Gibbon, Nebraska (October 17, 2019) – A truck driver has been charged with manslaughter following a traffic collision that killed three people last month near Gibbon, according to the authorities.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Kenneth Kratt, 34, Madero, California, on three counts of felony manslaughter.
The three people who were killed were identified as Ryan Vanicek, 37, of Schuyler, Daniel Seelhoff, 50, of Lincoln and Scott Gaylord, 54, also of Lincoln.
The fatal crash happened around 3:00 p.m. on September 22, on Interstate 80.
NSP said traffic had slowed as it was entering a construction zone on eastbound I-80 when a semi-tractor/truck trailer driven by Kratt failed to slow down and struck the traffic from the rear.
The impact caused a chain reaction, involving seven vehicles. Vanicek’s Chevrolet Silverado was the first vehicle to be hit by the semi. Vanicek was flown to a Kearney hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Seelhoff, who was a passenger in the Silverado, was declared dead at the scene.
Gaylord was driving a Chevrolet Equinox. He was rushed to a Kearney hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Three other people sustained injuries in the crash. They are expected to recover.
Kratt sustained minor injuries in the crash.
The crash remains under investigation.
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Disclaimer
The information for this article was obtained from public media and is informational purposes. We understand this is a difficult time for the family of those affected by a tragic accident, and we offer our sincere condolences. While the idea of hiring a law firm may not feel appropriate at this time, as a public service, we like to advise family the following:
1. In most cases, it is very important to immediately begin securing evidence, including by not limited to photos of skid marks, photos of property damage, witness statements, the actual vehicle or other property involved in the incident, and other critical evidence before it disappears or is altered.
2. In Nebraska, it is illegal for anyone to contact the family by telephone or in-person to convince the family to hire a law firm or attorney unless the family contacted the law firm or attorney first.
3. Nothing in this blog is intended to be legal advice.