Four arrested after I-80 chase from Waverly to outskirts of Omaha

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Four people were arrested Tuesday after a traffic stop near Waverly that sparked a multi-county chase.

Shortly before noon, law enforcement officers pulled over a van on Interstate 80 for multiple traffic violations, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.

They ordered the front seat passenger, 40-year-old Jospeh Pate, to get out.

He complied but then started resisting a Lincoln Police officer and Lancaster County deputy, the sheriff’s office said.

One of the officers used a Taser during the struggle, but authorities said Pate was able to get behind the wheel of the van and drive east.

Deputies gave chase and saw numerous bags of pills being thrown from the van, the sheriff’s office said.

They lost radio transmission near the Platte River, so state troopers took over the chase at that point.

Pate was going over 100 mph, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.

Just east of Gretna, Pate exited the interstate and started going east on Highway 370, the patrol said.

The van came to a stop near the Omaha National Cemetery, and troopers said the three people inside ran into a wooded area.

The Papillion Police Department, the Omaha Police Department and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office came to help search the woods.

They found and arrested all three people, who were taken to the Lancaster County Jail.

Investigators think the pills thrown during the case were fentanyl.

Pate was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, flight to avoid arrest, resisting arrest, tampering with physical evidence and driving under suspension.

The sheriff’s office said the woman who was driving the van before the traffic stop, 38-year-old Mattie Boyd, was not involved in the pursuit.

She and the two other passengers —21-year-old Hayley Kabel and 19-year-old Trey Franko — were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

All four people were from Illinois, the sheriff’s office said.