An Iowa man led authorities on a high-speed chase in eastern Nebraska on Thursday. The chase ended with the driver in custody and needing treatment for self-inflected wounds. Nebraska State Patrol spokesman Captain Brett Friesz says a trooper stopped a vehicle near Blair, Nebraska, for speeding and ran the driver’s name.
“He had a warrant for his arrest in the state of Washington for obscene material possession,” Friesz says. “The driver took off in his vehicle.” The man is identified as 55-year-old Kevin Morrissey of Oakland, Iowa. The chase went down Highway 30.
“The pursuit lasted about 28 minutes,” he says. “It did get up to about 90 miles per hour until Mr. Morrissey’s vehicle was spiked.” Law enforcement deployed stop sticks and several tires were deflated.
The car ended up clipping a semi before entering the Fremont Area Medical Center parking lot. The car then came to a stop and officers surrounded it. He says, “When officers got to the vehicle, Mr. Morrissey was seen with a sharp object cutting himself in the neck and stabbing himself in the leg before he could be taken into custody.” Friesz says law enforcement acted immediately to stop this behavior.
“We’re not quite sure why he started cutting himself,” he says. “He was in the parking lot of the Fremont Area Medical Center and was treated for those self inflicted wounds.” Morrissey was air-lifted to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha for further treatment and is expected to survive.
It is not know what charges he will face in Nebraska. Washington State is being contacted as well.
By Karla James