NE - 4 Teenage Girls Die in Fiery Single Vehicle Automobile Crash, 5th Burned, Gretna, 17 June 2019

[bears10]

“So far, we have not been getting any great leads from the community,” said Chief Deputy Sarpy County Sheriff Greg London. “We’re getting a lot of rumors and a lot of hearsay, but someone out there knows what’s going on and where that alcohol came from, and we need them to step forward.”

snip

Capt. Kevin Griger, the Sarpy County sheriff’s investigations commander, said investigators have identified two people of interest, both underage at the time of the crash, who may have provided the alcohol or know more about who did. Both have attorneys and have not yet talked to the Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities hit roadblocks trying to find alcohol source in crash that killed four Gretna girls


Authorities said they are looking for two people of interest they believe have information about where the alcohol provided to the minors came from, but that their attorneys are restricting investigators from speaking with them.

UPDATE: Authorities increase reward to $14,000 for tips on crash that killed four Gretna teens

 

[Snick1946]

Gretna's water tower has 'The Great Life' on it. Maybe it needs to be updated to'Don't Snitch'

 

[PastTense]

Life of Gretna crash victim Alex Minardi celebrated on what would've been her sixteenth birthday with balloon release
Late Gretna crash victim honored on what would've been her sixteenth birthday

Still no progress on arresting the person who provided the alcohol to the girls.

When I was researching this I found another article about 5 people who died in a Nebraska car crash just Monday including 3 teenagers. In this case the SUV lost control in a heavy rain, hyperplaned, went into the other lane and crashed into a truck. People just drive too fast in a heavy rain.
SUV-semi collision leaves 5 dead in Panhandle

 

[Snick1946]

I stopped posting on here because with all the lawyering up I was worried anything I said could get me in trouble.

If this happened in some other location, say in an inner city neighborhood, how many of these good people of Gretna would be clamoring for the guilty to be brought to justice?

I have what I think is a good idea where the booze came from. Just a gut feeling and no I will not elaborate on it. Someone has a lot to live with.

 

[PrairieWind]

Oh I’m sure the police know where the booze came from. But proving it is another thing. A close knit group of people will not throw one of their own under the bus.

 

[Snick1946]

Gretna fatal crash update: No charges as authorities warn of teen drinking habits

Local authorities apparently have decided not to pursue the source of the booze. The one survivor is still not talking and it sounds like a lot of wagons are circled in Gretna.

I won't rant; it's all been said before. Just disguising....

 

[Rocky1]

Thank you for the update.
I don't think they have given up at all. They have just changed their tactics by making it look like whoever supplied the alcohol will only be charged with a misdemeanor, and should come forward. Of course, the reality is, once someone comes forward, LE will investigate further to try and find out where the student got it from, and that could result in felony charges.
They also used the guilt tactic, by saying "if you honor the victims you should come forward."
LE has also tried fear tactics by saying in so many words if they don't get this person off the street that more teens will die in alcohol related car crashes as if this person supplies alcohol to minors on a weekly basis. Underage drinking has been going on for decades, and will continue to do so, no matter if this person is off the street or not, and LE knows this.
This situation is sad. I have been following from the beginning. I think the saddest part about the entire situation is the lies that LE/County Attorney spewed from the beginning, by stating things like "people are required to speak to LE by law, or will be arrested for obstruction, etc.
I know nothing about Gretna NE, but what I have learned is anything that LE says, and anything the County Attorney says, is not to be believed.
I'm all about justice, but I think if I lived there, after seeing the sneaky tactics that LE have used, and the lies they have told, I'm not so sure I'd come forward either. This is just another lie imo.
If one was to believe the County Attorney (which I don't now that they have impeached themselves) when she says in her own words, that the charge is "only a misdemeanor", then why not just let it go and move on, rather than spending taxpayers money on such a small thing? I would think the money would be better off spent on holding seminars that educate the community on the dangers of driving while intoxicated, but the sad reality is that LE is more concerned about getting their man.
My thoughts go out to the families of the girls that perished. I can't even begin to imagine how they must be feeling during this holiday season.

