Three arrested after pursuit in Cheyenne County

October 3, 2024 (Scottsbluff, Nebraska) – Nebraska State Patrol troopers have arrested three people following a pursuit in Cheyenne County.

At approximately 1:05 a.m. this morning, a police officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a silver 2007 Buick Lucerne at the intersection of Old Post Road and Silverberg Drive in Sidney, Nebraska. The vehicle fled the scene and the police officer initiated a pursuit. The vehicle was traveling eastbound on I-80 and reached a speed of 130 miles per hour.

During the pursuit, the vehicle used the median to turn around and eventually exited I-80 into Sidney. Another police officer used stop sticks, but the vehicle continued to flee. An officer then successfully conducted a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop in a ditch near the intersection of L17J and Old Post Road.

Officers smelled smoke and all three occupants of the Buick exited the vehicle and were taken into custody. Shortly afterwards the vehicle caught fire. During the fire, police officers heard live ammunition popping inside the vehicle. The fire also spread to the field to the east, north of the Walmart area. Sidney Police and Sidney Fire Department responded and the fire was extinguished.

All inmates were arrested on drug and weapons charges. The driver, John Harmon, 32, of Sterling, Colorado, was arrested for felony eluding and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony. The passenger, Kyrie Riggle, 38, of Sterling, Colorado, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance (meth). The second passenger, Dakota Schrecengost, 22, of Sterling, Colorado, was arrested and had an outstanding warrant for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.