ST. LOUIS (KMOV/Gray News) – An off-duty police officer is recovering from serious injuries after being hit by a car outside of a Missouri frozen custard stand in December.
Police in St. Louis said Matt Cooper was one of multiple people hit by a car that plowed through a barricade outside Ted Drewes, a stand that sells different ice cream treats.
Officials said Cooper’s injuries were the most serious. A spokesperson for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said he was thrown from the hood of the vehicle as it drove off from the scene.
Police said 19-year-old Rasool Al Janabi was taken into custody and charged with five counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing physical injury.
According to charging documents, the suspect drove past a barricade blocking off the entrance to Ted Drews before hitting at least five people with his car.
He then reportedly backed up the vehicle, injuring another person who attempted to stop him from leaving.
Less than three weeks after the accident, Cooper told KMOV his recovery is progressing.
“I have a concussion and in the back of my head I had a pretty big gash they had to internally stitch before putting in nine staples,” he said. “I underwent surgery on my tibia and tibial plateau and I have a plate on the outside of my tibia, and they screwed everything together.”
Cooper has been in law enforcement for 15 years, spending 10 years at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office before joining the Washington Police Department about five years ago. He primarily works as a school resource officer at a middle school.
With his injury sidelining him from work for the foreseeable future, Cooper said he’s itching to get back to his students.
“I really enjoy being in the hallways, forming those relationships and getting to know students,” he said.
The evening of the accident, Cooper said he and his family had stopped to eat dinner before their annual tradition of walking through Candy Cane Lane, a neighborhood of the city known for its festive lights and holiday displays.
“We had our oldest stepdaughter with us and she asked if we could get Ted Drewes afterward when we were done,” he said. “It’s right there, and that’s something we’d never done before.”
When the family arrived, Cooper said he was waiting outside of the restroom for his wife and stepdaughter when the accident occurred.
Cooper said he remembers regaining consciousness on a nearby street, surrounded by bystanders. His wife was the first thing on his mind.
“One of the things that was super important to me was I wanted my cell phone in the ambulance and as soon as I heard those doors close, I called her,” he said.
He was taken to the hospital, with his family following close behind. Doctors sutured his head wound and operated on his leg.
“My wife has been a godsend, she’s been helping me re-bandage things,” he said. “When she unwrapped it to re-bandage it, there’s a pretty gnarly something, I don’t even know what it is sticking out of my leg.”
During his time away from work, Cooper said fellow officers have stopped by his home bringing letters of support from the community.
“It means a lot, on those days when you’re hurting and bored and the guys from the PD show up and say ‘Hey, we have some letters from the community for you,’” he said. “It’s awesome to see those.”
He also credits several nonprofits for helping his family during their time of need.
“I am speechless, I can’t say thank you enough,” he said. “Being in law enforcement, it’s weird being on this side of things, but to have the community step up and help you is incredible.”
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