A Saline County Sheriff’s Deputy is injured after a Salina Firefighter’s truck is stolen and wrecked in a fiery crash.
According to Police Captain Mike Sweeney, a 1999 Dodge 1500 pickup was stolen sometime between 4pm Thursday and 3am Friday morning from a parking lot at Salina Fire Station 1, 222 W. Elm.
Ottawa County authorities tell KSAL News that a Minneapolis Police Officer attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle for a tail light out. The driver, identified as 51-year-old Ricky Hall, refused to stop. Instead he led officers on a high-speed pursuit.
The vehicle traveled South on US 81 into Saline County. The chase was joined by deputies with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.
Near K-143 in Saline County the vehicle struck a Saline County Sheriff’s Office patrol truck. A deputy in the truck was hurt by the impact.
The suspect’s vehicle rolled into the west ditch where it caught fire. Officers and deputies were able to free the driver and place him into custody. Hall was transported to Salina Regional Health Center. He will be booked into the Ottawa County jail once released.
Saline County Sheriff Glen Kochanowski tells KSAL News that Deputy Travis Henry was injured in the crash, after Hall apparently lost control of the truck and slammed into the patrol unit in the driver side door and front fender. Deputy Henry’s vehicle was stationary in a turnaround stretch between lanes when it was struck. Deputy Henry was transported to the hospital with pain in his shoulder, arm, and neck and released.
Police say the stolen truck is owned by Jonas Hecker of rural Salina, and the keys were left in the cab. The vehicle is valued at $2,600.
