississippi by the end of the week. However, he willremain hospitalized in Jackson for several more weeks to undergophysical rehabilitation.

Despite his injuries, Smith said he expects to return to duty ina month or two.

“I’m getting my strength back little by little,” he said. “I’mgetting in and out of bed on my own. I just can’t put a lot ofpressure on them yet.”

Smith said his three adult children are supportive of hisdecision to return to the department.

“They know I’m going back to work,” he said. “They’re notworried about that.”

Monticello Police Sgt. Scott Stormo said Smith’s medicalexpenses are being covered by the city, but the department hasestablished a fund to help the family with travel expenses.

Donations to the fund should be placed in a sealed envelope anddelivered to city hall or mailed to Debbie Lea, in care of ShelbySmith, P.O. Box 822, Monticello, MS 39654. Donations are retrievedby a family member every few days, Stormo said.