California Deputy Shot During Traffic Stop Returns to Full Duty

Jan. 17, 2018
Mariposa County Deputy Rudy Mirelez, shot during a traffic stop in 2015, is back on the job.

A Mariposa County, California Sheriff's deputy who was shot while conducting a traffic stop in 2015 is now back to full duty.

Deputy Rudy Mirelez was wounded on Oct. 1, 2015 around 6 a.m. after an erratic driver slammed into his patrol vehicle before opening fire on four deputies, hitting Mirelez in the face and upper torso, according to KFSN-TV.

"I felt each bullet except the one on my side when I fell I thought I actually got punched in the side it happened so fast," Mirelez told the news station. "If I lost enough blood I was going to become unconscious and most likely die and I thought to myself the best thing to do is stay calm."

The husband and father of three said that he was determined to make it home to his family.

While he survived, he longed to returned to the job, feeling left unfullfilled away from his calling.

"The most painful thing was not the injuries I received it was just not having a life without purpose outside of my family," he said. "To have something to get up in the morning to go to drive you to do better to go help someone else."

For two years, patrol cars have donned Rudy Strong decals with his radio number.

Sheriff Doug Binnewies attributes the department's resilience to Mirelez never giving up.

"I think we've grown we've become stronger and I couldn't imagine any more of a successful conclusion to what we were dealt with," he said.

The man convicted of shooting Mirelez, Brian Ballasch, is currently serving a 26-year prison sentence.

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