News Release Nebraska State Patrol
Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Grand Island Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and Aurora Police Department, have arrested a Grand Island man on numerous charges following a pursuit overnight.
At approximately 12:25 a.m., NSP was alerted that Hall County Deputies were looking for a Jeep Grand Cherokee, whose driver had reportedly been involved in a domestic incident and had left with a small child inside the vehicle. A short time later, the Grand Island Police Department located the vehicle and initiated a pursuit.
As the vehicle exited Grand Island eastbound on Highway 34, GIPD discontinued their pursuit. Troopers continued eastbound on Highway 34 and located the vehicle, which had lost control and came to a stop at the junction of Highway 34 and Highway 2. Troopers gave verbal commands to the driver of the Jeep, but the driver refused to comply and began driving southbound on Highway 2.
Troopers and deputies pursued the vehicle southbound on Highway 2, then eastbound on Interstate 80. The Jeep reached speeds of approximately 100 miles per hour as it fled eastbound. It then exited at mile marker 332 and traveled north into a residential area of Aurora. Aurora Police Officers then located the vehicle at a residence in Aurora.
Troopers arrested the driver, Miguel Samaniego, 29, of Grand Island, without further incident. Samaniego was lodged in Hamilton County Jail for willful reckless driving, flight to avoid arrest, driving under the influence of alcohol, child neglect, transporting a child while intoxicated, no operator’s license, open alcohol container, and numerous traffic violations.
The child was transported by NSP back to Grand Island to be reunited with his mother. Additional charges are pending with the Grand Island Police Department.