Two people, police dog killed in Tuesday night York incident

YORK, Neb. (KSNB) - Two people and a police K9 were killed following an incident late Tuesday night in southeast Nebraska.

According to the York County Sheriff, a deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop around 11 p.m. on a 2008 silver Ford F-150 that was driving erratically near the intersection of Road H and Road 15 in York County.

A pursuit ensued at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour and continued to Road H and Road 18 where the vehicle stopped, authorities said. The truck stopped approximately 8 minutes after the chase began.

The sheriff’s office said the suspect then concealed his hands and advised officers that he wanted to die. The suspect was not responding to officer’s commands, the sheriff's office stated. The man then reportedly advanced toward the officers and took over the marked patrol K9 unit. This encounter outside the suspect’s vehicle lasted just over a minute, according to the sheriff's office.

Once the suspect gained control of the police cruiser, a chase began, authorities said. The suspect then reportedly started driving throughout York County and then into the City of York.

The stolen patrol vehicle stopped at 19th Street and Delaware Avenue on the railroad tracks, sheriff's deputies said. The male suspect then exited the vehicle and was standing outside the vehicle as a train was approaching.

Officers approached the person to intervene and try to regain control of the patrol vehicle and retrieve the canine, deputies said.

The sheriff’s office said as officers attempted to approach the suspect, he reentered the patrol vehicle and proceeded northbound on Delaware Avenue. The train blocked officers on the south side of the tracks and the stolen cruiser was on the north side.

The suspect then took off toward 25th and Delaware where he turned around and headed back toward the train at a high rate of speed. The suspect struck the back of a vehicle that was waiting at the crossing, the sheriff's office said.

The stolen K9 unit pushed the other vehicle into the train, deputies said.

The suspect, the driver of the second vehicle and the K9 officer were killed instantly.

Names have not been released pending next-of-kin notification.