Emergency personnel busy

Emergency personnel in Grant and Perkins County found themselves quite busy this past week, according to Sheriff Jim Brueggeman. 

 His office, along with fire and rescue squads, responded to several incidents including two accidents and an RV fire. 

At 7:37 a.m. Thursday,  a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria, driven by Carol Jacobs, 63, of Grant was northbound on Garfield Ave. and was entering the intersection at 7th Street. 

A 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix, driven by Juan Perez, Jr., 14 of Grant was westbound on 7th and struck Jacobs’ car on the passenger side in the intersection.

Perkins County ambulance in Grant responded to the scene, where Perez was treated for a minor injury. 

Both refused transport to the hospital but Perez was taken there later by private vehicle for further treatment. 

RV camper fire

At around 11 p.m., Thursday night, fire departments from Grant, Venango, Imperial, Lamar and Phillips, Co., Colorado, responded to a call of an RV camper fire.

The 2018 fifth-wheel camper, owned by Justin Howard of Copan, Oklahoma, caught fire at the intersection of Road 310 and Highway 23, just west of Venango. 

Howard’s 911 call from a cell phone originally got routed to Chase County and the Imperial department was dispatched. 

Imperial Fire Chief Doug Mitchell said the original location came in as stateline road and Hwy. 6. 

En route, they learned the fire was located at stateline road and Highway 23, near Venango. 

Venango Fire Chief Steve Tucker said a cell tower location of the call placed it southwest of Brandon, near Tuckers’ rural home. 

He drove over to the area but found no fire. He then learned it was just west of Venango. 

Imperial and Lamar departments continued on to the fire. Tucker said he also called Grant and Amherst, Colorado’s departments for mutual aid. 

Tucker said Howard had unhooked his pickup from the trailer after the fire started and moved it down the road to safety. 

Tucker said Howard was traveling from a job in Wyoming on his way back to Oklahoma. Howard wasn’t exactly sure what highway he was near when the call was initially made.

The camper was a total loss. 

One-vehicle accident

 Friday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office and Perkins County ambulance in Grant responded to a one-vehicle rollover on Road 327 north of Road 770. 

Brueggeman said Tessa Kraus, 27, lost control of the northbound 2006 Mazda sedan she was driving. 

After the vehicle left the road on the east shoulder, it broke off an electric pole and rolled into a field. 

Brueggeman said Kraus was not wearing a seat belt but two children, ages 3 and six months, were in child restraint seats. 

Kraus was able to exit the vehicle and called 911. 

The children suffered bumps and bruises, he said, while Kraus suffered back and neck issues. 

They were all transported to Perkins County Community Hospital. Kraus was later transferred to Kearney and underwent surgery
for her injuries, the sheriff said.