Local

Injured trooper to begin rehab in Atlanta, gets police escort to airport

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An injured trooper’s family is calling his journey to recovery “nothing short of a miracle from God.”

Trooper Adolfo A. Lopez-Alcedo’s family updated his GoFundMe page Thursday, saying he is doing “incredible” and has been discharged from the hospital weeks after he was seriously hurt on duty last month.

On July 4, Lopez-Alcedo was getting ready to resurvey the scene of a fatal crash on Interstate 485 from the night before where five people were killed and three others were hurt.

A mother, father and their two daughters were among those who did not survive the previous night’s collision.

Officials said Lopez-Alcedo had parked his patrol car in the middle of the interstate to block two lanes at once and authorities said as two cars were coming down I-485, one went right of the cruiser and the other went left, hitting the trooper’s vehicle.

The patrol car then hit the trooper.

Lopez-Alcedo was taken to Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center with serious injuries to his body and brain. According to the trooper’s GoFundMe, he has been fighting hard to recover for 42 days and will be moved to the Shepard’s Center in Atlanta on Friday to continue his fight.

On Friday morning, Channel 9 watched as the trooper received a police escort to the airport.

According to his family, Lopez-Alcedo is completely breathing on his own again. He has been able to walk the halls, write and have conversations with family, friends and hospital staff. He has also been working on occupational and physical therapy to build his strength.

“His faith in God and will to fight is incredible. It is clear he will stop at nothing to get back to his family,” the GoFundMe reads.

The trooper’s loved ones said they are thankful for the overwhelming support and asked for prayers as he starts the next phase of his recovery in Atlanta.

“We ask that you please continue to lift Arturo and his family up in prayer, as this next phase will be challenging. There are still many unknowns including the amount of time he will need for a full recovery,” the GoFundMe reads.

Lopez-Alcedo is a husband and father of two. He has been with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol for two years.

Authorities said the driver who hit him, Troy Douglas Edmiston, was charged with felony failure to move over upon approach of a law enforcement officer.