Deputy hurt in crash on I-49 during storms in Bates County

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A deputy with the Bates County Sheriff's Office was injured in a crash Wednesday evening on Interstate 49. At 6:15 p.m., the deputy was dispatched to a reported accident involving a pregnant female south of Butler. While traveling southbound on I-49, the patrol vehicle encountered standing water and began to hydroplane, according to the sheriff's office. The sheriff's office said the deputy sustained minor injuries from the crash. The deputy's vehicle crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer at approximately 70-75 mph, the sheriff's office said. The patrol vehicle had extensive damage. The deputy sustained minor injuries and was transported to Bates County Hospital for evaluation and treatment, the sheriff's office said. The tractor-trailer involved sustained only minimal damage. "Heavy rainfall led to an extraordinary increase in hydroplaning incidents and slide-offs along the interstate throughout the evening," the sheriff's office said. "Additional staffing was called in to manage the surge in weather-related traffic calls." The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. The sheriff's office is reminding everyone that even experienced drivers need to exercise extreme caution during heavy rainfall and reduce speeds when standing water is present on the roadway.