A Nebraska State trooper received non-life-threatening injuries Monday afternoon when his cruiser was rammed by a fleeing driver in a pursuit on Interstate 80 at Lincoln. Names have not yet been released.
State Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas says the incident began about 12:40 when a trooper spotted an SUV traveling in excess of 100 MPH on the freeway inside the Lincoln city limits.
The driver refused to pull over and fled westbound with the trooper in pursuit. During the chase, the driver passed numerous vehicles on the shoulder and continued westbound at speeds above 100 mph.
Thomas says after about 20 miles, the driver exited at the Milford interchange, crossed over the freeway, and reentered traveling eastbound toward Lincoln – again at a high rate of speed.
. The State Patrol AirWing then took over, tracking the fleeing vehicle from above as it made its way through Lincoln. When the vehicle left the city, ground units resumed the pursuit.
About 1:15 – more than half an hour after the chase began – rammed one of the State Patrol vehicles, causing both vehicles to roll near Ashland – about 19-miles east of where the chase began and 40-miles east of where it reversed direction.
Thomas says the trooper’s cruiser came to rest in the median while the suspect’s vehicle crossed the westbound lanes and came to rest in the north ditch, where the driver was taken into custody without further incident.
The trooper was transported to the Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln. with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Patrol said Tuesday morning that the trooper had undergone successful surgery and was alert and in good spirits despite facing a long recovery.
The suspect refused medical treatment at the scene and was taken to Lancaster County Jail on counts of assault on an officer, assault on an officer using a motor vehicle, willful reckless driving, and flight to avoid arrest.