Photo: Sr. Trooper JT Brown with Abbie Rutledge at Bevill State’s pinning ceremony. Story as printed in the Q4 2024 ACCS Alabama Minute Newsletter.
A routine traffic stop on Highway 78 turned into a life-changing encounter between a state trooper and a young woman searching for her path.
Two years ago, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Senior Trooper JT Brown pulled over Abbie Rutledge for speeding. Abbie was working for another company, but as they talked, it became clear her dreams lay elsewhere.
Trooper Brown, recognizing a young person at a crossroads, chose to offer more than just a warning.“
She had only ever been stopped, like, one time,” said Trooper Brown. “I was like, ‘You know what? I’m going to give this young lady a break. She seems like she’s working hard and needs a chance.’”
He shared his story, explaining how he once pursued a different career as a surgical technician before finding his true calling as a state trooper. His message was simple: it’s okay to fail, but it’s more important to try.
Abbie took his words to heart and, after their conversation, took a step to enroll in the next surgical tech class. She called her mother, Tammy Guthrie. Surprisingly, Guthrie was the teacher in the surgical tech program Trooper Brown had attended at Bevill State Community College.
“He did something in 10-15 mins that I had been struggling to help her with for 20 years!” Guthrie posted via Facebook.“I am forever grateful!”In 2024, Abbie graduated from that program, holding the warning Trooper Brown had given her as a reminder of the day her life changed course.
In a twist of fate, her pinning ceremony fell on the exact date of their encounter.
“When I saw him, I wanted to burst out in tears because it felt like a sigh of relief knowing that he was there seeing my accomplishment that he made possible,” said Abbie.
Trooper Brown’s words not only guided Abbie but also transformed her future, proving that sometimes, the most unexpected moments can change our lives forever.