Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Kenneth Salas was struck and killed by a motorcyclist while removing debris on Interstate 90 near the Four Lakes exit in Spokane.
At 7:40 a.m., Sergeant Salas stopped with emergency lights activated to help a motorist retrieve a haybale that fell onto the eastbound highway. He used his patrol vehicle to block the haybale while the motorist pulled his trailer to the right side of the road. Other drivers moved to the right lane to avoid the patrol vehicle, but the motorcycle driver did not see the patrol car until it was too late. When he attempted to avoid hitting the patrol car, he struck Sergeant Salas.
Sergeant Salas was transported to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, where he passed away from his injuries.
The motorcyclist was also taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Sergeant Salas was a United States Air Force and Washington State Air National Guard veteran. He had served with the Spokane County Sheriff's Department for 34 years and was planning to retire the following month.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WA-5C227593- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Sergeant Salas gave the Spokane County Sheriff's Office 34 years.
Thank you for your service to the Spokane community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Kenneth Salas served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sergeant Kenneth Salas is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In WA, 111 of 339 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.7% of this state's fallen. That is 1.7 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Spokane County Sheriff's Dept., 3 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Kenneth Salas's cause is highlighted.
How Kenneth Salas Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Kenneth Salas is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Spokane County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
