Middle school student raises money for recovering police officer with painting

By Kari Barrows

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    MCDOWELL COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — A McDowell County community continues rallying to support a police officer recovering from a serious crash.

A fellow officer’s daughter, Madilyn Hink, recently auctioned off some artwork, raising $400 for Marion Police Officer Breanna Toney, whose patrol vehicle was struck head-on Monday, Jan. 31.

Derek Smith, who owns Derek’s Muffler of Marion, ended up being the highest bidder for the East McDowell Middle School student’s painting when the auction closed Feb. 7.

On Tuesday, Feb. 8, the Marion Police Department reported Officer Toney remains in recovery after a week of care at Johnson City Medical Center. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), just before 6:15 a.m. on Jan. 31, a pickup truck crossed left of center, possibly due to a medical condition, in Mitchell County along NC 226, crashing into Toney’s patrol car head-on.

On social media, the department said Officer Toney sustained “a broken femur, several ankle and foot fractures, multiple broken ribs, a collapsed lung and other internal injuries.”

“Breanna’s attitude and spirits are high despite her circumstances,” the police department said. “Much of that is due to the overwhelming amount of support she has received from her fellow emergency services workers and the community.”

Marion police say they will be letting the public know about any future efforts to help Officer Toney and her family.

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