In a press release Tuesday afternoon, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office reported the names of those involved in the August 18 crash they investigated southeast of Anselmo on Highway 2.
Driving the 1997 Freightliner semi was John Anderson, age 30 of Arapahoe, who suffered non life-threatening injuries.
Lane Hazen, age 21 of Merna, was the driver of the John Deere Tractor. He sustained non life-threatening injuries.
Patrick Stauffer, age 56 of Willis, Texas died from injuries sustained in the crash driving a 2020 Ford pickup.
Below is the August 18 release from the Custer County Sheriff’s Office about the accident
On August 18, 2023, at approximately 8:24 a.m. the Custer County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 3-vehicle accident on Nebraska Highway 2 near the Road 812 intersection, 1.5 miles southeast of Anselmo.
A John Deere tractor, driven by a 21-year-old Merna, NE male, was traveling east on Highway 2. A 1997 Freightliner semi, pulling a livestock trailer, driven by a 30-year-old Arapahoe, NE male, was traveling east on Highway 2, behind the tractor. The semi struck the John Deere tractor’s left rear, causing the semi to skid across the roadway and tip over onto the passenger side. The semi came to rest in the east ditch with the trailer on the highway. The tractor came to rest on the side of the highway.
A 2020 Ford Pickup was traveling west on Highway 2. The driver was unable to avoid the trailer in the roadway and struck it with the front of the pickup.
All three drivers were transported to the Jennie Melham Hospital. The driver of the Ford pickup was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The deceased driver of the Ford Pickup was wearing a seatbelt and airbags deployed. The driver of the tractor was not seat belted, seat belt use by the semi driver is unknown. There were no passengers in the vehicles.
The semi had cattle in the trailer, and a number of the cattle died as a result of the accident.
The Nebraska State Patrol assisted with the investigation. Broken Bow, Merna and Anselmo Fire and Rescue, Hunter’s Towing, Trumbull Towing, Nebraska Department of Roads, and numerous citizens assisted with the accident scene.
The Custer County Sheriff’s Office offers thoughts and prayers to all those affected by the accident.
