Spokane7
58°
March 5, 2011
Three patrol cars wrecked this week
Spokane County Sheriff’s deputy’s patrol car was taken out of service Saturday afternoon after being involved in a non-injury collision on Highway 2.
It was the third car taken out of service this week.
The most recent crash occurred about 1:15 p.m. at Hawthorne Road on Highway 2. Deputy Matt Spink was responding to an assault call. Spink was eastbound on Hawthorne with his lights and sirens on. He stopped at the intersection before proceeding through slowly.
Northbound traffic on Highway 2 had stopped in two lanes, but as Spink entered the third lane, Judith Ann Vanderbosch, 71, of Mead, entered the intersection and was struck by Spink’s car. Spink’s patrol car hit the passenger-side doors of Vanderbosch’s Buick, spinning it and smashing the patrol car’s PIT bumper off to the side.
The Washington State Patrol investigated the crash and cited Vanderbosch for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.
Another sheriff’s patrol car was totaled last Sunday night in a crash at Francis and Freya, and another was damaged in a crash on Indian Trail Road just north of Francis Thursday morning. The patrol cars - Crown Victorias - are no longer produced by Ford Motor Company and totaled patrol cars must be replaced with another model.
Missing Moscow man found dead 
duckbreath on March 05 at 9:52 p.m.
If the officer stopped at the intersection and then proceded through slowly, why did he hit the other vehicle with enough force to spin that vehicle around and bend his bumper sideways? If the troopers cited the driver for failure to give way to an emergency vehicle, is this another incidence of the brotherhood of blue protecting their own?
The more I read about the police in this area the more I think that there is an out of control police force with the backing of the sheriff and police chief.
Now, this is fact. I was driving through Airport Heights about 12:30 pm today (5 mar) and a sheriffs vehicle passed me at about Yokes market. I and the traffic around me was doing the speed limit (35mph) and the officer was going at least 45 mph and possibly 50. No lights and no siren and weaving in and out of traffic. Was he (or she) late for lunch?
Myself, I think it was the attitude “I am the police and I don’t have to obey the laws. And if I do get caught my brother officers will cover for me.”
PlanB on March 05 at 10:03 p.m.
duckbreath, the answer to your question is that the officer is lying.
They drive like freakin’ maniacs constantly and expect heaven and earth to part for them regardless of the situation. Then the lowly citizen gets blamed, even if they are the ones run over and killed at an intersection.
misjustice on March 05 at 10:47 p.m.
You guys are worthless! You need to get a life instead of sitting on there day after day trashing the police.
The police don’t have to run lights & sirens but it’s best if they do when going above the speed limit. A 71 year old woman probably didn’t have her hearing aide on & in her own world while not paying attention to the traffic around her.
Glad they didn’t get hurt other than the cars & her wallet.
Pay attention! The life you save just might be your own.