Public helps emergency personnel rescue 2 men from truck involved in fatal crash

A host of emergency personnel and community members helped free two men from a crash that left one person dead. 

The Nebraska State Patrol said the crashed happened Thursday morning on Highway 92, about two miles west of Merna, when a Dodge pickup crossed the center line and struck a Ford F-350 that was pulling a trailer hauling a skid loader. 

The front seat passenger in the Ford pickup was able to get out of the truck, but the driver, Kevin Jensen, 49, of Broken Bow and rear passenger were trapped in the truck. The two passengers were Jensen’s twin sons, Brock and Erik Jensen, 19, also of Broken Bow. Brock Jensen was the front seat passenger and was able to escape the truck to flag down help.

As rescue personnel arrived on scene, it became apparent that help would be necessary to free the two men trapped in the pickup. Volunteers from the Merna, Broken Bow, and Arnold Fire Departments responded, as well as people from Hunter Towing, Myers Construction, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, Good Samaritan Air Care, LifeNet Air ambulance, Custer Public Power, and even nearby farmers and community members joined in the effort to free the men.

After approximately three hours, crews were able to free the two men, who were then life-flighted to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Erik Jensen has since been released from the hospital and Kevin Jensen is in good condition as of Friday 

The driver of the Dodge, Roman Romero, 40, of Temple, Texas, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The crash caused the Ford’s trailer break loose, tip, and pin the skid loader against the Ford pickup as the pickup rolled onto the driver’s side, the patrol said.