by A woman was found dead in the back seat of a car following a police chase in Nebraska early Wednesday morning. The vehicle was linked to a missing person alert issued in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. When a Nebraska State Patrol trooper attempted to stop the car on I-80 in Lincoln, the driver fled, later crashing into a creek.
Authorities believe the woman was already deceased before the crash. The driver, 23-year-old Gavin Thompson of Dodgeville, was arrested after a foot pursuit and faces multiple charges. The investigation is ongoing as officials work to identify the woman.
- Incident Timeline:
- Tuesday: Dodgeville, Wisconsin authorities issued an Endangered Missing Person alert for a woman reported missing.
- Wednesday, ~1:50 a.m.: A Nebraska State Patrol trooper spotted a vehicle linked to the missing woman traveling west on Interstate 80 in Lincoln.
- Police Pursuit:
- The trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused to pull over and fled.
- The trooper confirmed that the driver was not the missing woman.
- The suspect drove westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-80, creating a dangerous situation.
- Crash and Discovery:
- The vehicle crashed into a creek after driving through a construction zone and median.
- The driver fled on foot.
- A deceased woman was found in the back seat; authorities believe she died before the crash.
- Suspect Arrested:
- The suspect, Gavin Thompson, 23, of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, was found about four miles west of the crash site.
- He was arrested and charged with:
- Flight to avoid arrest
- Willful reckless driving
- Additional charges pending
- Ongoing Investigation:
- Authorities are working to identify the deceased woman.
- The Nebraska State Patrol is leading the investigation with help from:
- Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office
- Seward County Sheriff’s Office
- Lincoln Police Department
- Dodgeville Police Department
- Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation
- Status:
- The case remains under investigation.
