Dodge County, NE — November 28, 2024, Shana Lininger was killed and one was injured after a semi-truck accident at around 6:47 p.m. on U.S. 77.
Authorities said in preliminary statements that the crash happened at the U.S. Highway 77 and U.S. Highway 275 bypass interchange north of town.
According to officials, 22-year-old Shana Lininger and one other person were in a Kia Sorento that was going southbound on U.S. 77. While details aren’t clear right now, authorities said that the Kia crashed into a semi-truck “attempting to make a left turn” from U.S. 275 bypass.
Due to the collision, Shana Lininger was killed. The passenger in the Kia had unspecified injuries. No other injuries were reported. Right now, exact circumstances about the crash remain unclear.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
I’ve read multiple news stories about this crash, and I’ve looked up images of the area where this crash supposedly happened. I can’t help wondering if there are additional details locals may be able to clear up for me, because when I look at where these two highway meet, I don’t see where a truck would be “turning” onto the highway. Was it merging onto southbound lanes? Was it making an illegal u-turn? Was the truck coming out of the nearby weigh station? Did this actually happen at Old Highway 275 where a vehicle turning onto U.S. 77 would have a stop sign?
The reason this stands out to me, quite frankly, is because unclear statements can sometimes be a sign authorities aren’t really taking investigations seriously. I’ve handled hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases, and it would shock folks to know how often authorities missed something important or outright got the facts wrong. It’s one of the reasons I am more trusting of independent accident reconstructions. They dig into all kinds of factors, including laser-mapping of the scene, available video evidence, GPS data, debris analysis, the truck’s maintenance records, the histories of drivers involved, examination for potential vehicle or roadway defects, etc.
Like I said, it could be these details are just unclear in the news, but the victim’s loved ones behind the scenes are getting the answers they deserve. Authorities can certainly conduct thorough investigations when they have the right equipment and training. But if those affected by this crash are asking the same kinds of questions I am, and they’re not getting satisfactory answers, it could be that current investigations are missing something important.
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