A 70 year old motorist assist volunteer is dead after being hit by a vehicle on Highway 75 Thursday afternoon.
The Nebraska State Patrol says John Holcomb, of Omaha, was helping to clear debris off Highway 75 between Q Street and Chandler when he was hit by a passing car.
“We send our deepest condolences to John’s family,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “His service with the motorist assist program demonstrates his dedication to helping others and working to keep our roads safe. This is a tragic loss for his family, friends, and the entire motorist assist team.”
The NSP says Holcomb served in the Metro Area Motorist Assist (MAMA) Program since 2014. During his service, he logged thousands of miles on metro area roadways and assisted countless motorists in need of help.
“John was a great individual that volunteered many hours to assist to make the highways safer,” said Tim Weander, Nebraska Department of Transportation District 2 Supervisor. “John was out there helping us help you. We extend our sincere condolences to his family and thank John for his service.”
The MAMA program is coordinated by the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) and has been serving metro area drivers since 1998. Dozens of volunteers have served during that time. Motorist assist volunteers work in two-person teams, which was the case during Thursday’s crash. The other volunteer present at the crash was not injured.
The crash is being investigated by the Omaha Police Department.