An Iowa police officer is back at work after losing his fingers deploying stop sticks during a high-speed chase earlier this month.
Indianola Police Sgt. Scott Dwyer was part of a response April 1 to stop a driver fleeing authorities at roughly 90 mph, WHO-TV reports. After laying down stop sticks, high winds began blowing them around, and they became tangled under the fleeing vehicle.
“When they got caught under the vehicle, it got caught under and what I believed happened is that cord came up and severed my fingers," said Dwyer.
The sergeant was taken to the hospital, and medics found pieces of his fingers. Unfortunately, doctors were unable to reattach them.
Despite not having mobility in the two injured fingers on his left hand, Dwyer returned to work April 10 on light desk duty.
“There’s not a whole lot I can do," he said. "I can type with my right hand it just takes me a little bit longer."
Even though he lost two fingers, Dwyer knows the incident could've been much worse.
“At that speed this car was going, I believe this cord could have severed my whole hand," he said. "It could have severed my arm, my leg or any other body part.”
