By SCOTT CARLSON
North Platte Post
HERSHEY, Neb.-The driver of a vehicle has been cited after a crash on Interstate 80 near Hershey on Monday.
At around 9:00 a.m., troopers responded to the report of an injury accident at mile marker 163 in the westbound lanes of the Interstate.
The Patrol said an investigation revealed that a westbound Ford Escape rear-ended a semi.
The collision caused the vehicle to roll, ejecting the male driver and female passenger. An infant in a car seat remained in the back seat of the vehicle and was removed by troopers just before the vehicle caught fire. Troopers reported several explosions from the vehicle.
The driver of the Escape Jack Zortman, 24, of Lincoln, his female passenger and the infant were all transported to Great Plains Health in North Platte. The infant was eventually flown to Children's Hospital in Omaha, and the female passenger was flown to Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln. The patrol said both of their injuries were serious.
Following further investigation, Zortman was cited for driving under the influence of drugs.
The crash remains under investigation.