Each of us will go through the experience of getting pulled over by a police officer at some point in our lives. Whether it’s because we didn’t notice the speed limit or our minds were wandering off while we were driving, this encounter is a part of every driver’s story. But one traffic stop for a motorist in Milwaukee took an unexpected turn, and eventually, put one person’s life at risk.
Surveillance footage taken from a nearby business shows police officer Alberto Figueroa standing beside a truck when he was suddenly hit by a speeding car down Capitol Drive near 24th Street. Immediately after being struck, the occupants of the truck who were pulled over jumped out of the vehicle and quickly came to the aid of the hurt police officer.
“They began checking his vitals [and] some of them performed CPR on him because they were unable to locate a pulse,” Milwaukee Police Assistant Chief Steve Caballero told WISN. “That right there saved the officer’s life.”
According to police reports, the driver who struck Figueroa hit another vehicle several blocks away. All of its occupants exited the car and fled immediately after the crash. Three of the occupants are now held in custody, and the police are still looking for a fourth person, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales told WISN.
Figueroa was transported to Froedtert Hospital and is reportedly in a stable condition, according to the town’s local station. He underwent two surgeries but is “in good spirits and on the road to recovery,” according to the GoFundMe campaign set up to help cover his family’s expenses while he is recovering.
Figueroa has been a police officer for five years. He is a father of two children with another one on the way in less than two months. His wife, Emily Figueroa, works full-time as a Surgery Technician.
The great news is that the $5,000 goal of the campaign has now been exceeded. As of writing, the funds amount to $5,796, which is the money raised by 143 people in just 6 days. Officer Figueroa is clearly receiving a lot of love! In a Facebook post made by the Milwaukee Police Department about Figueroa’s situation, lots of people expressed their thanks and said their prayers for the police officer. One Facebook user commented:
“To the motorist: Thank you for lending a hand even after being stopped. True character on your part! Prayers to the officer and both families: blood and blue.”
We completely agree! Despite the circumstances, the motorists didn’t have any second thoughts on helping the police officer who just pulled them over. Their selfless act saved the life of this man, and we hope to see more and more of this happening in our world.
Watch this video below by ABC News to learn more about this story.