For the third time in less than a month, a Nebraska State Patrol cruiser has been hit by another vehicle.
The latest incident occurred Monday afternoon as a trooper was northbound on Highway 34 near Benkelman when his cruiser was struck by a southbound semi. The trooper did not suffer serious injuries, but the other driver was transported to the hospital. The Dundy County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash.
Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent, Colonel John Bolduc, says drivers need to use caution and look out for fellow motorists. “We want our troopers to safely make it home to their families after each shift, just like we want all drivers to be safe on the road.”
Monday’s crash follows two others within the last month. In each of the other cases, the NSP cruiser was stopped at the time of the crash. The latest occurred in the afternoon of Friday, July 13th when a trooper was conducting a traffic stop on Highway 275 near Beemer.
During the traffic stop, an oncoming vehicle crossed over both lanes of traffic and struck the vehicle that the trooper had stopped. That vehicle then hit the NSP cruiser. The trooper was inside the cruiser at the time and was uninjured, but multiple people in the other vehicles were transported to area hospitals with non-life threatening conditions. The Cuming County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation of the crash.
The first crash occurred on June 17th when a trooper was stopped at a temporary stoplight in a construction zone on Highway 20 in Cedar County. The trooper was struck from behind by another car. The trooper suffered minor injuries, and the other driver was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
“The circumstances in each of these cases may have been different, but they all come with an important reminder that a crash can happen at any time,” said Colonel Bolduc. “Always wear your seat belt and refrain from distracted driving.”
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