A Gallatin County, Montana Sheriff's deputy is lucky to be alive after his patrol car was struck by a tractor trailer Saturday morning.
Deputy Randy Schott was responding to crash on Interstate 90 over Bozeman Pass Saturday morning and had just put the driver involved in his patrol vehicle to keep him safe, when he heard yells from firefighters on the scene, according to NBC Montana.
Schott's SUV was hit from behind by the truck and shoved into a snowbank before the tractor trailer ended up on the patrol vehicle's hood. No one was injured in the crash, but the patrol vehicle was totaled.
Despite the use of emergency lights, Schott said drivers often go too fast near crash scenes and that they don't always stay in the lane farthest from the scene.
"We had a deputy and, I believe, two fire units that were behind me trying to slow people down and push them over to the passing lane away from us," he said. "It's frustrating that people aren't slowing down. We're in the middle of winter, and by now people should realize they have to slow down."
Montana state law requires drivers near the scene of an accident on the interstate to slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
Schott told the news station that he hopes his close call serves as a reminder for drivers to watch their speed in the winter months.
