Man arrested after multi-county chase with authorities in eastern Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A deputy drove into a ditch Thursday night during a multi-county pursuit in eastern Nebraska, officials say.

Around 11 p.m., deputies with the Saunders County Sheriff’s Office were heading to Yutan High School for a “call for service.”

While en route, deputies spotted an older sedan on Highway 92 driving at 126 mph with red and blue lights “illuminating in the front window,” the sheriff’s office said.

A deputy tried pulling the vehicle over, but the driver — 19-year-old Isaac Cote of Wahoo — didn’t stop.

Cote continued west on Highway 92 before getting on southbound Highway 77, according to the sheriff’s office.

The pursuit went to North 56th Street and Cornhusker Highway in Lincoln.

Investigators noted that speeds during the pursuit “exceeded 130 mph at times.”

While near 98th Street and Cornhusker Highway, a Saunders County deputy swerved to avoid a collision with another vehicle that pulled out in front of him.

The sheriff’s office said the deputy crossed the median and ended up in a ditch.  The deputy was not injured.

Cote drove over spike strips and eventually came to a stop in a business parking lot near Highway 6 and 238th Street, just south of Ashland.

He was arrested on suspicion of several charges, including flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving and speeding.

The original call at Yutan High School was “unrelated” to the pursuit, according to the sheriff’s office.

In a post on Facebook, the school district said that the original call was concerning “senior prank night.”