Alex Thomas
(Warning: This footage may be disturbing to some viewers.)
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In the early morning hours of July 7, Officer Matthew Lesell of the Fort Worth Police Department was conducting a traffic stop that he will never forget. As he approached the driver’s window, another car smashed into the the back of the vehicle, hitting Lesell.
In an interview with NBC Dallas-Forth Worth, Lesell recalled, “next thing I knew is I was flying through the air. It felt like I was spinning through a washing machine.” He was thrown to the middle of Interstate 30 where he lay for a moment before scrambling away before more cars barreled past. He was in miraculously good condition, though he suffered a fractured vertebrae and plenty of scrapes.
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The driver that hit the officer is suspected of being under the influence when he collided with the other vehicle. Lesell managed to detain the driver until his backup arrived.
Lesell’s wife was incredibly shaken by the incident. She says that as soon as she heard, “I burst into tears and I literally felt like somebody was squeezing my heart.” She says she thinks about that morning “every time he walks out the door.” He is still recuperating but hopes to return to work soon.
