Lincoln man arrested in connection with crash that killed Ceresco Police Officer

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - A Lincoln man was arrested Tuesday morning in connection with a crash that killed a Ceresco Police Officer earlier this year.

The Nebraska State Patrol said in cooperation with the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office, 50-year-old Tony Pierce turned himself in to troopers and was cited for felony motor vehicle homicide.

On April 12, Officer Ross Bartlett had pulled over a Nissan Altima on Highway 77 just south of Ceresco. While parked on the shoulder, a southbound Ford F-150 reportedly driven by Pierce hit Bartlett’s vehicle from behind, causing it to hit the Nissan.

NSP suspects Pierce was using his phone at the time of the crash.

Bartlett was flown to a Lincoln hospital where he died from his injuries. The Nissan driver, 27-year-old Ke’vion Hill, and Pierce were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

NSP also completed the investigation Officer Bartlett had started with the traffic stop and cited Hill for driving under suspension, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana – less than one ounce. He was arrested and lodged in the Douglas County Jail for an unrelated warrant. According to Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon, an arraignment hearing for Pierce has been set for Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. Pierce has since posted bond and was released from jail shortly after his arrest.

Bartlett was 54 years old, and worked in several law enforcement agencies across Nebraska in the last 30 years, including the Valentine Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Newman Grove Police. He joined the Ceresco Police Department in 2017, was an investigator for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and also a member of the Ceresco Volunteer Fire Department.

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