Bellevue police officer who fell onto I-5 recovering
Officer Kevin Bereta suffered serious back, leg and shoulder injuries that may require multiple surgeries.
BELLEVUE, Wash. — A Bellevue police officer who fell 50 feet off an overpass during Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit is “in good spirits” and recovering.
Bellevue Police Department Captain Landon Barnwell told reporters Friday that Officer Kevin Bereta, 39, has been upgraded to stable from serious. Bereta suffered severe injuries to his back, legs and shoulders, which may require multiple surgeries.
Bereta is sitting up and recovering, although Barnwell said it could take several months for him to recover.
“He has a long way to go to recover here,” Barnwell said. He’s not out of the weeds.
Bereta was serving details for Harris’s visit August 15 when he was ejected from his motorcycle while riding on the Interstate 5 overpass in Seattle. Bereta fell from a ramp on the southbound lane of Interstate 5.
Barnwell said some motorists traveling on I-5 stopped to help.
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is investigating the incident. Barnwell said the exact circumstances of what caused it won’t be available until WSP finishes its investigation.
Bereta, who is married and has three young children, has joined the force since 2018, according to Barnwell. Bereta moved to the Department of Transportation as a motor officer in 2020.
The captain described Bereta as someone who always had a smile on his face and loved to joke around.
“He was always attractive and had a very playful personality,” says Barnwell.
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