WARREN COUNTY, Iowa — Two Warren County sheriff’s deputies responding to a traffic accident on Interstate 35 early Thursday morning escaped injury after a semi barreled into their patrol cruisers.

Warren County Sheriff Joseph Carico shared an account of what happened during the incident on his Facebook page along with photos of the damaged cruisers and a plea for drivers to be more aware.

Sheriff Carico told WHO 13 that sheriff’s deputies from Warren and Madison counties, along with multiple other law enforcement and EMS agencies, were already responding to an accident in the northbound lanes of I-35 near the St. Charles exit when the secondary crash happened.

Sgt. Wilbur and Deputy Good were working at the scene when they saw a semi-truck traveling at or near regular interstate speed, headed for them. Sheriff Carico said they were able to get out of the way in time before the semi crashed into their WCSO cruisers. Both WCSO vehicles were damaged.

Neither of the deputies nor any other first responder on the scene were injured, according to Sheriff Carico.

He is urging drivers to be aware of emergency vehicles, “Slow down, Move Over, Pay Attention… PLEASE! Our lives depend on it!”

Iowa law requires motorists to move over or slow down when approaching any vehicle stopped along the side of the road with its flashing lights activated. That includes emergency vehicles, tow trucks, maintenance vehicles, and passenger vehicles with hazard lights on.

The penalty for violating the law includes fines and could result in the suspension of your driver’s license, depending on the severity of the offense and whether anyone was injured or killed.