On Wednesday an Omaha woman was involved in a serious car accident.

According to police, the accident happened at around 6.15 p.m. near Northwest Radial and Miami Street, when 55 year old Joanne N. Smith was taking items out of the truck of her car, a 2000 Buick Sentry which was parked on Northwest Radial. A 2012 Toyota Camry approached, being driven by 41 year old Omaha resident Lawanda F. Cook, and she was trying to pick up her cell phone which had fallen onto the floor of the car. As she was distracted, she ran into Smith and due to the force of the crash both of Smith’s legs were severed above the knees.

Smith was rushed to the Nebraska Medical Center, where she underwent surgery but she died on Sunday night.

Cook was not injured and the city attorney will now determine whether to file charges against Cook.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Omaha, please call the Omaha accident attorneys of Harris & Associates at (402) 397-1200 or contact us online today. We can help you review your compensation options and ensure you are receiving the compensation you deserve.

On Monday, slick conditions on Interstate 80 caused cars to slide and a semi truck to leave the road.

According to the police, there was one accident call after another and the volume was so high that the police were unable to respond to every accident, and in fact at one stage, the 911 dispatchers were saying that unless someone was injured in an accident, there were no police available to respond. From noon for a few hours they even stopped taking calls. Drivers in accidents with no injuries were advised to exchange information and continue with their journeys, assuming the vehicles were driveable.

It appears that some roads were better than others, but it was snowing heavily and the side streets were slick.

Even though there were many accidents, some drivers said that on the whole people were driving with caution and those from further afield in the state said that conditions were much worse in other areas.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Omaha, please call the Omaha auto accident attorneys of Harris & Associates, at (402) 397-1200 or contact us online today. We can help you review your compensation options and ensure you are receiving the compensation you deserve.

Changes to the Interstate 80 in Omaha have caused problems to some drivers and there has been an increase in accidents.

The $10 million project expanded I 80 from the I 480 interchange to 60th Street in hopes of alleviating traffic congestion as people leave downtown after work.

Westbound I 80 expanded to seven lanes south of downtown but funnels to four lanes near the 60th Street exit. The sixth and seventh lanes become an exit at 60th Street, and the fifth lane disappears during a short lane merge after the 60th Street exit. The fifth lane returns in the form of an on ramp from 60th Street. However, the bottleneck around the exit has caused several accidents as the traffic slows.

According to the Nebraska Department of Roads, drivers should adjust in time and there is signage telling drivers that the lane will drop together with painted arrows to direct drivers to merge left.

Nonetheless, the Police Department said there has been almost double the number of accidents and four times more involving injuries in the merge area than during the same time last year.

Officials now say they know about the problem but they think it will go away as drivers become more familiar with the changes and change their driving habits accordingly.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Omaha, please call the Omaha auto accident attorneys of Harris & Associates, at (402) 397-1200 or contact us online today. We can help you review your compensation options and ensure you are receiving the compensation you deserve.

Early Sunday morning two cars collided at an intersection in Omaha, leaving three people injured.

According to authorities, the crash happened just after 2.30 a.m. at Saddlecreek Road and Leavenworth Street.

They said that a grey 2006 Chrysler Sebring was traveling eastbound on Leavenworth Street when it ran the red light at South Saddlecreek Road and Leavenworth Street. The Sebring then hit a 2001 Chevy Impala which was travelling southbound. The unrestrained driver of the Sebring, 29 year old Brian Curry, and his passenger, William Harris, aged 30, who was also not wearing a seat belt, along with the driver of the Impala, 21 year old Travis Hydeial, were taken to Nebraska Medicine by Omaha Fire Department paramedics.

Curry, Harris and Hydeial all suffered facial abrasions and lacerations but none of the injuries were life threatening.

Police said that speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in the accident and that charges are pending.

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If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Omaha, please call the Omaha auto accident attorneys of Harris & Associates at (402) 397-1200 or contact us online today. We can help you review your compensation options and ensure you are receiving the compensation you deserve.

A 32 year old man has died in a crash in Harlan County in south central Nebraska.

According to authorities, officers went to the scene just before 10 p.m. on Friday on a rural road about 10 miles north northeast of Orleans. They discovered that a pickup travelling eastbound on 721 road had lost control and rolled into the ditch and then into a ravine. It was lying on its side.

The Nebraska State Patrol said that 32 year old Adam Harrahill of Orleans, the driver of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. Joelle Rehnberg, aged 28 and also of Orleans, and 32 year old Bradley Clatterbuck of Colorado were injured and taken to Phelps Memorial Health Center Holdrege for treatment of non life threatening injuries. Neither Harrahill nor Rehnberg were wearing seat belts.

