A Kingston police officer who was hit by a car while directing traffic outside of J. Watson Bailey Middle School earlier this month remains off duty while he recovers from his injuries at home. At a meeting of the Kingston Police Commission Wednesday, KPD Deputy Chief Ricky Negron said it was unclear when or if Officer John Kurz would return to duty as a school resource officer.

“We’re just not sure yet of his status,” Negron told the commission. “He’s banged up pretty good.”

At 7:45 a.m. on Oct. 5, Kurz was directing traffic on Hurley Avenue outside the school when he was struck by a passing vehicle. Negron said the initial impact threw Kurz into the opposite lane where he was hit by a second vehicle and knocked unconscious. The driver of the vehicle that struck Kurz remained on the scene and cooperated with police. No arrests were made or tickets issued at the time. Negron said the incident could easily have turned deadly.

“He took a pretty good shot,” said Negron. “He’s a very lucky individual.”

Negron praised Ulster County sheriff’s deputies and other first responders who assisted at the scene, including the Kingston Fire Department, whose EMT’s rendered aid to the injured officer at the scene and transported him to HealthAlliance Hospital. Negron also praised Quilts for Cops, an Oregon-based nonprofit that makes quilts for police officers injured in the line of duty and plans to send one to Kurz.

“I thought that was really nice,” Negron told the commission. “It’s cool to hear people supporting the police services and the emergency services with something like that.”