Tuesday, May 21, 2013

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Car crash threatens deputy's life
Posted: 03.12.2009 at 6:12 PM
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FAIRFIELD, IOWA -- The scene of a single vehicle semi accident spiraled out of control Wednesday near Fairfield, Iowa.

The clock read about 4:00 when Jefferson County Sheriff Jerry Droz and his deputies were rushing to the scene of an accident.

A semi rolled over on Highway 34 about a mile east of Batavia.

"The driver was trapped inside. The sheriff and I assisted EMS in extracting the driver. During that time another deputy, Kent Lox rolled up to the scene," said Chief Deputy Gregg Morton.

Things quickly got out of control.

In dashboard cam video that KTVO obtained from the sheriff’s department, a green Grandam suddenly appears on the screen.

At a high speed the car clips the edge of a Batavia fire truck then smashes into the sheriff's unmarked vehicle causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

“I’m not a body man, but I’d say about $5,000 worth [of damage]. It actually hit the rear pretty square. The bumper, the trunk lid and it actually crumpled the back fenders a little bit,” Morton said.

But as the car swerves onto to scene, the sheriff's vehicle wasn't the only thing in it's way. Deputy Lox was walking right in the vehicle’s path of destruction on the highway’s shoulder.

"I saw the deputy run into the ditch and my first thought was, ‘is he okay?’ That's the scary part right there," Morton said.

"He would have been hit if he hadn't jumped out of the way," Droz said.

"Deputy Lox could have very easily lost his life in that incident," Morton said.

This type of an incident is all too common for law enforcement officers. It's something the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department hopes people learn from.

"I want people to wake up, you know, we are out there for a reason," Morton said.

"Slow down, pay attention to lights and keep in mind the emergency personnel are out there trying to help somebody," Droz said.

According to accident reports from the Iowa State Patrol, the driver of the semi truck was taken to the Jefferson County Hospital for treatment.

Cindy Cheely of Burlington was driving the green vehicle involved in the second accident with the sheriff's car. She wasn't treated for any injuries.

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