GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — A pickup truck may have been traveling at speeds up to three times the legal limit before a tragic crash that resulted in the deaths of four individuals over the weekend in Grand Island.
Authorities indicated that the Toyota pickup was likely moving at interstate speeds when it collided with a tree on South Locust Street, near the Burger King restaurant. In memory of the four young men who lost their lives, a roadside memorial has been established at the site of the accident.
The victims have been identified as 23-year-old Daniel White Face and 19-year-old Atreya Thorsen, both from Gordon, along with 22-year-old Juan Ramos and 18-year-old Alexander Ramos American Horse, both of Grand Island.
Police describe the incident as a tragic crash, likely linked to speeds that may have exceeded 100 miles per hour. “It’s greater than highway speeds, greater than interstate speeds. We hope to obtain a more accurate estimate of the exact speed. The damage to the pickup was so severe that the engine completely separated from the vehicle,” said Police Captain Dean Elliott.
Elliott noted that the vehicle was traveling so fast that it propelled rocks into the air, causing them to shatter windows at a nearby business. An officer was patrolling the area at the intersection of South Locust and Stolley Park, just a stoplight away from the crash site, but the vehicle crashed before reaching that point. Elliott mentioned that officers are aware of issues related to drag racing and speeding on South Locust, which is one of the widest, longest, and straightest streets in the community.
The families and friends of the four men are now in mourning, leaving candles and balloons at the base of the damaged tree as a tribute. Captain Elliott expressed that such a multi-fatality incident also deeply affects first responders, who were unable to save any of the victims.
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