California man arrested after high-speed chase in central Nebraska, patrol says

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A man was arrested Wednesday after a pursuit in a stolen vehicle near Grand Island, the Nebraska State Patrol said.

Around 12:45 a.m., a trooper attempted to stop a Jeep that had exceeded 100 mph on Interstate 80, just southeast of Grand Island.

The patrol said the driver – Thomas Hernandez, 33, of Fullerton, California – refused to stop and the officer began a pursuit.

Hernandez’s vehicle was disabled after running over stop sticks southwest of Grand Island, according to the patrol.

He fled and authorities used a thermal drone to find him hiding in a ditch along I-80, the patrol said.

The Jeep was later found stolen in Ohio.

Hernández was arrested on suspicion of fleeing to avoid arrest, reckless driving and theft by unlawful taking.

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