Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol, working with the Cedar and Antelope County Sheriff’s Offices and the Laurel and Randolph Police Departments apprehended a subject following a pursuit Monday morning in northeast Nebraska.
At approximately 8:15 a.m. Monday, troopers were informed that the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office was in pursuit of a vehicle traveling westbound on Highway 20 near Laurel. The vehicle, a Buick LeSabre, had previously been reported to law enforcement as potentially containing a suicidal party.
A trooper joined the pursuit and eventually became the lead unit as the vehicle continued westbound on Highway 20 east of Plainview. During the pursuit, which reached speeds of 90 miles per hour, the suspect vehicle swerved toward oncoming traffic on several occasions. The suspect driver also intentionally made contact with pursuing officers’ patrol units multiple times throughout the pursuit.
As the pursuit reached Brunswick, in Antelope County, a trooper successfully deployed spike strips to slow the vehicle. Another trooper then utilized a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop. The subject was then taken into custody.
The driver, Matthew Waters, 34, of Colton, South Dakota, was arrested for felony flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, assault on an officer with use of a vehicle, and driving under the influence of alcohol. Waters was lodged in Antelope County Jail.