Tree crashes onto deputy’s SUV, pins him with critical injuries, Washington sheriff says

A tree toppled onto a Clark County deputy’s patrol SUV as he returned from training, pinning him inside, Washington sheriff’s officials reported.

The deputy suffered critical injuries to his legs in the accident at 10:16 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, in Skamania County, a sheriff’s release reported.

The top half of a tree heavily laden with snow broke off and fell on the windshield and hood of the deputy’s SUV, the release said.

He was driving back to Clark County from training in nearby Skamania County.

Firefighters as well as other law enforcement officers returning from the same training had to extricate the deputy from his crushed SUV, sheriff’s officials said.

Following surgery, he was transferred to a Portland hospital in critical but stable condition, officials said in a later update.

The deputy, identified as Drew Kennison, had to have part of his left leg amputated, the Clark County Deputy Sheriff’s Guild told KHQ.

Clark County is on the Washington-Oregon border just north of Portland.

This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 10:30 AM with the headline "Tree crashes onto deputy’s SUV, pins him with critical injuries, Washington sheriff says."