Bryan County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Donnie Thomas suffered critical injuries from a motorcycle wreck in Florida earlier in the month. He was transferred from Florida to Savannah’s Memorial Hospital last week.
According to Sherry Thomas, her husband suffered broken ribs, broken collarbone, broken shoulder bone, multiple broken bones in his face and a hairline fracture at the base of his skull.
She said the most significant injuries are damage to his C-2 vertebrae in his neck and bruised lungs.
Det. Thomas decided to take a Harley ride to Daytona Beach with friend and fellow officer Capt. Larry Jacobs. The accident occurred on I-95 in Fort Pierce.
Sherry Thomas said the investigation into the accident is not complete, but it appears as if a car bumped Thomas, causing him to lose control and hit the pavement. His Harley was totaled.
Thomas was taken to the intensive care unit of a hospital in Fort Pierce, where he spent two weeks.
Sherry Thomas said her husband has seen a lot of improvement since his arrival to Memorial Hospital on March 24. She said doctors March 24. She said doctors are saying he should eventually make a full recovery. She found out Tuesday that, after a month of being hospitalized, he will be released from Memorial Friday and undergo physical therapy at home in Pembroke.
Sherry Thomas said the Sheriff’s Department has been supportive, but the accident has taken an economic toll on her family.
The Pay It Forward Foundation, a goodwill group made up of local volunteers, has stepped up to help.
The group has organized a Lowcountry boil dinner on April 10, with the proceeds to go toward the family. Dinners are $10 each and can be picked up at Valli’s Precision Collision Center, about a half mile from the fairground in Statesboro. Pre-order your dinner by calling (912) 531-7019.
Pay It Forward founder Jerome Gapec said he was drawn to help Det. Thomas based on his own experiences.
Gapec said he himself was in an auto accident, which caused a huge financial strain on his family including losing his job as a paramedic. He said it was “the kindness of other people that helped us to survive and get back on my feet,” and included a fundraiser by fellow paramedics and law enforcement.