Montgomery County Police Sgt. Patrick Kepp had his legs amputated after being intentionally struck by a driver on Oct. 18, but he has not lost his desire to be a police officer, according to Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones.
“Sgt. Pat Kepp is in really phenomenal spirit in regard to the traumatic incident that he has been through over the past couple of weeks,” Jones said during a press briefing Wednesday. “He knows he has a very long journey in recovery and rehabilitation, but he wants to come back and still be a police officer,” Jones said.
Montgomery County Chief Administrative Officer Rich Madaleno commended Kepp for his contributions to the police department over the years and said that if anyone can come back from an injury like this, it’s him.
“He’s been a remarkable performer for the county with the police department,” Madaleno said. “We’re going to be thrilled to welcome him back to the Montgomery County Police Department organization when he’s ready.”
On Oct. 18 at 3:48 a.m., Kepp was one of the officers trying to pull over Raphael Mayorga, 19, of Frederick, who they suspected of being under the influence and was trying to goad them into a chase, police said in a press conference the day of the incident.
Mayorga was driving a green Dodge Charger, and starting at the Clarksburg Outlets, he allegedly entered and exited I-270 North and South repeatedly, driving at least 110 mph and almost running someone off the road, Jones said.
Kepp exited his patrol car to deploy stop sticks, which are used to deflate tires. While he was placing the stop sticks, Mayorga drove the Charger into him, according to police.
The collision occurred between Watkins Mill Road and north of Middlebrook Road near exit 13, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Pete Piringer.
“The vehicle [was] observed intentionally moving from the middle lanes to the far-left lanes and coming directly at Sgt. Kepp as he was deploying the stop sticks,” Jones said.
After striking Kepp, Mayorga allegedly continued northbound on I-270 until another officer successfully deployed stop sticks, forcing the vehicle to stop, according to police. Police said they arrested Mayorga at the scene.
Officers performed life-saving measures on Kepp until Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel and medical transport arrived.
“It was the on-the-scene quick, immediate response of police officers that saved his life,” Madaleno said. “It was their training and their ability to apply tourniquets. It was those police officers on scene who stabilized Sgt. Kepp.”
Kepp was then transported via helicopter to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Madaleno said.
Madaleno said that he visited Kepp and his family in the hospital, along with Jones and Gov. Wes Moore (D).
Jones said that members of the community have been very supportive as well.
“It’s been uplifting for Pat [Kepp] to know that he has that community support,” Jones said. “I think it is a long road ahead for Pat, but he’s prepared for that road, and we’re prepared to help him in his recovery.”
Mayorga was charged with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and causing life-threatening injuries for striking and injuring Kepp, according to digital court records. He is currently being held without bond.
His attorney, Isabelle Raquin, was not able to be immediately reached for comment over email on Wednesday.
“He is going to be in jail for a very long time if not the rest of his life,” Madaleno said.
Prior to the incident, officers, including Kepp, were very familiar with Mayorga, according to Montgomery County State’s Attorney McCarthy.
Between April 28 and June 1, there were four separate occasions where Mayorga baited police officers into high-speed chases on I-270, and on each chase, Mayorga evaded law enforcement, McCarthy said.
Kepp arrested Mayorga on May 26 for several traffic citations, including driving 136 mph on I-270 and reckless driving, according to Jones. After he was arrested, he was allowed to remain free on bond, McCarthy said.
Madaleno said that there need to be stricter laws regarding reckless driving.
“The problem is that we didn’t have the right laws to keep him from being behind the wheel in the first place,” Madaleno said. “And if we had had some of those enhanced penalties for the reckless driving he was doing before. Hopefully, he would not have been on the street that night, and the injury would never have occurred.”
Madaleno said the County Executive’s Office is working with the police department, the State’s Attorney’s Office and Moore’s administration to address these types of scenarios.
