EPHRATA — A Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy crashed his patrol car and died Sunday night while on duty driving south of Ephrata.

Deputy John Bernard, 52, of Moses Lake, died at the scene of the crash on Road 5 NW, about nine miles south of Ephrata, the sheriff’s office reported.

Bernard worked for the Grant County Sheriff for four years. He was an Ephrata Police Officer for five years before becoming a deputy, and a Grant County Corrections officer for five years before that.

Bernard was driving west on Road 5 NW at 7:30 p.m. when his patrol car left the road at Highway 283 and rolled, according to a Grant County news release.

The highway was closed for five hours while the authorities investigated the crash and cleared the roadway, the Washington State Department of Transportation reported. It reopened this morning at 12:45 a.m.

Undersheriff John Turley said this morning said the road was wet, but there was no snow or ice.

The Washington State Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash, and a major accident investigation team from Seattle is expected to arrive this morning, said Trooper Rich Magnussen.

Grant County will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Turley said Bernard was wearing a seat belt, and was not on his way to an emergency, but had just cleared another call.

“Deputy Bernard was a tireless public servant whose commitment to law enforcement and servicing the citizens helped make Grant County a safer place,” said Sheriff Frank DeTrolio in a news release.

One of his sons, Brandon Bernard, is also a Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy.

K.C. Mehaffey: 997-2512

mehaffey@wenatcheeworld.com