Editor’s note: The video is from a 2019 incident.
REDFIELD — A Dallas County Deputy Sheriff narrowly avoided possibly fatal injuries Saturday afternoon while helping a motorist stranded in the snow storm on the interstate south of Redfield.
According to a statement released Sunday by the Dallas County Sheriff’s office, the incident occurred about 4:20 p.m. Saturday as Deputy Brandon Bjoin was assisting a motorist whose vehicle was stuck in the median at the 102.5 mile marker on U.S. Interstate 80. There were numerous weather-related accidents on interstate at the time.
Bjoin “was speaking with the person who got stuck, when an accident behind him occurred, unbeknownst to him. As a result of that accident, a black Suburban entered into the median where Deputy Bjoin was standing and sideswiped him, striking his right arm and knocking him to the ground,” according to the sheriff’s statement.
The motorist whom Bjoin was assisting was not injured.
The deputy was transported by Dallas County EMS to Methodist Hospital in downtown Des Moines and was later released from Methodist with bruising to his right arm.
“Deputy Bjoin was extremely lucky that he did not suffer a major injury or death,” the sheriff’s office said. “We hope this serves as a reminder to all motorists to slow down when you see flashing lights and to use caution in winter driving situations.”
The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office thanked the rapid response of the Dallas County EMS, Stuart Police Department, Earlham Police Department, Earlham Fire Department and the Iowa State Patrol.
The near miss recalls a similar incident in February 2019 in which Dallas County Deputy Sheriff Brandon Soll was struck by a vehicle in white-out conditions while investigating a collision on Iowa Highway 44 near R Avenue east of Dallas Center.
