Troopers Find Meth, Cocaine After Pursuit, Crash on I-80

AUGUST 23, 2024 (GRAND ISLAND, NEB.)  — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after locating over 15 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and cocaine following a pursuit on Interstate 80 in central Nebraska.

At approximately 7:20 p.m. Thursday, a trooper observed an eastbound Cadillac Escalade speeding on I-80 near Grand Island. The trooper attempted a traffic stop as the vehicle exited I-80 at mile marker 312, but the vehicle then accelerated, drove through the grass, and fled back onto I-80 eastbound. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The Escalade fled with speeds above 120 miles per hour and passed other vehicles on the shoulder at times. At mile marker 330, the vehicle rear-ended an eastbound semi. The semi and Escalade then came to a stop on the shoulder. The driver of the semi was not injured. The driver of the Escalade was transported by the Aurora Fire Department to St. Francis Hospital in Grand Island with non-life-threatening injuries.

After the crash, troopers and deputies located several bags of controlled substances on the ground outside the vehicle. An additional bag was located inside the front fender of the Escalade, which had been damaged during the crash. The bags contained approximately 15 pounds of suspected methamphetamine, over 2 pounds of cocaine, and a small amount of marijuana. Upon release from the hospital, the driver, Deante House, 38, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, will be lodged in jail on numerous charges.