Some people really throw themselves into their work. Sometimes they do this from dedication and training; occasionally it is done instinctively and with the absence of forethought. The latter may have been the case with one obviously dedicated Ohio sheriff’s deputy, who while trying to catch a fleeing subject, literally threw himself down a flight of stairs. He didn’t catch the suspect, but he did get several broken ribs and a free ambulance ride to the hospital.
I suppose we should note that the ambulance was free courtesy of the good folks in workers’ compensation.
This all started when a drug suspect fled from a courtroom this past week. The suspect broke free from sheriff’s deputies while being searched after he was sentenced on a felony methamphetamine charge. He “bolted down the stairs” of the Highland County Courthouse.
Video released by the courthouse showed him running out of the room with deputies in hot pursuit. Our dedicated deputy, who certainly deserves an “A” for effort, dove over the railing with the apparent hope of catching the fleeing scoundrel. Alas, it was not to be.
If you watch the video below, you will see it was an extremely impressive effort.
WATCH: A suspect escaped from the Highland County courthouse as he was about to be sentenced. He is still on the loose. https://t.co/bndAt3ES7M pic.twitter.com/2HH1mFSPqy
— Local 12/WKRC-TV (@Local12) September 24, 2020
Our freshly convicted miscreant has been on the run since, while our dashing deputy suffered four broken ribs and a concussion. The deputy’s boss, Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera, told media sources, “The deputy, unfortunately, went down the stairs headfirst in an attempt to try and catch him. I went out to the hospital and visited him when he was getting treated at Highland District Hospital. He was in good spirits at that time.”
Morphine has a tendency to do that.
I am reluctant to say this but would be remiss if I did not suggest that his attempt may have actually helped facilitate the escape, since other deputies appear to have been blocked by his relatively slow slide down the stairs.
Nonetheless, this law enforcement officer displayed true dedication to his job, and that must be respected. He has inadvertently shown, however, that throwing yourself into your work might be hazardous to your health. If ever there was a time for that sage advice, “look before you leap,” this would have been it. Sometimes it pays to pause and think things through.
Especially when there are obstacles in the effort, and you haven’t fully considered all of the alternatives in the event you miss your targeted goal.