Supporters plan fundraiser for Metro officer struck by car

They are often the targets of fists, knives and bullets, but police also have to face the same everyday dangers as the rest of the community. Even the biggest, bravest cop can get hit by a car.

It happened to Metro officer David Figueroa about a year and a half ago.

Then it happened again this year.

But it’s the response from fellow officers and those who care about him that’s been remarkable, Figueroa’s supporters said.

About a year and a half ago, Figueroa pulled up behind a car and flashed the lights on his motor­cycle. He walked up to the driver’s side window the same way he had for years and was struck by a car.

Fellow Metro officer Kem Deleonard said he will never forget that night. The two have been on the force together for years, and they have been buddies even longer.

They lived in Queens, N.Y, before moving to the Las Vegas Valley in 2006. They applied to Metro together. They took their tests and went to the academy together.

Deleonard said his best friend was “working his way back” from the first accident when the second occurred.

“He just can’t catch a break,” De­leonard said.

His voice dropped and softened as he continued his friend’s story. It was Figueroa’s last week on light duty before he was to return to motorcycle patrol.

He got off work after midnight on a Friday in March and was riding home on his motorcycle. He was traveling north on Camino Al Norte, and a woman made a left turn in front of his motorcycle. Figueroa had no time to react, Deleonard said.

“And that was it. Everything on the left side: his elbow, his hip, knee, ankle, tib and fib. He was probably going to lose his lower left leg. There was some thought that they might have to amputate it,” he said.

That night was touch and go. First an orthopedic surgeon came and stabilized the leg. Then a vascular surgeon had to transplant a vein from Figueroa’s right leg into his left.

The officer was moved into a therapy program at Summerlin Hospital and was released this past week.

It will be about six months before he’s walking again, and it could take a year to get back to work. No one would say whether he’ll ever be able to patrol on a motorcycle again.

Tim Korney saw posts about Figueroa’s crash on social media, and he recognized the officer. He was having breakfast with Metro officer Mike Torsiello, a fellow Chicagoan and Deleonard’s partner, when the idea to throw a fundraising event for Figueroa was born.

Figueroa’s insurance has been covering most of his health care, but it’s running out as quickly as his paid sick days. Bills are piling up, and there is a trip to see a specialist in Los Angeles to pay for.

“There’s really not a whole lot the department can do,” Torsiello said. The latest crash happened while Figueroa was off duty, so the department’s hands are tied.

Korney, owner of Windy City Beefs ‘N Pizza, jumped at the chance to help Figueroa, too.

“I’ll always be there to reach out and help people,” he said.

The men have been planning the fundraiser event since the crash happened. They’ve been distributing fliers at police stations, fire stations, hospitals and super­markets. They lined up a man to wear a giant hot dog costume and paint faces for the children. They’ve been trying to line up DJs and bands.

Korney’s friends at the neighboring Nothing Bundt Cakes heard about it and also wanted to help. The bakery will be open on a Sunday for the first time on May 3, and will join Windy City in donating 50 percent of the day’s earnings to Figueroa’s family.

Korney is hoping to have more than 500 people come out for the fundraiser that day. He said he’s only going to keep enough to cover his employee’s salaries and the cost of the food.

“I’m not benefiting from it. I’m trying to help,” he said. “I just want to get the people there to help.”

The event at Windy City Beefs ‘N Pizza, 9711 S. Eastern Ave., starts at 11 a.m. and goes all day May 3. The men haven’t set a specific fundraising goal, but they hope to raise several thousand dollars for Figueroa’s family.

“It’s funny how these things grow,” Deleonard said.

Contact Wesley Juhl at wjuhl@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0391. Find him on Twitter: @WesJuhl