By Vanesa Brashier, editor@bluebonnetnews.com
A Back the Blue event to benefit injured Roman Forest Police Officer Greg Sammon will be held this Saturday, Aug. 10, at Bull Sallas Park show barn, 21675 McCleskey Rd., New Caney.
Sammon was critically injured on June 17, 2019, when the motorcycle he was driving was struck by a speeding motorist while escorting an oversized load on North Loop 610 in Houston.
“A speeding motorist in a pickup truck hit the car to the right of Officer Sammon. That caused the truck to swerve back to the left into Sammon’s motorcycle. He was run over during the accident and they had to move the vehicle to get him out from under it,” said Roman Forest Police Chief Stephen Carlisle. “It was a miracle he survived. He suffered eight broken ribs, a punctured lung and punctured aorta.”
After surviving his own near-death experience in May 2017 when a deer jumped out in front of his motorcycle, Carlisle understands what Sammon is going through.
“He bragged that he beat me. I had seven broken ribs after my accident. He had eight. He is always an overachiever,” said Carlisle jokingly.
After Sammon’s release from the hospital, he was accompanied home by fellow motorcycle enthusiasts, including some of his friends within law enforcement.
Since then, he appeared at the Fourth of July parade in Roman Forest, riding in a Jeep instead of leading the parade by motorcycle as he has in the past.
According to Carlisle, Sammon expects to return to work as soon as he is medically released.
“It depends on how well his therapy goes. It could be another month or so. He plans to return to work. He is our firearms instructor. He does anything and everything for us related to firearms,” the chief said. “He also tells me he is getting back on his motorcycle as soon as he can. I believe him. Where there is a will, there is a way.”
Helping Roman Forest PD with the benefit on Saturday are Humble Police Association, Pct. 4 Commissioner James Metts, Harley-Davidson of Kingwood and the Pct. 4 Constable’s Citizen Academy Alumni. Prior to joining RFPD, Sammon was a sergeant at Humble PD, where he retired after 30 years of service.
The benefit on Saturday includes a motorcycle ride that begins at 9 a.m. at Harley-Davidson of Kingwood, 111 Northpines Dr., Kingwood. The ride, which includes breakfast and lunch, is $35 per person. The ride is open to motorcycles, Jeeps, hotrods and other vehicles. Riders are encouraged to bring along and display their Blue Line flags.
After the motorcycle ride, the rest of the benefit will kick off at 10 a.m. at Bull Sallas Park. Barbecue plates will be sold for $10. There will also be live and silent auctions, and live music provided by the Kenny Martin Band, The Lonestar AllStars, Shayne Porter and other musicians.
