MoCo Police Officer Who Lost Legs Returns To Work: Report

GAITHERSBURG, MD — A Montgomery County police officer who had both legs amputated after authorities said he was intentionally struck by a driver on Interstate 270 is back on patrol and plans to resume his weekend job officiating college football games, according to a WTOP report.

Sgt. Patrick Kepp and other officers were attempting to stop a driver on I-270 on Oct. 18, 2023, when the driver intentionally moved his Dodge Challenger from the middle lane to the far left lane to strike Kepp, police said.

The crash resulted in doctors amputating both of Kepp's legs. The driver, Raphael Mayorga, has since been charged with first-degree attempted murder.

Following multiple surgeries at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center and rehabilitation at Walter Reed Medical Center, Kepp returned to work in June to train recruits in DUI enforcement, WTOP reported.

“I had told Chief (Marcus) Jones when he came to Shock Trauma, right away, maybe stubbornly, that I’d be back working," Kepp told WTOP. "I wanted to be back on the road and back keeping the roadway safe, doing traffic safety, locking up drunk drivers like I’ve done for my whole career, and it’s really important to me."

In addition to being a police officer, Kepp also works as a line judge in Division 1 college football. He is the first person with prosthetic legs to officiate a Division 1 game, according to WTOP.

According to police, Mayorga was speeding on the interstate — at times reaching speeds of 110 mph — while getting on and off the road, a tactic Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones said Mayorga has used to provoke police officers into chasing him on major county roadways.

Kepp was struck after he got out of his patrol car to deploy stop sticks used to deflate the tires of Mayorga's vehicle.

According to police, Mayorga continued northbound before a second officer successfully deployed stop sticks and brought the car to a stop.

Mayorga, of Frederick, was charged with attempted murder and other counts in connection to the incident.