 

[Hap]

These kids made the choice to drink. It's a choice many teens make, and there's never a shortage of ways to get alcohol.... from home, older siblings or friends, stranger willing to help out. Doubtful the truth will ever come out, but I'm sure whoever did help them is never going to get over their deaths.

 

[Happygo]

Similar situation just happened ina small town in south Alabama called Geneva. Three of five girls in the car died and all went to same high school. Not sure of details yet, but hit a tree speeding without any sign of slowing down at all before impact.

 

[Happygo]

Oh and there were three girls in the front seat without seatbelts. That shocks me in this day and age. Thought it was an automatic with new drivers these days.

 

[Rocky1]

Oh and there were three girls in the front seat without seatbelts. That shocks me in this day and age. Thought it was an automatic with new drivers these days.

It was the same situation here. No seatbelts.

 

[MyBelle]

Thank you for the update.
I don't think they have given up at all. They have just changed their tactics by making it look like whoever supplied the alcohol will only be charged with a misdemeanor, and should come forward. Of course, the reality is, once someone comes forward, LE will investigate further to try and find out where the student got it from, and that could result in felony charges.
They also used the guilt tactic, by saying "if you honor the victims you should come forward."
LE has also tried fear tactics by saying in so many words if they don't get this person off the street that more teens will die in alcohol related car crashes as if this person supplies alcohol to minors on a weekly basis. Underage drinking has been going on for decades, and will continue to do so, no matter if this person is off the street or not, and LE knows this.
This situation is sad. I have been following from the beginning. I think the saddest part about the entire situation is the lies that LE/County Attorney spewed from the beginning, by stating things like "people are required to speak to LE by law, or will be arrested for obstruction, etc.
I know nothing about Gretna NE, but what I have learned is anything that LE says, and anything the County Attorney says, is not to be believed.
I'm all about justice, but I think if I lived there, after seeing the sneaky tactics that LE have used, and the lies they have told, I'm not so sure I'd come forward either. This is just another lie imo.
If one was to believe the County Attorney (which I don't now that they have impeached themselves) when she says in her own words, that the charge is "only a misdemeanor", then why not just let it go and move on, rather than spending taxpayers money on such a small thing? I would think the money would be better off spent on holding seminars that educate the community on the dangers of driving while intoxicated, but the sad reality is that LE is more concerned about getting their man.
My thoughts go out to the families of the girls that perished. I can't even begin to imagine how they must be feeling during this holiday season.

BBM. The deaths of four teens is not "such a small thing." For years, LE has gone into schools and addressed the topic of drunk driving. The point of the news conference is that despite losing four friends to alcohol, there is still a serious problem with kids drinking and driving in that community.

What the Sheriff is asking the public to do is better parent their kids. Be aware of signs of alcohol abuse. Monitor their social media, be aware that kids are buying vodka in water bottles, etc. The surviving victim spoke to LE about the accident but they couldn't ask her questions about the alcohol because she hired an attorney. They still have two POI's and a reward.
JMO

As a direct result of this investigation, LE have arrested 12 teenagers attempting to shoplift alcohol, issued three minor-in-possession citations and arrested one teen with a fake ID...
...Davis said he’s aware that some people wonder why authorities continue to push to find answers. Why not let the families of the dead girls grieve in peace?

“We can’t let that go for this reason: They have gone through an unbelievable experience that most of us can’t imagine how bad it is,” Davis said of the parents of the girls.

“Our job is to get to the bottom of it, but most importantly to see that nothing like that ever happens again.”

The reward for tips related to the crash is at $14,500.

People can call Crime Stoppers at 402-592-7867 or leave an anonymous tip at apps.sarpy.com/sheriff/crimestoppers/default.html.

Officials still haven't determined who provided alcohol in crash that killed 4 Gretna teens

 

[Rocky1]

BBM. The deaths of four teens is not "such a small thing." For years, LE has gone into schools and addressed the topic of drunk driving. The point of the news conference is that despite losing four friends to alcohol, there is still a serious problem with kids drinking and driving in that community.

