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Woman Dies After Falling Or Jumping From Overpass Onto I-80

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Reporter: Gary Smollen

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The Sarpy County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a bizarre accident or a very public suicide. Deputies are trying to determine why a woman fell or jumped from the Highway 50 overpass onto Interstate 80 Saturday afternoon.

Fifty-three-year-old Linda Sue Ragan was taken from the scene by medical helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center where she died of her injuries.

Four witnesses were in cars in the westbound lanes of I-80 when Ragan landed in the right side lane around 4:30 p.m. “Two of the witnesses thought she fell over and two others thought that maybe she did a handstand and then fell into the traffic lane," said Sarpy County Sheriff's Department Lt. Dan Shukis. "She wasn’t struck by any other vehicles, but one of those witnesses stopped and tried to assist her.”

Deputies told Channel 6 News there was also a call to investigate shots being fired at nearly the same time, but the call was to an area several miles south of the intersection and is not believed to be related to the incident.

A car on the Highway 50 overpass (South 144th Street east of the Sapp Brothers truck stop) believed to belong to Ragan had Minnesota license plates.