At about 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night the Stanton County Sheriff’s office was advised an eastbound vehicle had just struck another vehicle on Hwy 275 east of Norfolk and fled eastbound and was then observed turning into a private drive off Hwy 275 and was followed into the lane by the car it struck. The suspect vehicle then suddenly came back out the drive and struck the first vehicle again and fled eastbound on Hwy 275. The vehicle was observed by the Stanton County Sheriff’s office near the Pilger Spur turning south on Hwy 15 at a high rate of speed. It was then observed pulling into the Pilger Mini-Mart and upon coming around nearly struck a sheriff’s patrol vehicle head-on. The vehicle then drove through the stop sign failing to stop back onto southbound Highway 15 where it was pursued at speeds of up to 130 mph and at one point intentionally drove into the path of a northbound vehicle who was forced to swerve into the ditch to avoid a head-on collision. The fleeing vehicle (2023 Toyota) continued south and then began brake checking the pursuing units. Near 830th road the suspect vehicle had slowed to a speed that it was forced off the roadway by the Sheriff’s office using a TVI (Tactical Vehicle Intervention) technique and came to rest in the east ditch. The lone male driver attempted to flee on foot and was quickly physically subdued and taken into custody. He was placed under arrest for a multitude of charges and transported to the Sheriff’s office where he was found to be under the influence of amphetamines. It was further found that a second car had been struck by him just prior to the first reported incident also on Hwy 275 just east of Norfolk. The driver was identified as Kurt Kasik, 57, of Waverly and he faces charges that include Driving While Under the Influence of Drugs, Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident (3 Counts), Speeding 125+/65, Willful Reckless Driving, Operating a Motor Vehicle To Avoid Arrest, Attempted First Degree Assault, Use of a Weapon to Commit a Felony, Resisting Arrest, and Prohibited Acts (Under Influence of Illegal Drugs). Kasik was jailed pending the setting of a cash bond and when asked why this occurred, he could give no true answer other than to say he thought he was in or near Waverly, Nebraska. “We are very fortunate no one was injured or killed during these dangerous felony acts. And to those that say just let them go, this Sheriff’s office is going to continue to do our job in Stanton County and that includes pursuing dangerous and potential killers on our roadways when feasible” 🚔SHERIFF MIKE UNGER
