A Grapevine motorcycle officer severely injured in the line of duty is set to receive an award from the governor.
Governor Abbott will present Ofc. R.J. Hudson with the Star of Texas Award, which is awarded to police officers injured or killed in the line of duty.
"It's not very often a motorcyclist can crash at close to 100 miles an hour and live to tell about it," says Ofc. Hudson.
On the morning of October 19th, 2017, Hudson was trying to catch up to a speeder.
"I was chasing a speeding vehicle on 121 (near Hall-Johnson Rd.)," recalls Hudson. "A vehicle swerved and hit the side of my motorcycle as I was passing. I had my lights and siren on, but she hit the side of me."
Hudson went down hard.
"I slapped the ground and my helmet fell off, and I tumbled 297 feet down the roadway," says Hudson.
His injuries were severe.
"I broke eight vertebrae in my back and seven ribs and both orbital bones and had a traumatic brain injury," Hudson says. "I've ripped my spleen, and et cetera, et cetera."
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Hudson's prognosis was not very optimistic.
"I had a nurse apologize to me that she had initially told me I was never going to walk again," says Hudson.
But following a rigorous rehabilitation routine, not only is Hudson walking again, but he returned to full duty two years ago.
"I'm recovered as much as I'm going to recover," Hudson says. "I have a 38% disability."
Governor Abbott will present Hudson with the Star of Texas Award at 10:30 Friday morning.
You can watch the ceremony here.
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