Fund Established To Help Stamford Cop Critically Hurt After Falling From Bridge During Chase

STAMFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- Stamford police have established a fund to help the family of an officer who nearly lost his life after falling from a highway overpass in Norwalk while chasing a robbery suspect.

Officer Troy Strauser has been home recovering from the injuries sustained in the May 17 incident but it may be months, maybe even a year, before the 38-year-0ld can return to work, WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau reported.

Strauser had been pursuing 30-year-old robbery suspect Frank Douglas -- who had first led police on a high-speed car chase from Stamford, through Darien and into Norwalk -- on foot after Douglas crashed his car.

WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau reports

Somehow, Strauser lost his footing on the Interstate-95 overpass and fell 20-feet to the highway below.

"When I went to move my arm it didn't feel right," Strauser said. "Everything was like in slow motion. When I looked down I saw a pool of blood. And I'm just thinking, 'What's going on here?'"

Officer Greg Zack found Strauser, picked him up and rushed him to Norwalk Hospital.

"I owe him a lot," Strauser said. "If it wasn't for him, trauma doctors told me that I would've bled out. I wouldn't have made it."

Strauser underwent 18 hours of surgery and was hospitalized for nine days.

Strauser's wife has had to scale back her work hours to tend to him and drive him to doctor appointments and rehab.

Stamford Police have started a fund to help the family with medical costs.

Anyone interested in donating can make checks out to Stamford Police Association 10-13 Fund.

Mail donations to:

Stamford Police Association
10-13 Fund
805 Bedford Street
Stamford, CT 06901