High-speed chase culminates on campus
LPD and NSP arrest car thieves; no threat to Union
On Wednesday, March 1, around 2:30 p.m., students and faculty at Union College witnessed an intense high-speed police chase that ended on Union’s campus. Lincoln Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol were both involved in the chase, including aviation support from an NSP helicopter.
According to Union College’s Campus Safety Director Dustin Sauder, the LPD and NSP were pursuing multiple juvenile suspects who were making their getaway in a stolen vehicle. The suspects were cornered and forced onto campus grounds where they then ditched the stolen vehicle behind the Carnegie Building on the southwestern side of campus. The suspects then attempted to evade authorities on foot. All suspects were apprehended and the scene was cleared within the hour. “There was no threat to our campus and no students, employees, or guests of Union College were involved in the incident," said Sauder in an email to students and staff Thursday morning.
According to LPD call logs, the vehicle was left running when it was stolen.
Larson Lifestyle Center Director Maria dos Santos was outside with her Fitness Walking class when she caught a glimpse of one of the suspects. “A van came racing down 48th Street in the middle turn lane. The vehicle's driver-side window appeared to be open, and the vehicle was being driven by an individual whose face was completely covered, except for their eyes, by a black cloth. Shortly after the van passed, two unmarked police trucks came racing down 48th Street, and they were shortly followed by many state trooper vehicles.”
Junior nursing major Cherryl Figueroa witnessed the chase while in Fitness Walking. “Since it was a sunny day, the walking class decided to walk outside. … In front of campus I heard one of the cars passing by make a really loud noise.” As Figueroa turned to investigate the noise, she saw the police cars approaching quickly. “We saw that two people had been captured,” she said. “[Dustin Sauder] told me that both of the captured persons had stolen the car and that's why they were chasing them.”
Thankfully the situation was dealt with quickly and no one was harmed. Motor vehicle thefts in Lincoln have been on the rise since the pandemic. To prevent this from happening to you, the LPD recommends not leaving your car running while unattended unless you can lock your car from the outside. In a statement to KOLN News, LPD Sergeant Chris Vollmer said, “Having your car running while it’s unlocked is kind of an invitation for thieves … if your car is unlocked with the keys inside of it your odds of it getting taken are considerably higher.”
By: Evan Majors