Today's blog entry is a somber, and yet current event one. At approximately 5:30 PM today my friend, and former co-worker Monte C. Ruby died from in the line of duty injuries received in an assault on August 2nd, 2008. (Please note that the top two photos on my blog are of Monte. The top picture was taken this year, and the second one was taken after pepper mace training in 1993)
Monte was a commissioned police officer for over 36 years in the state of Missouri. Monte's career began in 1972 as a reserve police officer for the city of Springfield. In 1978 he accepted employment as a commissioned officer with the Springfield School district and was assigned to Central High School. Central High was the most culturally diverse school in the district, and by far the poorest. Needless to say Central was the roughest assignment through out the district.
I myself was a student at Central from 1984-1988, and that is where my path first crossed with Monte's. I wasn't exactly an A student, and I was prone to suggestion, and often times that meant fights and the like. My first interaction with Monte occurred in 1986. I was with a couple friend on the back lot of Central, and we were about to assault some mouthy rich college students. Monte swarmed on us and broke it up before it started. he and I joked about that in later years.
Our paths crossed again in 1993 when Monte began working a commissioned police job with Cox Hospitals. (It may not be widely known, but Cox Hospital has it's own commissioned law enforcement officers, fully capable and professional as in area Police Department) Monte and I often worked some of the same shifts together, most usually at Cox North Hospital. Cox north was the only full-time, full service on the north side of Springfield, in the poorest area. Cox North could be a violent place, anywhere on campus, but the Emergency room was the epicenter of trouble. On a typical night Officers working there spent most of there time helping with dangerous physical altercations in the emergency department. Every crime you could imagine happened there at one time or another. Armed subjects, assaults, shots fired, sexual assaults, thefts, etc, etc......Often time shooting victims would be dropped off at the door by the shooting subject, and it was our job to apprehend them. Cox North had three different in patient psychiatric units, and a drug and alcohol rehab unit. All types of violent happenings occurred within those units. Furthermore Police Agencies within about 40 miles would bring their damaged, or otherwise injured suspects to the hospital and drop them off. So in short, Cox North was non-stop action, and dangerous. Most Officers assigned there had been assaulted more than a dozen times, and had to stay on their toes if they wanted to survive.
This past Saturday, August the 2nd, 2008, Monte Ruby was working day shift at Cox North when he received a call to the Emergency Room to assist an Officer from another agency that had brought in a violent felon for treatment, and was having trouble securing the subject.
Once arriving at the ER Monte realized it was a subject that he had dealt with for years, Jeffery Bolden. Jeffery Bolden was a couple of grades older than me in school, and had been a violent felon since before he received a drivers license.
All though the arresting agency had had to have 8 officers in subduing the suspect, and not to mention let a Police K-9 loose on him, they had only assigned one lone officer to secure the prisoner at the hospital. They originally were on a call where Bolden had been beating up his father and was trying to burn down the house when the police arrived. Of course he was naked when he fled, making apprehension even harder.
Now in the hospital, Bolden was handcuffed by both wrists to the bed rails in the ER. Having prior history with Monte Ruby Bolden taunted him. (Monte's daughter passed away in the late nineties) Bolden tried masturbating while in bed telling Monte that he was having "intercourse" with his daughter. All though the remarks were hurtful, he remained professional and tried to calm the crack addicted suspect down. The subject made remarks that he was going to kill Monte. Monte covered him up with a sheet in an effort to prevent him from touching himself, when Monte turned to walk away Bolden was able to curl on his side and delivered one powerful kick to the brain stem, upper neck area of Monte. Monte fell down but was able to come back to his feet and assist the other officers ( One SPD Officer, and another Cox Officer) restrain Boldens legs.....Within in a minute he began to stumble a bit. His partner asked him if he was ok and he answered that he was. Seconds later he collapsed unresponsive. ER staff began to work on him, and realized he was critically injured. He was transferred to Cox south to the Nuero Trauma Unit. Sometime during the 10 minute ambulance run between hospitals Monte stopped breathing on his own.
After arrival at the hospital he was put on a vent to help him breath, and testing began. Doctors soon reported the sad news that the kick had been the "golden BB" of sorts. Monte's brain stem had an uncontrolled bleed that was causing pressure on the spinal column, and was beginning to block signals from the brain to the body. Because of the location, it was inoperable, and the doctors soon reported that Monte was not going to survive.
On August 5th I went with a mutual friend of Monte's to see him in Nuero Trauma. He looked small and very fragile. Many machines were hooked up to him. His wife wore a brave face, but you could tell that she was in shock. His 14 year old granddaughter set quietly looking sad ( she is the daughter of his deceased daughter and he had been raising her). In the time I was there many family members and friends rotated through, as well as several police officers from different agencies wanting to pay their respects. Everyone was in shock.
His wife told me that Monte had worked two jobs, working 7 days a week, non-stop for the last 15 years.
Today at about 5 pm life support was stopped, and he died from his injuries by 5:30 PM.
Even knowing it was coming, when it happened it was like a shock. My former co-worker, and friend, a decent family man that always had a smile everyone, had been murdered by a cowardly, drugged out parasite of human being.
Somethings people should know about Monte. He was an avid golfer, and loved football. He had one wife for 40 years. He had a son, and a daughter. He had one granddaughter. He was loyal to his friends, and had hundreds of them. He was well known in the law enforcement community throughout Southwest Missouri.....and he will truly be missed.
