A U.S. Extraditions Company van carrying two male and one female prisoner broke down near Route NN in northern Saline County Wednesday morning, July 2.

Saline County Sheriff Wally George said all three prisoners were moved to Saline County Justice Facility while the van is being repaired at John Rector Motors in Marshall.

Jail Deputy Wilma Garrett said prisoner transportation from other jurisdictions through Saline County isn't unusual.

"We get them three or four times a year," she said.

Saline County transports its own prisoners, though, instead of using a company like U.S. Extraditions, which operates out of Austin, Texas.

"We've got someone on the road every day," from this county, Garrett said.

Garrett added that prisoner transportation is "the worst time for officer safety," whether they're driving a long distance or transferring prisoners from the justice facility to court and back again.

The driver whose van broke down this morning is "sleeping quietly" in the break room at the justice facility, Garrett said. George and Garrett said the driver told them he'd picked up a prisoner in Iowa before arriving in Saline County, and that he'd been driving "all night long."

The driver was scheduled to pick up a prisoner from the justice facility this morning, and reported the breakdown shortly before his scheduled arrival time. He and the prisoners should be on their way shortly after noon, Garrett said.

Contact Kathy Fairchild at marshallhealth@socket.net