Emergency Vehicle Safety Alert
Nebraska State Trooper Injured After Patrol Car Hit During Second I-80 Crash
Key Points
The afternoon crash involved a pickup and a semi-truck with both vehicles burning; the pickup driver was transported to Great Plains Health with minor injuries and the incident remains under investigation.
In the late-night crash, a Buick Enclave rear-ended the trooper’s patrol cruiser as he directed traffic; the Buick driver was not injured, while the trooper sustained minor injuries and was treated and released. The Buick driver was cited for failure to move over for an emergency vehicle, plus open alcohol container, no registration and no insurance.
Location reporting for the late-night crash varies in initial coverage, with KNOP noting eastbound I-80 near mile marker 186 and KGFW reporting mile marker 187, illustrating minor discrepancies in early incident details.
Emergency responders from Maxwell Fire and Rescue and North Platte Fire Department assisted at the late-night scene, and Maxwell Fire and Rescue urged motorists to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles on highway shoulders.
A Nebraska State Patrol trooper was hurt late at night when a Buick Enclave slammed into his patrol car on Interstate 80 near North Platte. The trooper was directing traffic after an earlier crash at the same spot — making it the second serious incident at that location within hours, according to KLIN and KETV.
The trooper sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from a local hospital. The Buick driver walked away unhurt but left with four citations, including failure to move over for an emergency vehicle and an open alcohol container.
A Fiery Afternoon Crash Kicked Everything Off
Hours before the trooper was hit, a pickup truck and a semi-truck collided on the same stretch of I-80. Both vehicles caught fire. The pickup driver was taken to Great Plains Health in North Platte with minor injuries, according to KETV. That crash is still under investigation.
Three Nebraska State Patrol cars were already parked on the highway managing traffic from that first wreck when the second crash happened. The trooper was standing near his vehicle when the Buick struck it from behind.
Buick Driver Cited on Four Counts After Hitting Trooper
The Buick Enclave driver rear-ended one of the three patrol vehicles lined up on the eastbound side of I-80. Authorities cited the driver for failure to move over for an emergency vehicle, an open alcohol container, no registration, and no insurance, according to KGFW and Central Nebraska Today.
The trooper was taken to a local hospital and released after treatment. No other injuries were reported from the late-night collision. The Buick driver was uninjured.
Exact Mile Marker Unclear in Early Reports
Initial coverage placed the late-night crash at slightly different spots. KGFW and Central Nebraska Today reported the crash near mile marker 187. KLIN placed it near mile marker 186. The small gap is common in early breaking-news reports and does not change the core facts of the incident.
Responders Urge Drivers to Slow Down and Move Over
Maxwell Fire and Rescue and the North Platte Fire Department both helped at the late-night scene. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office also responded. Maxwell Fire and Rescue urged drivers to slow down and move over whenever they see emergency vehicles parked on a highway shoulder, according to KRNY.
Nebraska's move-over law requires drivers to shift lanes or slow down when passing stopped emergency vehicles. Failure to do so can result in a citation — and, as this crash shows, serious injury to the workers protecting the road.
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