Cody Thomas
OCTOBER 2, 2023 (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.) — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol took two minors into custody early Saturday morning following a pursuit in central Nebraska.
At approximately 11:45 p.m. Friday, a trooper observed a Jeep Liberty speeding on Interstate 80 near Gibbon, at mile marker 286. The Jeep pulled over to the shoulder, but the driver accelerated when the trooper exited his patrol unit. The vehicle fled eastbound in excess of 100 miles per hour. The trooper initiated a pursuit.
The driver turned off all vehicle lights as it fled eastbound on I-80. Another trooper was able to successfully deploy stop sticks to slow the vehicle near mile marker 312. The Jeep then crossed the median and began traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-80. A trooper was able to quickly perform a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop.
The driver, identified as an 18-year-old male from Grand Island, was taken into custody without further incident. A female passenger fled from the vehicle on foot. The 15-year-old female from Grand Island was located a short time later and was transported to Cedars in Lincoln at the request of juvenile probation. The driver was lodged in Hall County Jail for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, no operator’s license, fictitious license plates, obstructing a peace officer, and several traffic violations.