Feb. 23, 2023 A Clark County sheriff’s deputy is in stable but critical condition after undergoing surgery for significant injuries to his legs and an arm when the top half of a tree toppled onto his patrol car.
By Zane Sparling Source oregonlive.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A Clark County sheriff’s deputy suffered serious injuries after a snow-laden tree fell onto his patrol car Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The deputy suffered significant injuries to his legs and one of his arms and underwent surgery, said Clark County sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Skidmore. He didn’t identify the deputy but said he has been transferred to a Portland hospital.
The deputy is stable but still in critical condition, Skidmore said.
The crash happened just after 10:15 a.m. as a convoy of local police, including two Clark County deputies, were driving through a rural stretch of Skamania County after completing a training session.
Deputies were driving on Washougal River Road near Salmon Falls Road when the top half of the tree toppled, Skidmore said.
“There was a ton of snow up there. They were going slow speeds, 25 miles an hour,” he said. “It sounds like a freak accident.”
Officers provided emergency first aid while awaiting help from firefighters, who cut the deputy out of the crushed car.