On November 5, 2014 Deputy Layman and his Sergeant, Jack Valenzuela, were assisting a stranded motorist on IH-45 near Highway 105. They had just gotten the stranded motorist’s car started and were walking back to their patrol vehicle, which was parked with the emergency lights activated, when Deputy Layman noticed a Jeep Grand Cherokee heading toward them at highway speed, not slowing down or moving over.
He pushed Sergeant Valenzuela out of the way as the Jeep struck their patrol vehicle at 72mph. The Jeep struck Sergeant Valenzuela with a glancing blow, then struck Deputy Layman at 68mph. The impact was so severe that Deputy Layman’s torso left an imprint on the hood of the Jeep, including indentations of where his duty gear was on his belt. After the initial strike from the Jeep, Deputy Layman traveled 150 yards on the Jeep before being thrown off and landing on his back on the concrete railing separating IH-45 from Highway 105 below.
Deputy Layman suffered serious injuries including a lacerated liver, lacerated kidney, spinal fractures in eight places and five broken ribs, yet his Safariland® Summit™ MR01 level II armor is credited with saving his life. After four years of intense physical rehabilitation, Deputy Layman has returned to full duty.
We welcome Deputy Layman, SAVE #2054, to The Safariland Group SAVES CLUB®.