What the Sheriff is asking the public to do is better parent their kids. Be aware of signs of alcohol abuse. Monitor their social media, be aware that kids are buying vodka in water bottles, etc. The surviving victim spoke to LE about the accident but they couldn't ask her questions about the alcohol because she hired an attorney. They still have two POI's and a reward.
JMO

As a direct result of this investigation, LE have arrested 12 teenagers attempting to shoplift alcohol, issued three minor-in-possession citations and arrested one teen with a fake ID...
...Davis said he’s aware that some people wonder why authorities continue to push to find answers. Why not let the families of the dead girls grieve in peace?

“We can’t let that go for this reason: They have gone through an unbelievable experience that most of us can’t imagine how bad it is,” Davis said of the parents of the girls.

“Our job is to get to the bottom of it, but most importantly to see that nothing like that ever happens again.”

The reward for tips related to the crash is at $14,500.

People can call Crime Stoppers at 402-592-7867 or leave an anonymous tip at apps.sarpy.com/sheriff/crimestoppers/default.html.

Officials still haven't determined who provided alcohol in crash that killed 4 Gretna teens

I'm not sure where your quote came from about the death of four teens is "not such a small thing."
It didn't come from my post.

 

[MyBelle]

I'm not sure where your quote came from about the death of four teens is "not such a small thing."
It didn't come from my post.

Yes, it did come from your post which is why I bolded it: "rather than spending taxpayers money on such a small thing?"

JMO

 

[Rocky1]

Yes, it did come from your post which is why I bolded it: "rather than spending taxpayers money on such a small thing?"

JMO

I must be missing something. I don't see anything "bolded" about spending tax payers money on such a small thing in your initial post.
All I see is your quote that insinuates that I stated that the death of four teens is "Such a small thing" Do you see the quotes in your post?
I think you missed the point. My point was the Attorney stated that it was only a misdemeanor that someone supplied the girls with alcohol. Nothing in the video, or nothing in my post downplayed, nor referenced anything at all to do with their deaths being "such a small thing," Those were your words.
Time stamp @ 1.17.
Gretna fatal crash update: No charges as authorities warn of teen drinking habits

 

[mks762]

FWIW I took it to mean "such a small thing" = a misdemeanor charge, not the actual deaths.

 

[Snick1946]

Parents of Gretna teens killed in crash claim poor road design contributed to girls' deaths

The parents are suing the county for poor road design. They are asking for a whole grab bag full of stuff, including compensation for lost earnings of their kids.

 

[borndem]

Not sure if this will work but I will post a link to the Google Earth view of the location of this accident. There is utterly nothing around there. It appears no street lights, few houses. It would look to me the car left the road possibly air borne and rolled after being thrown by the guard rail. In trying to imagine what could have happened it occurs to me they could have been struck by another car.

Google Maps

It'd be interesting to speculate if that area has the reputation of a place teens go to race. There may well have been another car involved. Accident investigators are probably looking at this.

Just now joining this sad, sad thread. Hundreds of young students, parents of many students, teachers, townspeople, etc., are surely crying and shocked that this horrible accident occurred to these amazing young girls. It takes my breath away...

A big Thanks, @Snick1946, for the Google map -- I have been trying to locate that spot with no luck.

 

[borndem]

Note in case anyone missed it, there was a biographical article on each of the 5 girls--click on each of the 5 highlited names in post #16.

Thanks -- I don't know if I can even look...

 

[TDoc72]

Parents of Gretna teens killed in crash claim poor road design contributed to girls' deaths

The parents are suing the county for poor road design. They are asking for a whole grab bag full of stuff, including compensation for lost earnings of their kids.

Hard NO from me. It’s not the road’s or city’s fault that their kids were drinking, speeding and not wearing seatbelts. I’m sure that people who aren’t driving drunk and/or speeding navigate the road safely all the time. I do feel sorry for their loss. But they shouldn’t get a dime.