Friday Storms Blamed For At Least 2 Deaths

      Friday’s statewide snowstorm is blamed for a 2-vehicle collision west of Omaha near Mead that claimed 2 lives and injured 2 other people 

        The Saunders County Sheriff’s Office says snow and ice on Hwy 77 caused a driver to lose control of a car that was then hit by a pickup. 

      The two people inside the car died at the scene while 2 people inside the pickup were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

       Meanwhile, Nebraska State Troopers responded to more than 150 weather-related incidents during the storm, about half of them after 6:00 PM.

Troopers handled 35 crashes and 117 motorist assists while helping other agencies with 29 accidents.

      One incident saw an NSP cruiser hit by a semi as the trooper handled another crash a little before 9:00 PM Friday on Interstate 80 near Elm Creek.

      An eastbound semi had crossed the median and hit another semi and an SUV. The responding trooper parked in the median, but a third semi jackknifed while trying to avoid the accident and skidded into the cruiser – totaling it

       Neither the truck driver nor the trooper, who was outside the vehicle, were hurt. Traffic on I-80 in both directions was blocked there for about 3 hours.