Spokane County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kenneth Salas was shopping at Costco a few years ago when he accidentally ran into a woman with his cart, knocking her to the floor. He immediately tried to help the woman to her feet, and in doing so, pulled the tiny woman completely off the ground and into his arms.

“Literally, Ken was sweeping his future wife off her feet,” said retired Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputy Eric Epperson.

Salas and Jiaxiu Yang would marry on New Year’s Eve 2023. Salas, 59, planned to retire next month and hit the road with his wife and their two dogs looking for a home to buy in Florida, according to Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Griffin Criswell.

Those plans were cut short Aug. 9 when the 34-year sheriff’s office was hit by a motorcyclist as he was helping another driver remove a hay

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