Sheriff Marty Arganbright says the vehicle was nearly brand-new, acquired last summer and paid off several weeks ago, it had only about 8,000 miles on it. The vehicle was towed to the Sheriff’s offices’ impound lot and now waits to be seen by an insurance adjuster. Arganbright tells Raccoon Valley Radio that there’s a lot of damage to the vehicle and he would prefer it be totaled out by the insurance adjuster so they can get a replacement. “There was a lot of damage. I know the drive train was busted. I helped load the vehicle up on the flatbed and we had to get under and tie the drive train up. The back wheel axle was busted and also the frame. Both tires were blown out from the impact and getting pushed across the road into the ditch. The airbags all deployed. Even though the outside doesn’t look bad, there’s a lot of damage underneath and on the frame, that you can’t even see. Our vehicles need to be in the best condition when driving down the road, but we’ll see what happens with the vehicle and whether it is fixed or replaced.”

While the vehicle was badly damaged, its driver, Deputy Kent Gries, thankfully was not. Arganbright says Gries was back to work Wednesday with only minor injuries. “He said he would be good to come back to work and he was looking forward to getting back here. He came yesterday and said he had sore muscles. Anytime you’re involved in a collision like that it can do things to your body that you’re not even aware of, so we’re monitoring his condition but he’s okay to be back at work.”

Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it becomes official.