Thurston County Sheriff Snaza to return to work in January

Thurston County Sheriff John Snaza announced Saturday that he will return to work at the beginning of the new year.

Snaza, who was injured in a Montana motorcycle crash Aug. 23, made the announcement in a video posted to Facebook. In the video, the sheriff apologizes to Thurston County residents for being away from work for so long. Snaza then thanked the community for the support he received during that time.

“I want to say thank you very much for all your thoughts, your prayers and your blessings for my speedy recovery,” Snaza said. “Without those prayers and blessings, I don’t know if I would be here today.”

He said he looks forward to serving Thurston County for years to come.

Snaza suffered serious injuries in the crash. He had been traveling with a group of friends on Montana Route 200 near Noxon when he lost control of his 2009 Harley-Davidson while driving around a curve, according to the Montana Highway Patrol.

His injuries included a punctured lung, a lacerated kidney, a severely broken left arm and a damaged right hand. Snaza underwent a successful surgery to fuse a bone in his neck.

He began his recovery at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and was then transferred to Harborview Rehabilitation Center in Seattle. He has spent the past several weeks recovering in Thurston County.

Undersheriff Tim Braniff has been managing the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office in Snaza’s absence.

This story was originally published December 17, 2016 at 6:51 PM with the headline "Thurston County Sheriff Snaza to return to work in January."