The State Patrol was assisted in its investigation by the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Omaha which involved a speeding driver, please call the Omaha auto accident attorneys of Harris & Associates at (402) 397-1200 or contact us online today. We can help you review your compensation options and ensure you are receiving the compensation you deserve.

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According to authorities, four people were killed in separate vehicle accidents across the region on Friday and Saturday.

Omaha police said that on Saturday evening, just after 6.00 p.m., Ashley Carta, 29 from La Vista, crashed her Volkswagen Passat into a power pole after she had been seen driving erratically by witnesses. Her vehicle went over the curb on the west side of 144th Street, and she was taken to Creighton University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Earlier the same day, at around 6.15 a.m., 38-year-old Kevin Light from Murray was driving northbound on Chicago Boulevard in heavy rain. He lost control of his 1995 Ford Aspire and the vehicle rolled with the top tearing off. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office said that he died at the scene.

On Saturday night at about 8 p.m., Brian Dilly, aged 38 of Freemont was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle on Maple Street near 76th Street while trying to avoid a southbound Honda. His motorcycle slid along the ground and struck a sign on a median. He was subsequently pronounced dead at the Nebraska Medical Center.

And finally on Friday, John Neal, aged 21 of Omaha, collided with a van at 30th Street and Craig Avenue, and died at the scene.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Omaha, please call the Omaha auto accident attorneys of Harris & Associates at (402) 397-1200 or contact us online today. We can help you review your compensation options and ensure you are receiving the compensation you deserve.

One person is dead after an accident early Friday morning in Omaha, outside of the historic Gerald Ford Birthsite and Gardens in the Hanscom Park area

Omaha Police Sergeant Doug Klein said that the driver of a 2000 Dodge utility van hit a brick wall and gate at the site located at 32nd Avenue and Woolworth Street.

The accident was discovered about 4:25 a.m. at the memorial honoring the former president and Omaha native, but it may have happened two hours earlier when neighbors reported hearing a loud noise. Police said that there were no witnesses

Klein said it appeared that the van was northbound on 32nd Avenue when it slammed into the south edge of the gardens, crashing part way through a small brick retaining wall and a wrought-iron fence.

The male victim’s name has not been released and police believe speed and slick streets from the rain contributed to the accident.

Klein went on to say that this isn’t the first accident at that location as it is a dangerous intersection and with the overnight rain it can be hard to see. Last year the police investigated a hit-and-run accident that damaged the same gate and brick wall causing $20,000 in damage at the birthsite.

According to Omaha Police, a drunk driver crashed into a home and then fled on foot to a nearby creek.

The crash happened at around 2.30 p.m. on Sunday near North 85th and Nicholas streets in Omaha. The driver hit a fence and crashed into the front steps of a house belonging to 90-year-old Ruth Gabelhouse who was inside washing dishes. Gabelhouse did not suffer any injuries, but said she was shaken.

Omaha Police said it appeared that the driver had been drinking, and he got out of the car and ran. He also seemed to be injured as he was holding his ribs as he ran off.

Neighbors then pursued him down the street to Papio Creek, west of North 76th and Cass Streets. The man then jumped into the creek, was hauled out of the water by rescue crews and taken to a nearby hospital.

Police have not yet released what his charges will be or his identity.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Omaha, please call the Omaha auto accident attorneys of Harris & Associates at (402) 397-1200 or contact us online today. We can help you review your compensation options and ensure you are receiving the compensation you deserve.

According to authorities, three people were seriously injured on Friday in a two-vehicle collision in eastern Pottawattamie County.

Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker said the accident occured around 10.30 in the morning, about 9 miles east of Carson on Highway 92 near 500th Street, between Carson and Griswold.

He went on to say that one vehicle turned into the path of another and at least one of the vehicles rolled over.

According to dispatch reports one man had to be cut out of the wreckage.

Two of the people injured were taken by separate helicopters to Creighton University Medical Center and two others were taken by ambulance to Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. One of them was later taken by helicopter to the Nebraska Medical Center.

The names of the injured have not yet been released and the incident is still under investigation.

Authorities blocked the highway in both directions to allow the helicopters to land.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in Omaha, please call the Omaha auto accident attorneys of Harris & Associates at (402) 397-1200 or contact us online today. We can help you review your compensation options and ensure you are receiving the compensation you deserve.