State Patrol Arrests Two People in Separate I-80 Pursuits

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested two people following pursuits on Interstate 80 that ended in Lincoln and Omaha.

The first pursuit began at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Monday, when troopers located a reportedly stolen vehicle driving southbound on Highway 31 near the Gretna interchange. The vehicle then fled westbound on I-80 speeding consistently near 110 miles per hour.

As the vehicle approached Lincoln, the vehicle exited I-80 at the 56th street exit and drove into the ditch, struck a sign, drove back across the exit ramp, and eventually proceeded southbound on 56th street. Seconds later, a trooper was able to perform an intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop. The driver, a 16-year-old male, was taken into custody and was transported to the Sarpy County Juvenile Justice Center.

The second pursuit began at approximately 5:30 p.m. Monday in Omaha, when troopers received information about a driver going the wrong way on westbound I-80 near 42nd Street. As the suspect turned around and started driving westbound, a trooper observed the vehicle unable to stay in its lane and attempted a traffic stop. The driver fled and the trooper initiated the pursuit.

As the suspect vehicle exited on I-80, the trooper was able to perform a tactical vehicle intervention near mile marker to bring the vehicle to a stop. After repeated attempts to get the suspect to exit the vehicle, and as the suspect reached toward the passenger seat of the vehicle multiple times, a trooper deployed a taser in order to take the suspect into custody.

Once in custody, Ronald Blue, 22, of Omaha, was transported to CHI Midlands Hospital in Papillion to be medically cleared. After receiving medical clearance, Blue was lodged in Douglas County Corrections.