Eric Appel, a 46-year-old Saline County Sheriff’s Deputy, was transported to the hospital following an accident that occurred on the 600 block of North Santa Fe shortly after 2:10 p.m. Saturday.

The Salina Police Department worked the accident. According to Police Sgt. Brent Rupert, Appel was driving northbound in the passing lane, without lights or sirens, when a 2001 Buick Century, driven by Kelly Rudolph, pulled out of Chuck’s Bar and struck the deputy’s patrol vehicle. The patrol vehicle then jumped the curb and struck a parked semi.

Both vehicles sustained heavy front-end damage. Appel was transported to Salina Regional Health Center with a possible concussion and was later released. Rudolph, 70, Salina, refused transport.

Sheriff Roger Soldan said that the deputy was headed north to assist the Police Department on a call because the other officers were “tied up.”

The accident is still under investigation. Sgt. Rupert said that Rudolph may have either failed to yield the right-of-way or made an improper turn, turning into the left lane, but alcohol was not a factor. Authorities are also collecting computer information from the deputy’s 2014 Ford Explorer, which will determine how fast the vehicle was traveling before the accident.