Woman dies after 2 vehicles on Saunders County highway crash into oncoming traffic

SAUNDERS COUNTY, Neb. (WOWT) - A woman died after a Sunday afternoon crash involving four vehicles on Highway 77 that required several people to be extricated.

The Saunders County Sheriff’s Office said in a report Monday morning that several agencies responded to the highway crash at 1:36 p.m. between Highway 109 and the Platte River Bridge.

The report states that a black 2006 Kia Sorento was southbound on Highway 77 but had “drifted towards the center line,” causing an oncoming silver 2020 Mazda to veer into the southbound lane, hitting a red 2021 Kia Forte that had been traveling behind the black car. The black car also veered into the oncoming lane, hitting a white 2017 Ford F-250 pickup traveling north behind the silver vehicle.

In addition to the Sheriff’s Office, Cedar Bluffs Fire and Rescue, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Wahoo Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol all responded to the crash.

The woman driving the silver Mazda was air-lifted to Nebraska Medicine along with the two occupants of the black Kia, the release states. She later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Authorities have not yet released any information about her, pending notification of her next of kin.

The drivers of the other two vehicles were transported to Fremont Methodist Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, the release states.

Authorities said seatbelts were in use and that alcohol was not a factor in the crash, but the investigation into the incident continues.

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