Oct 20, 2021

California man pleads no contest in fatal Nebraska crash

Posted Oct 20, 2021 2:55 PM

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A 36-year-old California truck driver pleaded no contest to charges filed after a crash in Nebraska that killed three people.

Kenneth Kratt, of Madera, California, pleaded Tuesday to three counts of felony manslaughter.

He remains free on bond before his sentencing. Prosecutors said Kratt was driving a semitrailer truck on Interstate 80 in September 2019 when he approached a construction zone near Gibbon.

His truck hit a car driven by Ryan Vanicek, of Schuyler, who had slowed for traffic.

Vanicek and Daniel Seelhoff, of Lincoln, were killed in that car.

The chain reaction crash also killed Scott Gaylord, also of Lincoln.