An NSP unit was involved in a single-vehicle crash near Melbeta that left the unit stuck on train tracks. The unit was then struck by a train while no one was inside.

The incident happened at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 17 when a trooper encountered ice on the roadway near the intersection of Wrights Gap Road and Highway 92. The trooper was unable to stop the vehicle at a stop sign and traveled through the intersection before the vehicle came to rest on train tracks on the opposite side of the highway.

The trooper notified dispatch of the situation and attempted to contact the railroad to make notification that a vehicle was stuck on the tracks. A short time later a train approached and struck the vehicle. Nobody was inside the vehicle at the time of the collision.

NSP has asked the Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office to handle the accident investigation. The Nebraska State Patrol will also conduct an internal review.