Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett
Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett. Bartlett died Friday evening after his patrol unit was struck by another vehicle while he was performing a traffic stop about a mile south of Cerresco on Highway 77.
Preliminary investigation shows that the crash occurred when Officer Bartlett’s patrol vehicle and a Nissan Altima were parked on the shoulder of Highway 77 during a traffic stop. While both Officer Bartlett and the driver of the Nissan were seated in their own vehicles, a southbound Ford F-150 struck the Ceresco PD cruiser from the rear, causing it to hit the Nissan.
The driver of the Nissan, Ke’vion Hill, 27, of Lincoln, suffered serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Ford, Tony Pierce, 49, of Crete, was not seriously injured.
The Nebraska State Patrol is conducting a full crash reconstruction investigation. Once complete, the findings will be presented to the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office.
Officer Bartlett has served the Ceresco PD since 2017 and served as an investigator for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. He also served as a volunteer firefighter for Ceresco.
Prior to those assignments, he served with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Madison Police Department and Newman Grove Police Department.
Funeral services are pending.