WASHINGTON, Mo. – Students returned to class Thursday at Washington Middle School, but their school resource officer did not.
Officer Matt Cooper, 39, is recovering at home after he and five others were struck by a vehicle outside The Ted Drewes custard stand on Chippewa the evening of Dec. 22, 2024.
Cooper was off-duty and with his family at the time. He had jumped in to help others to safety when the vehicle hit him.
The teen driver has been charged.
Cooper went into surgery for a broken knee and had several stitches to his head. While he is back home, his recovery will be a long one. His next doctor’s appointment is in two weeks, and from there he will learn whether he can proceed to physical therapy or require more surgery.
The Chief Mason Griffith Foundation, named in honor of the fallen Hermann officer who died in the line of duty in 2023, is helping with Matt Cooper’s medical expenses. So far, it has raised a little more than $20,000.
The foundation will host a fundraiser next month to provide continued support for Officer Cooper as he recovers.