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State Trooper Speaks Out About Her Close Encounter With Death

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Just five months ago, a Maryland State trooper was fighting for her life after she was struck by a car while assisting on a traffic stop. Now she's back on the job and talking publicly about what happened for the first time.

Derek Valcourt spoke with the injured trooper and has more on her recovery.

It's a story she knows she's lucky to be telling after another driver struck her as she stood on the side of the road.

"I don't remember anything at all," said Trooper Jacqueline Kline.

Kline knows how lucky she is to have survived the horrible accident that nearly ended her life five months ago. That's when she was standing on the shoulder of Route 100 assisting another trooper on a DUI traffic stop when she was struck by a passing driver.

Five months of rehab later, Kline shows physical scars but the worst damage was internal, including a traumatic brain injury.

"Forgetting things here and there. It's the most frustrating thing that I've ever dealt with," she said.

Kline credits her survival to fellow Trooper Justin Fohs, who was there when the accident happened.

"He immediately called for help. He immediately made sure I could breathe. He did everything that he needed to do; he reverted to his training. He didn't panic and I can't thank him enough because without him I wouldn't be here today," she said.

"I give it to her. She's a fighter and she kept herself going and I'm just glad that she's coming back," Fohs said.

It is back to work for Kline, though not trooper work just yet. For now, her recovery will only allow administrative duties.

"Maybe they're not so fun but it's all getting me back to what I want to be doing so anything to help anybody around the barrack, I'm willing to do," she said.

Kline wants to remind drivers to obey the state's so-called "Move Over" law requiring drivers to change lanes when possible to give police and other vehicles on the roadside some space.

"You can spare a couple more minutes, a couple more seconds to get to where you have to go just to be safe on the road, to move over," Kline said.

She says she's extremely thankful for all of the support and well wishes she has received from friends, strangers and even people who she's written speeding tickets to in the past. For now, Kline says it's not clear when she'll be ready to get back to full active duty as a trooper.

The driver accused of striking Kline is set to stand trial next month on charges to negligent driving and failure to obey the state's Move Over law.

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