Bicyclist, struck by stolen pickup, is OK

McCOOK, Neb. -- A bicyclist struck by a pair of teenage runaways in a stolen pickup Saturday evening in McCook sustained only minor injuries. The runaways eluded capture at the time but were taken into custody the next day.

The McCook Police Department received a report of a bicyclist struck by a pickup at the west junction of U.S. Highways 83 and 6-34 at just past 10 p.m. Saturday evening.

The driver of the pickup stopped to check on the bicyclist but then backed into a car waiting at the intersection and left the area prior to law enforcement arriving on the scene, according to McCook Police Detective Larry Kinne.

A subsequent investigation indicated the bicyclist, Tysius Phalen of McCook, suffered minor injuries and was not transported for medical treatment. The car that was hit-and-run belonged to Chad Newport.

The 17-year-old driver of the pickup and a 15-year-old passenger were identified as runaways from Lincoln. The pickup was stolen from rural Lincoln County earlier in the day.

The McCook Police Department received a tip Sunday morning the runaway juveniles and stolen pickup were at a McCook residence. Officers responded and took the runaways into custody and recovered the vehicle.

It was later determined the juveniles left Lincoln on Friday in a stolen pickup. They drove to the North Platte area where they abandoned the vehicle and stole a second pickup, which was recovered in McCook.

The teens also visited Trenton where they stole license plates from a car that were placed on the pickup recovered in McCook, according to a press release. The juveniles were transported back to Lincoln Sunday afternoon.

The investigation involves a cooperative effort between the McCook Police Department, Lincoln Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and the Hitchcock County Sheriff's Office.