First responders dispatched to the scene of a two-vehicle crash Monday near McCook on Highway 83

Red Willow County Sheriff Kevin Darling

McCook, Nebraska — First responders responded to the scene of a two-vehicle crash near McCook on Interstate 83 Monday that left people injured, authorities said.

McCook EMS called McCook Ambulance to respond to a two-vehicle crash on South Hwy 83 with injuries. Red Willow Rural Western Fire Department was also dispatched. The Red Willow Sheriff's Office responded when the call came in.

Upon arrival, McCook Ambulance crew and volunteers along with Rural Western and the Harpham Fire Chief were stabilising and preparing to extract the driver of vehicle #2.

Vehicle #1 was a Weather Craft heavy-duty box truck while Vehicle #2 was a FedEX van. The scene indicated that Vehicle #1 was traveling up the area known as M Hill south of Route 712 and Highway 83 in the slow-moving vehicle lane. Vehicle #2, also traveling south in the slow-moving vehicle lane at near highway speeds, struck the rear box of Vehicle #1 directly.

The airbags in Vehicle 2 deployed. However, the driver was pinned by the dashboard as it moved backward and down and the windshield was also pushed backward. Eventually, the steering wheel was cut off, the dashboard was torn off and the driver was extricated and transported to McCook Community Hospital.

The Red Willow County Sheriff said no additional information was available on the driver's condition or whether he was transported beyond McCook. Driver No. 1 refused medical attention even though his head hit the windshield during the impact.

Darling also notes that Weather Craft colleagues who were traveling with the truck immediately deployed fire extinguishers, ensuring that this scene was just a serious accident and not a fatality. Darling thanks a passerby who used his vehicle to slow traffic and protect the scene and the victim.