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Hutchinson County approves insurance claim filing for wrecked sheriff’s patrol car
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Summary
Hutchinson County officials approved filing an insurance claim after the sheriff reported extensive frame damage to a wrecked patrol vehicle and outlined challenges replacing it within existing fleet and budget constraints.
Hutchinson County officials voted to approve filing an insurance claim for a wrecked patrol vehicle after the sheriff reported the car sustained extensive underframe damage and is likely to be declared a total loss.
County officials heard that the vehicle was towed to JW's Collision, where a technician concluded the damage to the frame and undercarriage was severe enough that “I couldn't even quote it,” and the shop expects the vehicle will likely be totaled. The sheriff said the department needs an insurance adjuster to inspect the car and determine whether the insurer will declare a total and how much the county might receive toward replacement.
The matter matters to county operations because the sheriff's office has limited spare vehicles. The sheriff said the department currently has one Dodge Charger in rotation and that a pickup purchased in the current budget is still in the shop. Officials discussed short-term availability through cooperative purchasing channels but said many co-op vendors reported no SUVs or pickups available; one dealer agreed to hold a Ford F-150 Police Responder on the lot while the county finalizes purchase paperwork.
During the meeting the sheriff described the next steps as submitting the claim and arranging for an adjuster to inspect the vehicle. The sheriff said, “we probably have to have an adjuster come out, make sure we get a total, get that turned in and see what I can do about insurance and how much they're gonna give us for the old money compared with the quote on any.”
A motion to approve filing the claim was made by the sheriff, seconded by another member, and the presiding official called for a vote; the transcript records the motion and that the meeting proceeded after the vote but does not include a roll-call or individual tallies.
County officials said replacing the vehicle will depend on the insurer's settlement and on vehicle availability through cooperative purchasing agreements; the sheriff emphasized a preference for a police-grade F-150-type responder over using additional Chargers for county roads. The immediate administrative step is to submit the claim and have the insurer’s adjuster inspect the wrecked vehicle.
The meeting did not specify a timeline for the adjuster's visit, the insurer's decision, or a replacement vehicle delivery date.
