At 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon the Stanton County Sheriff’s office dispatch was notified by an automatic cell phone accident notification and screaming could be heard coming from the unattended phone. The accident was plotted to 843rd Road (East Benjamin Ave) about 2.5 miles east of Hwy 35. The first arriving Sheriff’s unit found that a 15 year old female passenger had been ejected from the wreckage and a 16 year female driver was also injured. Both girls suffered critical injuries and the passenger was transported by Norfolk Fire and Recue directly to the Life Net helipad and then flown to UNMC in Omaha. The driver was transported to FRHS by a second Norfolk rescue unit. The accident occurred when the eastbound SUV left the roadway and became airborne striking a power pole and snapping it off and then rolling on its side in a grove of trees. The passenger was not wearing a seatbelt and the driver was restrained. Inexperience and speed are believed to have been contributing factors in the crash and the SUV is a total loss. Hoskins/Woodland Park Rescue also responded to the scene along with Stanton County Public Power. “Seatbelts save lives and several recent accidents in Stanton County confirm that, always use restraints for your own safety and remember it is the law” SHERIFF MIKE UNGER
