A Lincoln man is headed to prison after being found guilty of hitting and killing Ceresco Police Officer Ross Bartlett in April of 2024. A Lancaster County District Court judge has sentenced 51-year-old Tony Pierce to more than two years behind bars.
Pierce was found guilty of motor vehicle homicide after changing his plea from not guilty to no contest. Investigators say Bartlett’s patrol vehicle was struck while he was performing a traffic stop on Highway 77 in northern Lancaster County, approximately one mile south of Ceresco.
During the traffic stop, Bartlett’s patrol vehicle and a Nissan Altima were both parked on the shoulder of Highway 77. Both drivers were seated in their vehicles when a southbound Ford F-150 struck Bartlett’s patrol vehicle from the rear, causing it to hit the Nissan.
Bartlett was flown to a Lincoln hospital where he died from his injuries. NSP investigators say Pierce was on his phone and driving distracted when the crash happened.