Kearney Community Mourns Loss of Two High School Students in Tragic Accident
Who
Two 18-year-old students from Kearney High School were killed in a tragic accident, along with a 29-year-old man from Bellevue, Nebraska, who was being pursued by law enforcement. A third teen from Kearney sustained serious injuries in the incident.
What
The incident involved a police pursuit that began in Iowa and ended in a fatal crash on Interstate 29 in Atchison County, Missouri. A total of four vehicles were involved in the crash, which occurred when the vehicle being pursued drove the wrong way down the highway.
Where
The accident took place on Interstate 29, approximately six miles north of Watson, Missouri, near the Iowa border. This location is part of Atchison County, a few miles from the state line.
When
The crash occurred on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at around 7:20 a.m.
Why
The police chase began due to a domestic assault report made by a woman at a hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. She reported that she and her child had been kidnapped by a male acquaintance, who was believed to be suicidal and homicidal. This prompted local authorities to initiate a pursuit when the suspect fled from law enforcement.
Details of the Incident
According to a spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the pursuit commenced after the woman was dropped off at the hospital by the suspect in a 2023 Kia Sorento. Law enforcement officials pursued the vehicle, which reportedly entered Interstate 29 traveling southbound in the northbound lanes. This unsafe maneuver led to the tragic chain of events that followed.
As the pursuit crossed into Missouri, the vehicle being chased collided with a 2013 Ford Focus that was traveling northbound. The impact caused a multi-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck and a patrol vehicle. The Ford Focus was carrying three Kearney high school students. Sadly, two of them were pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was transported to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.
The driver of the sorento, being pursued by police, was also declared dead at the scene. Reports indicate that the semi-truck driver was unharmed. A sheriff’s deputy involved in the chase received treatment but was later released from the hospital.
During the chaotic moments of the crash, the Sorento caught fire on the Nishnabotna River Bridge, but a deputy managed to rescue the 1-year-old child from the burning vehicle. Thankfully, the child sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a Nebraska hospital for further care.
Community Reaction
Kearney Mayor Randy Pogue expressed his condolences on social media, highlighting the profound impact of the accident on the community. He remarked, “The loss of the two Kearney Bulldogs in the tragic accident yesterday up North has shaken our community… Praying for you all.”
The tragic event serves not only as a reminder of the dangers associated with high-speed pursuits but also the impact such incidents can have on small-town communities.
Ongoing Investigations
The Missouri State Highway Patrol continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. Initial reports regarding the specific details of the vehicles involved showed inconsistencies, and officials are working to ensure accurate information is presented as the investigation progresses.
The Kearney community is left to grapple with this devastating loss and the question of how such a tragedy could occur.
