A helicopter crashed on the northern edge of the Platte River in Dawson County Wednesday evening around 6:00pm. Due to the terrain, the lone person onboard was transported from the scene by a Lexington Volunteer Fire Department UTV to a rescue unit at a staging area about a mile away. That person was transported to Lexington Regional Health Center with undisclosed injuries. The crash scene was about one mile east of the Platte River bridge on the Darr Road. The staging area was in rangeland just southeast of the Darr interchange.
The collision with a power line apparently knocked out power to about 1,000 meters and three substations, according to Dawson Public Power District spokesperson Marsha Banzhaf. She said power was largely restored by 8:00pm. The Interstate between Lexington and Cozad was closed in both directions for about an hour while power line repairs were being made.
Among the responders to the scene were Lexington Volunteer Fire Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Dawson Public Power District, Dawson County Emergency Management, Nebraska State Patrol and Nebraska Department of Transportation.
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DARR – Interstate 80 is now OPEN in both directions from Cozad to Lexington. It was closed for roughly an hour due to a reported aircraft crash near the Darr interchange. The crash, reported south of the interchange, knocked down multiple power lines near the interstate. Widespread power outages have been reported in the Dawson County area. One person has been transported with undisclosed injuries.
Dawson Public Power District (DPPD) says a large power outage associated with the aircraft accident initially affected about 1000 meters in the Lexington area. The accident also affected three substations.
DPPD crews were dispatched at approximately 6:15 p.m. to the area of the collision.
DPPD spokesperson Marsha Banzhaf says power was restored about 8:00 p.m.
Courtesy/Dawson Public Power District
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