According to the Great Bend Police Department, at approximately 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, a Barton County Sheriff’s Office patrol car driven by Michael Pata was heading southbound on Main Street, responding to a fight in progress call outside the city limits.
The deputy was utilizing his lights and sirens, the report noted.
When the deputy attempted to proceed south through the 10th Street intersection, he struck a semi driven buy John Doran of Pennsylvania, which was travelling westbound on 10th Street.
After the sheriff’s car struck the semi, the semi pushed the sheriff’s car into the light pole at 10th and Main located at the northwest corner of the intersection.
Doran stated in the police report he had a green light at Main Street to proceed westbound on 10th Street. Doran heard sirens, but thought they were coming form a police car that was directly in front of him in the eastbound turning lane. Doran also stated that he never saw the sheriff’s car until it struck the semi.
Neither the deputy nor the driver of the semi reported any injuries at the scene.
Sgt. James Bacher of the Great Bend Police Department and Juli Reed a resident of Hoisington witnessed the accident.
The Barton County Sheriff’s Office requested that the Great Bend Police Department investigate the accident, in order to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.