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Father, son in critical condition after overnight crash

Posted at 6:46 AM, Sep 01, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-01 17:40:00-04

A speeding vehicle evading Nebraska State Patrol hit a parked car near 56th and Grover, NSP said, and sent a father and son to the hospital in critical condition Friday. 

Jason F. Leach, 41, was driving a Dodge Challenger when it hit an SUV parked near a nursing home close to 54th and Grover streets, according to the release. He sustained life-threatening injuries while his son, Jason R. Leach, 16, who was riding in the car with him, was reported to have non-life-threatening injuries.

NSP said the driver of the Challenger appeared to have lost control of the vehicle before it hit the SUV. The impact of the crash moved both vehicles another 200 feet before coming to a stop in the nursing home parking lot, the release states.

The pursuit began when a Trooper clocked a Dodge Challenger driving 102 mph near the 42nd street exit of Interstate 80, NSP stated in a press release Friday afternoon. The car turned onto 42nd Street, and led the Trooper on a pursuit, the release states. 

The Trooper, who lost sight of the vehicle near 48th and Grover streets, stopped to ask a bystander whether he had seen the vehicle, then continued driving westbound down Grover on the bystander's tip when he came upon the scene of the crash near 54th and Grover, the release states.

Approaching the scene, the Trooper said he heard screams from inside the vehicle; he then pulled the driver and passenger from the car while a bystander put out a fire that had ignited in the car's engine compartment, according to the release. 

Both injured people were taken to Bergan Mercy Hospital.

NSP is still investigating the accident.