Separate crashes in Buffalo County construction zone leave one dead, others injured

ELM CREEK, Neb. (KSNB) - A section of Interstate 80 in Buffalo County was closed for several hours on Sunday following two separate crashes, including one fatality.

The crashes happened in the same construction zone just hours apart.

The first crash occurred around 9:45 a.m., near mile marker 257, the Elm Creek interchange.

The Nebraska State Patrol said a pickup rear-ended a semi in the construction zone. The driver of the pickup suffered non-life-threatening injuries and a child suffered minor injuries. The interstate was closed for approximately 90 minutes.

Then around 12:30 p.m., near the same location, the second crash happened.

NSP said it happened when a semi was parked on the westbound shoulder, in the two-lane construction zone. Another semi, hauling a piece of ag equipment, struck the semi that was parked on the shoulder, causing the ag equipment to enter the eastbound lanes and strike an oncoming semi.

The driver of the eastbound semi was killed in the crash. He has been identified as Viacheslav Nadolinkskii, 49, of Dallas, North Carolina. The drivers of both westbound semis suffered minor injuries and have since been released from the hospital.

Troopers are conducting a full crash reconstruction and investigation. I-80 was closed for about 5 hours.

NSP was assisted in these incidents by the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Kearney Police Department, Nebraska Department of Transportation, and local EMS.