Gothenburg Police Chief Randy Olson says around 6:30am Tuesday, they were notified of a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban, owned by a Gothenburg resident, that was reported stolen in the 900 block of 11th Street. The doors were unlocked and keys in it. A statewide bulletin was issued and the information was entered into a national crime information database. Chief Olson says they were then notified by Nebraska State Patrol that the vehicle was involved in a Sarpy County pursuit when it was ended by a pit maneuver on the vehicle and two juvenile subjects were taken into custody.
Around the same time, Gothenburg Police were dispatched to a suspicious vehicle in the 800 block of 11th Street with the engine running and it’s doors open that was determined to be from Scotts Bluff County. At that time it was not reported stolen but, it was later that morning. The owners of the Toyota Avalon were from Minatare . Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office and Gearing Police Department reported that two runaway males from a juvenile group home in Minatare in the area where the Toyota was stolen. Chief Olson says he “highly recommends everyone to remove their keys and lock their vehicles”.
The Nebraska State Patrol reports that around 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, a trooper observed a Chevrolet Suburban failing to maintain its lane while traveling eastbound on Interstate 80, near mile marker 428. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver accelerated and fled. The trooper initiated a pursuit.
The vehicle continued eastbound, reaching speeds of 95 miles per hour before it exited onto Highway 370 eastbound. The vehicle eventually began traveling northbound on Highway 50 and then turned into an industrial area. A trooper was then able to successfully perform a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the Suburban to a stop.
The two occupants, both juveniles, were both taken into custody without further incident.
The driver, a 15-year-old male, was lodged in the Douglas County Youth Center for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, theft by receiving stolen property, open alcohol container, minor in possession, and traffic violations. The passenger, a 14-year-old male, was lodged in the Sarpy County Juvenile Justice Center for open alcohol container and minor in possession.
The entire incident lasted approximately nine minutes.
