Suspect arrested after pursuit, search in Lincoln County

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol SWAT Team arrested a Colorado man following a pursuit and extensive search near Brady.

The incident began around 1 p.m. Saturday when the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to a vehicle fire on Interstate 80 near Hershey. A witness reported that the driver was fleeing toward the Interstate Lakes area.

The suspect was then seen stealing a pickup truck with a camper attached, running over its owner in the process. The owner sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Lincoln County deputies pursued the suspect as he fled eastbound on I-80. Troopers took over the chase near North Platte, where the suspect crossed the median and drove at high speed in the westbound lanes, narrowly missing a westbound trooper. The suspect exited at the Brady interchange and fled on foot into a wooded area, where troopers and deputies established a perimeter. The NSP SWAT Team, along with the North Platte Police Department and Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, assisted in the search, deploying drones and aviation support.

The NSP SWAT Team conducted a close search using a light armored vehicle and an NSP K9 unit. The K9 tracked the suspect, identified as Abraham Pacheco, 32, of Thornton, Colo., to a muddy pond bank, where he was apprehended at 7:25 p.m.

Pacheco was taken to Great Plains Health in North Platte for medical clearance before being lodged in Lincoln County Jail on multiple charges. The investigation is ongoing.