Family Members Killed in Interstate Crash

Regional News

(Lincoln, NE) – Several deer crossing the Interstate are believed to be the cause of a two vehicle rollover crash that claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy and his 4-year-old sister. Around 8:45 p.m. on Sunday, January 27, 2008, Troopers responded to a crash near the Odessa Exit (mm 265) on westbound Interstate 80. A 2006 Nissan mini-van, driven by 37-year-old Michael Betts Jr. of Littleton, Colorado, had just passed a truck pulling a car trailer, when several deer ran from the north ditch across the interstate. Betts was forced to take evasive action in an attempt to avoid the deer. Despite his attempts the mini-van struck one of the deer and was then struck from behind by the truck-car combination. The mini-van rolled. Both vehicles came to rest in the north ditch. 14-year-old Michael Betts and 4-year-old Cora Betts were killed in the crash. Four other family members in the van, ranging in age from 37- to-one were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. The driver of the truck, 48-year-old Sergey Wasinskiy of Vancouver, Washington was not injured. The Nebraska State Patrol was assisted by members of the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, the Buffalo County Attorney’s Office and the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department. -O-