By Nebraska State Patrol
NORTH PLATTE — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested multiple drivers this weekend after pursuits on opposite ends of the state.
Saturday evening, NSP received a report of a Dodge Challenger traveling well over 100 miles per hour in a reckless manner on Interstate 80 in Dawson County. A trooper was able to locate the Challenger in Lincoln County and clocked the vehicle at 132 miles per hour.
Because of heavy traffic, the trooper did not pursue and notified another trooper further to the west. The other trooper was able to locate the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop at the westbound rest area near Sutherland. The vehicle then fled, traveling the wrong way on the rest area entry ramp and reentering I-80 westbound. The trooper initiated a pursuit. A short time later, another trooper successfully deployed stop sticks, bringing the suspect vehicle to a stop.
The driver, Aaron Abel, 43, of Greenville, Iowa, was taken into custody without further incident. Abel was lodged in Lincoln County Jail for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, and several traffic violations.
Early Sunday morning in Omaha, a trooper observed an Infiniti G37 traveling at 123 miles per hour on Interstate 80. The vehicle exited at 72nd Street and the trooper attempted a traffic stop. The driver refused to yield and fled southbound. The trooper initiated a pursuit.
The vehicle eventually came to a stop at 84th and L streets, but the driver refused repeated commands from the trooper to exit the vehicle. The vehicle then fled southbound on 84th Street before eventually entering an apartment complex and coming to a stop. The driver, Anthony Ceja Ventura, 20, of Omaha, was taken into custody without further incident.
Ceja Ventura was arrested for flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, and traffic violations. He was lodged in Douglas County Jail.