PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Maury Henandez’s life changed on Aug. 7, 2007. There was chaos to race the young Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy for help after a bullet ripped through the right side of his brain.
Hernandez survived, but not without suffering and anguish. He has undergone surgeries and eyesight rehab.
At 43 years old, he faces paralysis along the left side of his body with positive self-talk, but sometimes the memories still haunt him.
“The flash from the gun is something that I think about constantly.”
Hernandez is the subject of the Relief of Maury Hernandez by the Department of Corrections, so lawmakers can consider his case and allocate $10 million for the damages that he said could have been prevented.
Hernandez pulled over a speeder, David Maldonado, who lied and ran as he pulled out a 45-caliber handgun and shot Hernandez.
It turns out he should have never been driving and since he was a felon on probation he shouldn’t have had a gun, Hernandez said.
Police officers arrested Maldonado, a habitual traffic offender, who faced felony traffic charges on April 18, 2007. Hernandez said there were mistakes that the Department of Corrections attributed to a rookie probation officer with a big caseload.
“You feel betrayed,” Hernandez said.
As a deputy, he said he felt his teammates worked at the department and believed that everyone was on the same page, but he was wrong.
Hernandez said he believed that “everybody is going to have each other’s back and not have an outright mistake like this.”
His law enforcement career ended nearly 16 years ago. He attempted to return to work, but he was unable to perform to minimum standards.
If legislators pass the relief bill, Gov. Ron DeSantis will also have to sign off on it.
Read the bill