By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

COLUMBUS, Kan. — Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves is crediting a deputy with saving the lives of three family members who were trapped in a burning pickup truck.

According to a news release, Deputy Josh Whitely responded at 12:20 a.m. Sunday to a one-vehicle accident near Northeast 30th and Star Valley roads, a few miles southeast of Scammon. He found three people trapped inside a burning pickup that had flipped on its side after sliding into a ditch. The engine compartment was on fire.

Whitely said he kicked out the windshield of the burning pickup and was able to remove all three occupants.

“I was excited, but my training took over, and I got everybody out safely,” Whitely said.

The pickup, carrying gas cans and camping fuel, was in enveloped in flames soon after Whitely removed the occupants.

“It seemed like just seconds” before the flames were all around the truck, he said.

Whitely, 28, has been with the Sheriff’s Department for two years, and has been in military and civilian police agencies for about 10 years.

Driver William Prater, 41, was taken to St. John’s Maude Norton Hospital in Columbus for treatment of injuries. Passengers Thomas Prater, 39, and Benjamin Prater, 13, declined treatment. All three were listed as being from Columbus in a Kansas Highway Patrol accident report.

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