Aug. 9—A Spokane County Sheriff’s Office sergeant was killed Saturday morning after a motorcyclist struck the 34-year sheriff’s office veteran who was assisting a motorist remove a hay bale from Interstate 90 near Cheney.
Kenneth Salas, 59, planned to retire next month and had 30 work shifts left before his death, Sheriff John Nowels told reporters Saturday afternoon near the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Project outside the Public Safety Building in Spokane.
“Everyone is in shock,” Nowels said. “You can never mentally prepare for something like this to happen.”
A pickup truck hauling a trailer with hay was traveling at about 7:50 a.m. east on I-90 near the Four Lakes exit with Salas following behind in his patrol vehicle, according to Washington State Patrol Sgt. Greg Riddell. The driver hauling hay noticed one of the hay bales shifted, so he slowed and the bale fell off the trailer, according to Riddell.
Riddell said the driver pulled over to the right side of the interstate and Salas used his patrol car, with his emergency lights illuminated, to block the left lane where the bale fell.
Salas and the hay driver then tried to remove the bale from the road, Riddell said.
A third vehicle driving in the left lane noticed the road hazard and moved to the right lane and a motorcyclist following that vehicle switched to the left lane, Riddell said. He said the motorcyclist noticed the stopped patrol car, slowed to avoid hitting it, but struck the patrol car and Salas.
Nowels said Salas used his radio to call for an ambulance. His fellow deputies and medical professionals provided medical aid.
Riddell said Salas was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center where he died. The motorcyclist was also taken to Sacred Heart with a serious leg injury. The driver hauling hay was uninjured.
Salas’ body was taken from Sacred Heart to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office, located east of downtown Spokane, in a procession of Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Spokane Valley Police Department, Spokane Police Department, WSP and Spokane Fire Department vehicles.
“It’s a tough day for our community and for law enforcement,” Nowels said. “Sgt. Salas was a friend of mine.”
Nowels said Salas, who he worked with for 28 years, was in his office Friday saying he planned to retire Sept. 30. He shared his post-retirement plans with Nowels and was at peace with his decision to retire, Nowels said.
“I’m glad I got to spend that moment with him and hear what his plans were,” Nowels said. “It’s a very tough time for the people who worked for him, who worked with him, because he was such a good and professional deputy.”
Salas started his 34-year law enforcement career as a Spokane County corrections officer before joining the sheriff’s office as a patrol deputy, according to a sheriff’s office news release. Over the years, he also served as a school resource deputy, on the traffic unit and on the Emergency Operations Team.
Salas earned the rank of detective and corporal in 2004. He was promoted to sergeant five years later and assigned as the downtown dayshift patrol sergeant supervisor.
Salas also served more than 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and retired as a technical sergeant with the Washington Air National Guard.
Nowels said he investigated fatal traffic collisions with Salas for three years.
“He was a very important member of our team and he showed up day after day for 34 years serving this community,” Nowels said. “And today, he ended up having to pay a price that no one should have to pay just by doing what was right and stopping to help somebody clear things out of the roadway. It’s gonna take a lot for this agency and this community to process what happened to him.”
Nowels called Salas extremely “technically savvy.” He even designed some of the computer systems the sheriff’s office used.
“He was just always somebody who got in and was willing to do the work. A great personality,” he said. “He was the nicest man that you could ever hope to meet.”
Salas, who leaves behind a wife, was always there for the men and women he served with, Nowels said.
“I think he took the idea of being a servant leader to heart,” he said. “And I think the men and women who worked with him and worked for him would tell you that they just absolutely loved working for him.”
Traffic on I-90 was backed up for miles in both directions, Riddell said.
WSP is investigating. Riddell said he’s not sure whether anyone will be charged.
Nowels said Salas was simply doing his job and sometimes traffic accidents happen.
“He wasn’t doing anything that we wouldn’t want him doing,” Nowels said. “Just sometimes life throws curveballs and it did today.”
This report will be updated.