By Joanna Putman
Police1
COCHISE COUNTY, Ariz. — A deputy who fell 15 feet off an overpass while in pursuit of fleeing, smuggled migrants has returned to light duty, ABC 15 reported.
ABC 15 has obtained body camera footage from the night of September 28, 2023, when Cochise County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christopher Oletski was severely injured in the fall, according to the report. Oletski was assigned to the Criminal Interdiction Team, which focuses on human smuggling and drug trafficking.
The incident occurred while the team was pursuing a suspected human smuggler. Oletski was attempting to deploy spike strips when he tripped and fell off the bridge, landing on an embankment. Clips from the released body camera footage show other officers trying to figure out how to get Oletski to an ambulance without causing more pain.
“We don’t want to move his back at all,” officials can be heard saying.
Oletski told ABC 15 he sustained substantial brain injuries and broke his femur, pelvis, right elbow and wrist. He does not remember the fall or several days that followed, according to the report.
“The reason why I am OK with getting hurt is because in my eyes, the way I look at it, if I didn’t try to stop that vehicle, it was going to go up the road and maybe kill a family,” Oletski told ABC 15. “If I didn’t try to stop that vehicle, the driver could have made a terrible decision and killed the passengers inside of that vehicle. If I didn’t stop that vehicle, the passenger could have gone up the road or the driver could have gone up the road and killed themselves,” he said.
Oletski will be on light duty for at least 12 to 18 more months before fully returning to duty, according to the report.