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Fatal fire accident in Omaha: driver allegedly drunk, speeding

The driver accused of causing a violent crash that killed four people, including three children, was allegedly drunk and speeding between “105 and 116 miles per hour,” according to court documents. Officials told KETV NewsWatch 7 that the 18-month-old child injured in the accident died Tuesday morning. An autopsy will be performed in Omaha on Friday. Two other people were critically injured in the crash, which occurred around 1:30 a.m. Friday near 10th and Douglas streets. Previous coverage: 3 people, including 2 children, died in fiery crash in downtown OmahaRachel Bickerstaff, 33, now faces four counts of motor vehicle homicide, a Class II felony, for allegedly driving while intoxicated and for her prior convictions for driving under the influence are subject to prosecution to the fullest extent of the law,” said Douglas County District Attorney Don Kleine. Investigators said Bickerstaff, who was driving a Jeep, was traveling east on Douglas Street when she struck a Subaru from behind, pushing both cars east. The driver of the Subaru, identified as 70-year-old Michael Sales, was Just turned left onto Douglas Street from southbound 10th Street before the crash and the Subaru struck a light pole after the collision, Omaha police said. The family has a GoFundMe, click here to visit.READ MORE: Police identify Council Bluffs man killed in fiery crash near downtown Omaha. Authorities said the Jeep struck a tree and then rolled. Due to the force of the impact, both SUVs crashed into barriers and caught fire. Two children were found dead in the Jeep, Omaha police said. According to court documents, the children were an 11-day-old girl and a 5-year-old girl. Bickerstaff, a 38-year-old man who was sitting in the front seat, and an 18-month-old child from the Jeep were taken to University for initial treatment of Nebraska Medical Center and then transferred to the burn unit at the University of Kansas Medical Center, court documents show. Officials said the child died Tuesday. According to court documents, emergency room staff described treating the 18-month-old child's injuries as “forceful.” Court documents say a search warrant for an emergency room admission revealed Bickerstaff's BAC was 0.216. She was previously convicted of drunk driving in April 2020. Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7

OMAHA, Neb. –

The driver accused of causing a violent crash that killed four people, including three children, was allegedly drunk and speeding between “105 and 116 miles per hour,” according to court documents.

Officials told KETV NewsWatch 7 that the 18-month-old child who was injured in the crash died Tuesday morning. An autopsy will be performed in Omaha on Friday.

Two other people were critically injured in the crash, which occurred around 1:30 a.m. Friday near 10th and Douglas streets.

Previous coverage: 3 people, including 2 children, killed in fiery accident in downtown Omaha

Rachel Bickerstaff, 33, now faces four counts of vehicular manslaughter, a Class II felony, for alleged drunken driving and her previous conviction for driving under the influence.

“It's terrible. And it is clear that we will do everything we can to ensure that we prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” said Douglas County Prosecutor Don Kleine.

Investigators said Bickerstaff, who was driving a Jeep, was traveling east on Douglas Street when she struck a Subaru from behind, pushing both cars east.

The driver of the Subaru, identified as 70-year-old Michael Sales, had just turned left onto Douglas Street from southbound 10th Street before the crash, and the Subaru struck a light pole after the collision, police said Omaha with. The family has a GoFundMe, click here to visit.

READ MORE: Police identify Council Bluffs man killed in fiery crash near downtown Omaha

According to authorities, the Jeep crashed into a tree and then rolled. Due to the force of the impact, both SUVs crashed into guardrails and caught fire.

Two children were found dead in the Jeep, Omaha police said. According to court documents, the children were an 11-day-old girl and a 5-year-old girl.

Bickerstaff, a 38-year-old man who was sitting in the front seat, and an 18-month-old child from the Jeep were taken to the University of Nebraska Medical Center for initial treatment and then transferred to the University of Kansas Medical Central Burn Unit, according to court documents.

Officials said the child died Tuesday. According to court documents, emergency room staff described the treatment of the 18-month-old child's injuries as “forceful.”

Court documents say a search warrant for an emergency room admission revealed Bickerstaff's BAC was 0.216. She was previously convicted of drunk driving in April 2020.

Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7

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