The Halloween Deputy

Late Halloween night.
He collided with a train.
Trains win EVERY SINGLE TIME.
He wore a Deputy Sheriff's uniform, complete with (real) badge.
Returning from a party, he had a load of ethyl alcohol on board.
He was in trouble. If he truly was a Deputy, he was in a HEAP of trouble.

The ER had called the Sheriff's department for information. All they could do was affirm an officer by that name worked for them.

Both his femurs were broken. I've written before about the force required to do that...
Force so powerful it can burst or dislodge organs from their attachment points.
He definitely needed the helicopter.

Whether or not he was a Deputy had no effect on his medical care.
But somehow it did affect the stress level of all providing the care...
Were we dealing with someone who, like a soldier, regularly put his life on the line for others?
If so, what would cause him to be so intoxicated, even on a Halloween night?
This accident would be a life altering event, no matter what.
Would his job also be in jeopardy?

We loaded and transported him to the trauma center, still not knowing his official status.
Only later did we hear our patient's brother had loaned him his uniform for a family Halloween party.

And he survived.