San Mateo cop recovers from car injury

“It feels great to be back,” he said. “I feel awesome. I’m back to where I was if not better.”

San Mateo police spokesman Officer Michael Haobsh, a colleague of Basurto’s, said welcoming him back to work was an emotional experience.

“It was an emotional day for us. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room,” Haobsh said. “We were all touched and pretty amazed. The day we found out he was injured and near death was a day we’ll never forget.”

Basurto was partnered with his brother Jaime Basurto, a detective in the same department, for his first shift back at work. He will be working patrol.

“It was pretty amazing,” Basurto said.

Basurto’s last day on the job before the crash was in June of 2018. The crash occurred on his commute home to the Central Valley.

After working a long shift and faced with a long drive home, Basurto fell asleep at the wheel and woke up just before colliding with the car in front of him. To avoid a collision, Basurto swerved out of the way and he lost control. His car rolled over multiple times.

“There was a big laceration on my arm and when the car stopped rolling I attempted to get out, but I was stuck,” he said. “I noticed my vision was gone and I started screaming for help.”

Two strangers aided Basurto and put a tourniquet on his arm that he said saved his life while waiting for the first responders to arrive. Basurto has unsuccessfully attempted to track down the two to express his appreciation for their actions.

Once Basurto came to in the hospital, one of his first thoughts was about returning to work.

“I remember in the hospital when I was finally coherent I said I’m making it back to work,” he said. The thought of making it back to work was a goal that motivated Basurto throughout his recovery.

The support of his family, co-workers and also strangers also helped him recover.

“For them to back me so much it really gave me encouragement and strength to move on,” he said. “At times it was really tough. I don’t think I’ve cried as much as I did during these past two years.”

Basurto spent several months in the hospital and continued dealing with “a lot” of internal injuries after he was sent home. About four months after the crash he was given a prosthetic leg and about a month after that he was able to walk with crutches.

On his second day back at work, Basurto said: “I treat my prosthetic leg like my foot’s there, but have to adjust certain things like my car and after I make the adjustment everything is fine.”

Haobsh said Basurto’s crash triggered a conversation about the dangers of long commutes for first responders who also work shifts sometimes as long as 17 hours. Basurto’s story prompted officials to open a barracks in the city where officers can sleep for the night and avoid their long commute, Haobsh said.

Basurto said the mental part of his recovery was harder than the physical one.

“The emotional and mental part was hardest,” he said. “You can’t help it, there were so many emotions and so many things that go into your mind and trying to will your mind to do things you physically can’t.

“There was a lot of pain and joy and being proud of my family and what we all went through,” Basurto continued. “It was a long journey, but totally worth it. I’m here and I’m super excited and happy.”

zachary@smdailyjournal.com

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