Deputy falls down embankment during foot chase in central Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A deputy in central Nebraska was injured in a chase earlier this week, authorities said Thursday.

About 7:30 p.m. Monday, a deputy saw a stolen Chevrolet pickup speeding on Highway 30 near Grand Island, according to the Merrick County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver crossed the center line, forcing other vehicles off the road, the sheriff’s office said.

The deputy tried to pull over the pickup, but authorities said the driver fled, going down backroads at up to 90 mph.

When the pickup went into a ditch, the driver — wearing a motorcycle helmet — ran into a cornfield, the sheriff’s office said.

That prompted a response from multiple law enforcement agencies.

A deputy eventually caught up to the driver but fell down an embankment, suffering serious injuries.

The deputy was taken to a Grand Island hospital, then transferred to a trauma center in Omaha.

The driver got away and is still on the loose, according to the sheriff’s office.