SD Sheriff Deputy's Close Call

by Krystle Kacner
February 08, 2010

A Davison County Sheriff's Deputy is lucky to be alive tonight.  
This weekend's icy roads almost cost him his life.
It was a close call...a Semi lost control and was heading straight for him.
 
KDLT talks to the Deputy less than 48 hours after it happened, and finds out what he says saved his life.

Steve Brink says, "I could see he wasn't going to be able to stop." Next thing he knew, a Semi had crashed into his patrol car...narrowly missing Chief Deputy Steve Brink. Steve Brink says, "A big explosion when it hit. Glass flew all over."

Brink and another deputy were out on 1-90 near Mitchell helping two vehicles that had already slid on the ice into the ditch.

One of which was a bus load of kids traveling to Sioux Falls. 

Steve Brink says, "Most of the people that came by that night were very law abiding and did what they were asked to do by the officers that were out there. We had flares out and all that kind of stuff with the bus and obviously when you've got 40 kids in a bus out there you're really concerned about safety." 

Despite the flares, and safety precautions, the Semi Driver still lost control.

Steve Brink says, "I just don't understand people that drive in those kind of conditions Obviously he just didn’t know. Or he wasn't used to driving in those conditions probably weighing about 80 thousand pounds on that semi you just cant stop something like that very quickly." 

Brink, thankfully, was quick enough. 

Steve Brink says, "I ran out into the ditch. I had a ringside seat of the whole thing happening. " 

As for the Semi driver, he received a citation from troopers for over driving road conditions.

He was able to repair his semi and get it back on the road.Brink's vehicle wasn't so lucky...but he says he's just grateful that was the only damage.

Steve Brink says, "Like I said, all's well. Nobody got hurt. We can replace the machinery."