ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — Officer Bryan Clark was sworn back into the Arvin Police Department on Tuesday’s City Council meeting, after recovering from an accident involving a DUI driver.
- Video shows the road to recovery for a now-returning APD officer who was a victim of a DUI crash.
- Officer Bryan Clark began serving the PD in 2005 and says he’s lucky to be alive after being struck by a vehicle going over 100 miles per hour.
- Clark who was sworn in during Tuesday’s City Council meeting and says he’s excited to be back on patrol and getting bad guys off the street.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Bryan Clark joined Arvin PD in 2005. After falling victim to a DUI crash, Clark lost his right hand and leg. Now recovered from his injuries, Clark was sworn back into the PD during Tuesday night's City Council meeting.
23ABC sat down with Clark, where he recalled the accident that happened the night of April 1st, 2023.
While heading home from dinner, Clark says an intoxicated driver going over 100 miles per hour hit his motorcycle from the right. According to Clark, the incident left him with severe injuries, causing him to undergo seven surgeries and months of physical therapy.
"I had severe nerve pain and phantom pain," said Clark. "It was several nights not being able to sleep because I was in so much pain. I was on strong pain medications, so I could function."
About four months after the accident, Clark says he received his first prosthetic leg and had to re-learn how to walk—a transition that he says was far from easy.
"It takes an amputee 65 percent more energy to walk half a mile than it does someone with two regular legs," stated Clark.
Arvin Chief of Police Alex Ghazalpour says he met Clark when he started as a reserve sergeant at the PD. Ironically, he says Clark was committed to patrolling traffic and organizing DUI checkpoints.
"With the work that he was putting into putting these offenders behind bars, he ultimately was hit by an offender and almost lost his life," said the Chief of Police.
Ghazalpour adds that he is humbled to welcome Clark back into the force and instill his expertise in the younger generations of officers.
Despite the circumstances, Clark says his family's support and his love for law enforcement encouraged him to maintain a positive mindset throughout the process.
"I've been a police officer for 23 years and having to learn to do something else wasn't something that I wanted to do," said Clark. "I love being a police officer. I love helping people and I wanted to continue doing that."
Clark says he's excited to return to patrol and get bad guys off the street.
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