Sergeant Kenneth Salas Fatally Struck in Spokane Highway Incident

On August 9, 2025, at approximately 7:40 a.m., Sergeant Kenneth Salas, a 59-year-old veteran officer of the Spokane County Sheriff's Department, was fatally struck by a motorcyclist on Interstate 90 near the Four Lakes exit in Spokane, Washington. Salas had stopped his patrol vehicle, with emergency lights activated, to assist a motorist in retrieving a haybale that had fallen onto the eastbound highway. While blocking the hazard, Salas was struck by a motorcyclist who failed to notice the patrol vehicle in time and attempted to avoid it. Salas was transported to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries. The motorcyclist also sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized.Sergeant Salas, who served 34 years with the Spokane County Sheriff's Department and was a United States Air Force and Washington State Air National Guard veteran, was planning to retire the following month. The incident remains under investigation, with no further details released regarding the motorcyclist or additional circumstances.