Law officers provide more information on U.S. 77, Oak Road crash south of Beatrice
BEATRICE – Gage County Sheriff’s officers have released more details on the 12:51 p.m. accident south of Beatrice yesterday, near U.S. Highway 77 and Oak Road.
A 2010 Ford Focus driven by Evan Saathoff of Wymore collided with a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Delmar Seematter, of Marysville, Kansas.
Investigators say Saathoff was traveling north on the highway when his car veered into the southbound lane, hitting Seematter’s vehicle.
Beatrice Fire and Rescue used equipment to extricate Saathoff from this car and Wymore Fire and Rescue used similar equipment to extricate Seematter from his vehicle.
Saathoff was flown by medical helicopter to Bryan West Health Center in Lincoln, for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Seematter and his wife, who was a passenger in the Malibu were taken by Wymore ambulance to Beatrice Community Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Deputies determined that Saathoff was distracted by checking his cell phone, when his car crossed into the other lane.
The Nebraska State Patrol investigated a separate accident about a mile farther south, at U.S. Highway 77 and Osage Road, a short time later. In that accident, a pickup struck the rear of a semitrailer truck. No other details were immediately available, but a state trooper on scene said that injuries to the pickup driver were not life-threatening.
