OTERO COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — A volunteer deputy with the Otero County Sheriff's Posse is recovering after shattering his pelvis while responding to a crash involving four teenagers in southern Colorado.
Deputy Joe Pentlicki responded to the crash on March 20 near Rocky Ford along County Road 805. While at the scene, Pentlicki fell while descending into the canal to help the teens.
"Deputy Pentlicki lost footing and slid down, then his right leg caught and he tumbled end over end to the bottom, fracturing his pelvis," the Otero County Sheriff's Office wrote on social media. "He repeatedly insisted EMS treat the children before him."
According to the Colorado State Patrol, none of the teens was wearing a seatbelt when the Ford Escape crashed.
"The Escape was traveling westbound on Otero County Road 805, attempting to negotiate a left curve in the road," a CSP spokesperson wrote to News5. "The Escape went off the right side of the road and began to overcorrect. The Escape lost control going back to the roadway and then ran off the right side of the roadway. The Escape then went airborne, falling into an empty canal, and began to roll 1 1/2 times, coming to rest on its driver's side."
Three of the four teens were taken by ambulance to the hospital. A fourth teen had injuries so severe that they had to be airlifted. Colorado State Patrol could not provide specific updates on how the four teens are doing. If you are a parent of one of the teens and would like to provide an update, please email Tony.Keith@koaa.com.
Pentlicki's daughter, Brittny Johnson, said workers' compensation should help with some costs, but she started an online fundraiser to help her father with out-of-pocket expenses while he recovers.
"If I could, you know, pay all of his hospital bills, I would, but that's just not possible. And I think that everyone has an opportunity to help their neighbor the same way that my dad would," Johnson said.
We have a link to a fundraiser at the bottom of this article. Johnson lives out of state but grew up in Colorado.
“My husband actually is the one who called me and told me,” Johnson recalled when she first learned about the crash. “When I first heard, I thought maybe he had been like involved in something a lot more dangerous… It’s always like my first thought is, did something really, really bad happen to him.”
Authorities said her father was among the first to respond. According to Johnson, his actions reflect a long pattern of service.
“He is the guy that you want to have on your side,” she said. “He is going to help you, and if he can't help you, he is going to find the resources needed to help you.”
The family is also dealing with additional medical costs. Johnson said her mother is a breast cancer survivor and does not work.
“My dad would never… ask for help himself,” she said. “I feel like there's not a lot I can do for him, being all the way out here. So I wanted to contribute in any way that I could.”
Johnson says her father has a long road to recovery. She is asking for help with covering costs tied to monthly living expenses, while he is unable to work full-time, household bills, and day-to-day needs.
“Anywhere from 6 to 8 months, maybe even a year,” Johnson said of her father's recovery time. “He's very stubborn. He's already told me like ‘I just want to get to walking again so I can get back into a patrol car.’"
Otero County Sheriff Shawn Mobley provided News5 with some more background on who is part of his posse.
"Our Sheriff’s Posse are volunteers, who work with our office outside of their careers and everyday jobs to assist our staff in many aspects of policing at the county level," Sheriff Mobley wrote to News5. "Posse members may be retired peace officers or may also go through a Reserve Academy that grants them a P.O.S.T. certification and the ability to serve as a peace officer under the supervision of one of our full-time Deputies. Often, our Posse members may have other careers and want to serve, raise children full-time and serve when they can, or just want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They often serve in special events such as parades, rodeos, court security for high-profile cases, transport of persons in mental health crisis to definitive care facilities, large search and rescue, wildfire response, and assisting on patrol. These brave men and women have a desire to serve and give back to their communities, and this is a great way for them to do that, which provides a valuable service for our rural agencies."
A GoFundMe page was set up to benefit Pentlicki to help with costs News5 wants to make our viewers aware of GoFundMe's fee policy and refund policy. There is also an option to "tip" GoFundMe that is automatically set, and you have the choice to adjust. News5 has been in communication with the recipient of this fundraiser, and they have given us permission to share it. Click here to donate.
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