BRPD officer hit by alleged drunk driver receives prosthetic leg

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Some of the best gifts are those made by hand, carefully crafted, and tailored to fit. It’s that kind of gift that Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Jason Martin has been waiting for since August. That’s when a suspected drunk driver crashed into him and two other officers while they were responding to a separate wreck on Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge.

“It’s been a long road. And we’ve got a long road to go,” said Martin.

The crash cost Martin his leg. It had to be amputated just above the knee. However, after weeks in the hospital, several surgeries, months of physical therapy and countless doctor’s appointments, Martin received his first prosthesis. With his wife and three kids watching, he could take some of his first true steps since that night he had to run for his life. ”You know the song, all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, well I got a leg now. All I wanted for Christmas was a leg and I got it,” said Martin.

The prothesis was built by Hanger Clinic in Baton Rouge.

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“I feel very honored,” said clinic manager and certified prosthetist Jay Tew. “It’s like watching your kids walk for the first time over and over again, never gets old.” Tew has been building prostheses for 25 years. He says Martin’s new leg comes with some of the most advanced tech available, including a microprocessor that’s constantly adjusting for the world around it. ”It analyzes about 50 times a second, which is as fast as a hummingbird flaps its wings,” explained Tew. “It’s constantly reading the ground and what’s happening to change the valves and hydraulics to keep you up where you’re not having to physically hold it all the time.”

Tew says a prothesis allows an amputee to resume living life to the fullest. For Martin, that means returning to full duty and enjoying the simple pleasure of cutting the grass. Another goal driving him is the hope of walking his two daughters down the aisle someday.

Tew says that motivation helps, because it is a slow process to learn how to tolerate wearing a prosthetic limb and to learn how to use it properly. That can be frustrating for people who are especially active, like a police officer eager to resume work.

However, Martin says every small step forward is worth it. ”To be able to sit there Christmas morning with my leg for a little while, while the kids are opening presents and feel a little normal, it’s going to be nice,” said Martin.

Officer Joe Carboni was also badly injured in the crash, and is also continuing to recover. A third officer suffered mild injuries. Colleagues have organized a fund raiser for the officers while they recovery. You can find those details in the flier below.

Colleagues have organized a fund raiser for the officers while they recovery. — Colleagues have organized a fund raiser for the officers while they recovery.(WAFB)

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