Spokane County Sheriff’s sergeant struck and killed on I-90 near Cheney

A horrible accident has taken the life of a Spokane County Sheriff’s sergeant.

Sgt. Kenneth Salas, 59, had stopped his patrol vehicle on I-90, when he was struck and killed by a motorcyclist.

The horrific tragedy took place about four miles north of Cheney, near the Four Lakes exit, at around 7:40 a.m. Saturday.

Investigators say Salas was out of his patrol vehicle, trying to remove a circular bale of hay from the interstate.

Troopers say the deputy had parked his cruiser in the left lane, with emergency lights and a directional bar activated.

A motorcyclist approaching the scene failed to see what was going on and slammed into the Ford Explorer, then struck the officer, killing him.

The motorcyclist was injured and transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.

A towing company impounded both the Explorer and the Harley Davidson motorcycle.

The Washington State Patrol says its investigation into the accident will continue.

Sgt. Kenneth Salas was a 34-year veteran in law enforcement.

He started his career as a Spokane County Corrections Officer before joining the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

His first assignment was working as a patrol deputy.

But eventually the department assigned him to many different duties, from working as a school resource deputy, as a deputy in the department’s Traffic Unit, and as a member of the sheriff’s Emergency Operations Team.

In 2004, Salas moved up the chain of command in the Spokane Sheriff’s Office, earning the rank of Detective/Corporal.

In 2009, his supervisors promoted him to the rank of Sergeant.

At that time, the department assigned him to the position of Downtown Dayshift Patrol Sergeant Supervisor.

Sgt. Kenneth Salas is survived by his wife and extended family members.

The family asks that their privacy be respected as they grieve this devastating loss.