At about 2:40 p.m. on Friday afternoon the Stanton County Sheriff’s office responded to and investigated a one vehicle accident that sent a 37 year old Wisner man to the hospital and closed a portion of U.S. Hwy 275 at the Humbug Creek bridge one mile west of Pilger. Jordan Liermann was westbound in a truck hauling scrap metal when according to witnesses a rear tire blew out and caused the truck to lose control and it went sideways thru the northeast guardrail and the truck plunged into the creek bed landing on its top. Liermann was trapped in the vehicle and part of the cab was in water. Liermann was finally extricated after extrication equipment was used to force open the drivers door. He was removed from the creek bed using rope rescue equipment. Liermann was then transported to FRHS in Norfolk by Wisner Rescue. LifeNet medical helicopter also responded to the scene and assisted in treatment of Liermann. Seatbelts were not in use and the truck is considered a total loss and will take some special effort to be removed. Hwy 275 was closed for about one hour as the scene was managed. Pilger Fire and Rescue and Norfolk Fire Rescue also assisted at the scene along with the Wisner Fire Department and Stanton County Emergency Management. The bridge has been the scene of several fatal accidents since the late 1990’s, including one where three men from Madison, NE were killed and not discovered for nearly 90 days. The Sheriff’s investigation into that accident revealed they were eastbound in a snowstorm and left the roadway and were airborne landing inside a culvert on the west side of the bridge that was not visible from the highway, until it was discovered by a bridge crew inspecting the bridge.
