Ice Blamed For Injuries To Deputies, Sheriff Says He's 'Scared to Death' About Roadside Risks

SIDNEY – Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope says sheriff’s deputies injured in separate accidents on an icy patch of road Tuesday have been released from the hospital, but the incident heightens his concerns about roadside safety.

The Iowa State Patrol reports that Deputy Andrew Wake suffered minor injuries after his car slid on the ice-covered pavement of  J-46  Road near Shenandoah. The vehicle rolled into the ditch and came to rest on its wheels.

Another deputy responding to the accident, was outside of his patrol vehicle with firefighters, when he was hit by a car sliding through the accident scene.

The state patrol says a 1990 Buick LeSabre driven by 65-year-old Ronald Fritschle of Nebraska City was approaching the scene, when he lost control of his vehicle on the ice. The Buick went onto the north shoulder, returned to the road and then the south shoulder.

The accident report says as the Buick slid toward the south shoulder, its left rear struck Deputy Austin Richardson.

Deputy Wake was treated and released at Shenandoah Memorial Hospital and Deputy Richardson was released on Wednesday.

The sheriff says he expects Wake to return to work right away, but said Richardson may need time to recuperate from injuries.

The sheriff said the patch of road was so slick that he could hardly stand on it when he arrived, but other roads in the area were not ice-covered.

He said the incident on the county road causes him concern for officer safety wherever speeds and traffic increase.

Aistrope: “I’m scared to death that  someone will get hit on the Interstate. The people don’t pay attention. They are looking at their phones or doing something and people don’t get over. They don’t even slow down.”