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Accidents shut down I-135 near Newton Monday (Courtesy: Harvey County Sheriff's Department / February 25, 2013) |
The weather conditions Monday afternoon didn't create the best "work environment" for two Harvey County deputies.
"It was pretty much a white out at that point, you couldn't see very well,” Sheriff T. Walton said.
Walton says his deputies were sent to a jack-knifed semi on I-135. A trooper needed help slowing-down traffic.
"Here comes a van, doing about 65 miles per hour, trying to pass another vehicle, and goes directly into my deputy,” Sheriff Walton said.
The van rear-ended the deputy, sitting inside his truck.
Then....
"About 30 seconds later, here comes another car... also trying to pass. And he admits he's doing 65 and goes into the second deputy trying to slow down traffic and he rear-ends him,” Sheriff Walton said.
The Sheriff's Office took another hit in the accident. The sheriff only has five four-wheel drive vehicles. Now, after the accident, he's down two. And, another vehicle has an issue with power steering.
"So, I'm three down,” Sheriff Walton said.
Everyone is okay. But this accident proves a point emergency officials in Sedgwick County are trying to get across too. If you don't have to drive, don't. That’s because it makes their job harder.
"All of sudden there's an ambulance behind them, and there's really no where for them to go to pull over safely, and let us go around,” Sedgwick County EMS Director Scott Hadley said.
His crews will be at work, no matter how bad it is outside. EMS stations now have cots set-up for workers who need to stay overnight to avoid driving anymore in the weather.
