Friday, July 31, 2015

1 Dead After Fiery I-80 Head-on Collision Near Keith County, Nebraska




By: Max Massey

UPDATE:

We are learning more about the fatal accident late Thursday night on Interstate 80 near Paxton in Keith County.


State patrol, Sheriff's Office, and Keith County Attorney are finishing reports and we now have the name of the victim.

Angela Miller,43, of Ravenna was a passenger in a pick up Thursday night, that was driving East bound on I-80.

Her pick up truck was rear ended and forced across the median and collided with a semi truck.

She was taken to Great Plains Health and later died of her injuries.

Just after 10pm Mountain time, an SUV traveling very fast headed east and rear ended a pickup truck.

Miller was in the pickup as its driver lost control crossed the median into west-bound traffic, colliding with a semi and causing a fiery explosion.

The Keith County Sheriff's Office says the gas tank was hit and flames erupted immediately.

East and West bound lanes were closed, and traffic was redirected at the sutherland exit to Hwy 30.

We do not know who was driving the SUV that started this chain of events but State Patrol Captain Lynn Williams says she may have been under the influence of alcohol and was arrested.

Williams says she was arraigned Friday morning in Keith County and is being held on a $2,000 bond.

Now we also don't know the name of the driver of the semi, or pick up, or the condition of either driver.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Officials confirmed Friday that one person has died after a fiery accident on I-80 in Keith County. 


The Keith County Sheriff's Office says the fire broke out after a vehicle collided with a semi Thursday afternoon. 

An investigation is underway in to what caused the fiery accident
Deputies say the gas tank was hit and flames erupted immediately. 

East and west bound lanes were closed until early Friday morning. Traffic was redirected at the Sutherland exit to HWY 30 while crews worked to remove debris off roads. 

Traffic is now open in both directions.

We will keep you updated on this developing story as soon as more information becomes available.