Panhandle pursuit: Nebraska State Patrol chase takes a fiery turn

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Nebraska State Patrol on Thursday engaged in a chase that ended in a fire and the arrest of three people.

Just after 1 a.m., a trooper tried to pull over a silver sedan at the intersection of Old Post Road and Silverberg Drive in Sidney.

Officials said that the vehicle fled the scene and that the trooper started a pursuit. The vehicle went east on Interstate 80, reaching speeds of 130 mph.

During the pursuit, the patrol said the vehicle turned around in the median and eventually got off I-80 at Sidney.

Another trooper was able to disable the vehicle, bringing the car to a stop in a ditch, according to officials.

The patrol said the troopers smelled smoke coming from the car while they arrested the three occupants. Shortly after that, the car caught fire.

During the fire, troopers said they heard live ammunition popping off inside the car.

The fire also spread to a nearby field. The Sidney Police Department and the Sidney Fire Department extinguished the fire before any serious damage was caused, according to officials.

The driver of the car, 32-year-old John Harmon, was arrested on suspicion of flight to avoid arrest and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony.

Passenger Kyrie Riggle, 38, was arrested on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine. The second passenger, 22-year-old Dakota Schrecengost, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

All three people are from Sterling, Colorado, and were also arrested on drug and weapons charges.