A Lauderdale County, Ala. Sheriff's deputy injured in a single-vehicle wreck on Aug. 8 returned home Wednesday morning.
Deputy Austin Hill's cruiser ran off of Lauderdale 139 north of Florence, hit a tree on the driver's side, and then spun around and went down an embankment, according to The Times Daily.
The deputy was flown to a Huntsville hospital following the wreck for treatment of several broken bones. Hill had his spleen and appendix removed and surgery to install a rod and plate into his left hip and leg.
Hill and his parents were met by members of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department at Elk River Bridge to give him a law enforcement escort from the county line to his home in Killen.
"I didn’t know they were going to be there," Hill said. "It put a big smile on my face and made all the pain go away for a while. (The deputies) giving me that escort was special and really meant a lot to me."
Lauderdale County Sheriff Rick Singleton said that the deputy has done well in his recovery, but still has a long road ahead of him.
"He looks good, and he was glad to be home, there was no doubt about that," Singleton said. "He's done a remarkable job in his recovery, but he still has a long way to go,"
Hill has been undergoing rehabilitation in Huntsville, but will now be rehabbing as an outpatient in Florence.
"I'm happy with my progress," he said. "The first couple of weeks (in the hospital) I couldn’t move without hurting and screaming. Now I can relax and rest without as much pain."
Hill is still using a wheelchair because he can't put weight on his left leg, but he will remain in a back brace for about 12 weeks.
