The Nebraska State Patrol has requested the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office investigate a fatal crash that involved an NSP investigator in the early morning hours Thursday near Walthill.
The patrol says the incident happened just after 5:00 a.m. when an NSP investigator was traveling southbound on Highway 77. The investigator was on duty and driving an unmarked NSP vehicle. As the vehicle was approximately one mile north of Walthill, it struck a woman in the southbound lane of Highway 77.
The investigator immediately called for paramedics. Macy Rescue responded to the scene, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The preliminary investigation shows that the woman had left a rural home on the east side of Highway 77, crossed the northbound lane of Highway 77, and was in the southbound lane at the time the collision.
“We are heartbroken at this tragic incident,” says Nebraska State Patrol Colonel John Bolduc. “Our condolences are with the family of the pedestrian and our thoughts are also with our investigator who was involved in this unfortunate situation.”
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is the primary investigating agency. NSP has also requested assistance from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office with the crash reconstruction aspect of the investigation. Any further questions should be directed to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.