Mercer County Deputy recovering after being injured in the line of duty

A Mercer County Deputy is making progress after being injured in the line of duty. 

It happened near Sherrard, Illinois the night before thanksgiving.

Deputy Dennis Sabel was putting out roadblocks to stop a truck driver who refused to pull over. That’s when he was hit by a car. He suffered a fractured hip, pelvis and knee. 

Last week, the driver 29-year-old Jesse Walsh was sentenced to 14-years in prison for running over Sabel.

The deputy has been recovering at home since he was released from the hospital.

The deputy has taken major steps towards the healing process. He’s also kept a positive attitude as he works towards rejoining his department.

Step by step…

Slow and steady…

It’s taken Mercer County Deputy Dennis Sabel several months to get to this point. 

“I’m not a person who sits around, I’ve never been a person who sits around,” said Mercer County Deputy Dennis Sabel.

And he’s not letting his injuries continue to stop him from visiting the Sheriff’s Office. 

“To me it’s important that I come out here so that they can see me improving and for me it does me good because this is what I like the camaraderie being able to be around the guys,” said Sabel.

On the night before Thanksgiving the deputy was struck by a fleeing suspect’s car.

“I thought I had just strained my hips a little bit I thought I would have to heal up after a couple of days,” said Sabel. “The vehicles clipped my right hip and the inside of left leg from the knee down.”

Since the accident, he has had to put a few things on hold, like running a marathon.

And just like a marathon, life can be challenging and unexpected. But he’s racing toward his new goal of being on the force again.

“It’s just great to see him back here. He’s not working, but he’s still in and out of here about at least once a week. He just comes in and sits down goes through the computer and sees what calls we’ve been doing and the things we got going on,” Mercer County Sheriff Dave Staley.

“This is something that I truly enjoy and as long as I can and able to do it I plan to do it,” said Sabel.

He credits the deputies in his department for pushing him to get better. And most importantly his family. 

“My wife has been amazing,” said Sabel. “She has really been the rock that has kept everything together for us.”

Even though the road to recovery is taking longer than he would like, he’s happy to be in the position he’s in.

“I kept reflecting back that if I could’ve been a split second faster then I would’ve been out of the way and the truck would’ve just been by,” said Sabel. “I’m here and that’s all that matters and I’m getting better so I look forward to being back to normal and being able to do the job again.”

The deputy is working towards full mobility without depending on canes or walkers. But his biggest goal is to be back at full physical ability so that he can take the physical fitness test that’s required to work for the Sheriff’s Department.