No. 3: Former intern still feeling effects of police car wreck

 I'm one of those people who won't ask for help, so this situation has been a struggle for me, but I appreciate all the people who stepped up to help me.

 I had a steady stream of visitors: police, soccer team, parents and coaches, baseball team, friends from school, neighbors, county commissioner Burt Elliott, teachers from NSU.

 Later, when I went to the impound yard to see the cars, I was amazed that our injuries weren't worse. We were all pretty lucky.

 The Aberdeen Police Department is filled with great officers who made me feel welcome. Officers were more than willing to help me learn and share their experience. They took me in and treated me like one of their own.

 My internship was an awesome experience — except for the accident. Immediately after the accident, they offered help, counseling and support. The police department was very supportive while I was still in South Dakota.

 While Elliott worked through school, the South Dakota Highway Patrol conducted its investigation of the collision and determined that Reyes was driving 58 mph when he collided with Miller's vehicle, traveling 18 mph. The speed limit at that uncontrolled intersection is 20 mph.

 On May 5, Elliott received her degree at NSU's commencement ceremonies, her right arm in a black sling that blended into her gown as she walked the stage. She accepted the diploma with her left hand.

 Less than two weeks later, on May 17, Reyes lost his job with the Aberdeen Police Department and was cited for his role in the collision. Reyes was later sentenced to pay $285 in fines and fees, spend six months on probation and received a suspended 30-day jail sentence. Miller recovered from his injuries and continues to work for the police department. The apartment building's owner said most of the damage has been repaired.

 Elliott is now pursuing a master's degree in criminal justice at Washington State University, but she continues to feel the effects of an accident that happened nine months ago, more than 1,000 miles away.

ELLIOTT: I still see a chiropractor and do physical therapy at WSU to try and get my strength back so that I can begin testing for law enforcement. The testing process can take over a year, so I really should be completing the physical testing right now, but I am nowhere near ready to do that at this time.

 The chiropractor continues to work on my neck and back since the accident; my back and neck were really out of alignment but couldn't be worked on very well until my collarbone healed some. So this is a slow process. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in some pretty intense headaches that can last for three to four days at a time.

 I can't enroll in a police academy because I would fail the physical. I can't even do a single pushup. I have good days and bad days. Sometimes I have to take medication for the migraines, even though I hate it.

 The city of Aberdeen was initially supportive, as well. They sent representatives to visit me in the hospital, sent cards and flowers and offered to assist with handling of medical bills and insurance claims.

 However, the city's insurance company recently indicated that they are not responsible for my injuries and have denied my claim. My personal health insurance has maxed out and they are no longer covering my physical therapy and my medical bills are rapidly adding up. As a result, I may be forced to hire a lawyer to represent me.

 It's very frustrating because I would never have wanted to file suit against a city that had become my second home and people who I felt were my friends.

 Elliott was told by doctors that her collarbone won't be fully healed for a year after the accident and she shouldn't fire a gun until 18 months after her injury. She has been slowly regaining her strength and recently started going to the gym to exercise on the advice of her physical therapist.

 The city of Aberdeen's liability insurance is handled by the South Dakota Policy Assurance Alliance. Elliott's claim was denied because of the waiver she signed which allowed her to go on the ride-along. Jack Hieb, an attorney with Richardson Law Firm in Aberdeen, who examined Elliott's claim for the alliance, said Elliott accepted all of the risks inherent in a ride-along when she signed her waiver. He also said if the waivers aren't enforced, no one could go on ride-alongs because of liability issues.

 At the time of this writing, she had not filed a lawsuit but was looking into hiring a lawyer.