Godspeed be with you Monte.............you can rest now.
Monte was a commissioned police officer for over 36 years in the state of Missouri. Monte's career began in 1972 as a reserve police officer for the city of Springfield. In 1978 he accepted employment as a commissioned officer with the Springfield School district and was assigned to Central High School. Central High was the most culturally diverse school in the district, and by far the poorest. Needless to say Central was the roughest assignment through out the district.
I myself was a student at Central from 1984-1988, and that is where my path first crossed with Monte's. I wasn't exactly an A student, and I was prone to suggestion, and often times that meant fights and the like. My first interaction with Monte occurred in 1986. I was with a couple friend on the back lot of Central, and we were about to assault some mouthy rich college students. Monte swarmed on us and broke it up before it started. he and I joked about that in later years.
Our paths crossed again in 1993 when Monte began working a commissioned police job with Cox Hospitals. (It may not be widely known, but Cox Hospital has it's own commissioned law enforcement officers, fully capable and professional as in area Police Department) Monte and I often worked some of the same shifts together, most usually at Cox North Hospital. Cox north was the only full-time, full service on the north side of Springfield, in the poorest area. Cox North could be a violent place, anywhere on campus, but the Emergency room was the epicenter of trouble. On a typical night Officers working there spent most of there time helping with dangerous physical altercations in the emergency department. Every crime you could imagine happened there at one time or another. Armed subjects, assaults, shots fired, sexual assaults, thefts, etc, etc......Often time shooting victims would be dropped off at the door by the shooting subject, and it was our job to apprehend them. Cox North had three different in patient psychiatric units, and a drug and alcohol rehab unit. All types of violent happenings occurred within those units. Furthermore Police Agencies within about 40 miles would bring their damaged, or otherwise injured suspects to the hospital and drop them off. So in short, Cox North was non-stop action, and dangerous. Most Officers assigned there had been assaulted more than a dozen times, and had to stay on their toes if they wanted to survive.
This past Saturday, August the 2nd, 2008, Monte Ruby was working day shift at Cox North when he received a call to the Emergency Room to assist an Officer from another agency that had brought in a violent felon for treatment, and was having trouble securing the subject.
Once arriving at the ER Monte realized it was a subject that he had dealt with for years, Jeffery Bolden. Jeffery Bolden was a couple of grades older than me in school, and had been a violent felon since before he received a drivers license.
All though the arresting agency had had to have 8 officers in subduing the suspect, and not to mention let a Police K-9 loose on him, they had only assigned one lone officer to secure the prisoner at the hospital. They originally were on a call where Bolden had been beating up his father and was trying to burn down the house when the police arrived. Of course he was naked when he fled, making apprehension even harder.
Now in the hospital, Bolden was handcuffed by both wrists to the bed rails in the ER. Having prior history with Monte Ruby Bolden taunted him. (Monte's daughter passed away in the late nineties) Bolden tried masturbating while in bed telling Monte that he was having "intercourse" with his daughter. All though the remarks were hurtful, he remained professional and tried to calm the crack addicted suspect down. The subject made remarks that he was going to kill Monte. Monte covered him up with a sheet in an effort to prevent him from touching himself, when Monte turned to walk away Bolden was able to curl on his side and delivered one powerful kick to the brain stem, upper neck area of Monte. Monte fell down but was able to come back to his feet and assist the other officers ( One SPD Officer, and another Cox Officer) restrain Boldens legs.....Within in a minute he began to stumble a bit. His partner asked him if he was ok and he answered that he was. Seconds later he collapsed unresponsive. ER staff began to work on him, and realized he was critically injured. He was transferred to Cox south to the Nuero Trauma Unit. Sometime during the 10 minute ambulance run between hospitals Monte stopped breathing on his own.
After arrival at the hospital he was put on a vent to help him breath, and testing began. Doctors soon reported the sad news that the kick had been the "golden BB" of sorts. Monte's brain stem had an uncontrolled bleed that was causing pressure on the spinal column, and was beginning to block signals from the brain to the body. Because of the location, it was inoperable, and the doctors soon reported that Monte was not going to survive.
On August 5th I went with a mutual friend of Monte's to see him in Nuero Trauma. He looked small and very fragile. Many machines were hooked up to him. His wife wore a brave face, but you could tell that she was in shock. His 14 year old granddaughter set quietly looking sad ( she is the daughter of his deceased daughter and he had been raising her). In the time I was there many family members and friends rotated through, as well as several police officers from different agencies wanting to pay their respects. Everyone was in shock.
His wife told me that Monte had worked two jobs, working 7 days a week, non-stop for the last 15 years.
Today at about 5 pm life support was stopped, and he died from his injuries by 5:30 PM.
Even knowing it was coming, when it happened it was like a shock. My former co-worker, and friend, a decent family man that always had a smile everyone, had been murdered by a cowardly, drugged out parasite of human being.
Somethings people should know about Monte. He was an avid golfer, and loved football. He had one wife for 40 years. He had a son, and a daughter. He had one granddaughter. He was loyal to his friends, and had hundreds of them. He was well known in the law enforcement community throughout Southwest Missouri.....and he will truly be missed.
Godspeed be with you Monte.............you can rest now.
No comments:
Post a Comment