By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
Early Tuesday morning, Saline County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a vehicle fire on the northwest side of Salina.
At 5:59 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, the Sheriff's Office received a call about an SUV engulfed in flames on West North Street shortly west of North Tressin Road.
Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander said due to muddy road conditions, deputies did not reach the scene until around 6:15 a.m. When they arrived, most of its identifiable characteristics had already burned away.
"It is burnt so bad that he described it as being either dark purple, silver, black or red," Melander said. "We do think that it is a Jeep SUV four-door; right now, it's silver in color because of the fire."
Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the blaze and allowed deputies to look closer at the vehicle. They didn't locate anyone around the car, and the fire burned away the Vehicle Identification Number or VIN on the windshield.
Melander said it seemed as though the Jeep likely had gotten stuck in the muddy conditions of the dirt road and overheated when the driver attempted to free the vehicle.
The road conditions also delayed Saline County's response since most responders had to use North Tressin Road to reach the scene since some of West North Street was impassible at the time.
Through further investigation, deputies located another VIN stamp and found its driver, which confirmed the initial speculation.
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