High speed chase ends in Antelope County

A South Dakota man is in custody following a multi-county case that ended Monday near the U.S. Highway 20 and Nebraska Highway 14 junction, between Royal and Brunswick.

Matthew Waters, 34, of Colton, South Dakota, faces charges of felony assault on an officer with use of a vehicle and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest.

The incident began at approximately 7:30 a.m., Nov. 18, when Cedar County Sheriff's Office fielded a phone call about an individual threatening suicide and was told it was possible the individual crossed state lines and was in Nebraska.

"We pinged the phone to find a location," Nebraska State Patrol Troop B Captain Paul Hattan said.

Cedar County authorities made contact with the individual, who was traveling west on U.S. 20.

NSP troopers were notified at approximately 8:15 a.m., that Cedar County Sheriff’s officers were in pursuit of Waters’ Buick LeSabre, westbound on Highway 20, near Laurel.

A trooper joined the pursuit east of Plainview.

According to a press release from the NSP, the pursuit reached speeds of 90 miles per hour and “the suspect vehicle swerved toward oncoming traffic on several occasions.”

Hattan confirmed, "He was traveling at high rates of speed, taking other cars head on."

The suspect intentionally made contact with pursuing officers’ patrol units multiple times throughout the incident.

At approximately 9:10 a.m., as the chase neared Brunswick, a state trooper used spike strips to deflate tires on the right side of the vehicle, according to Hattan.

Once the vehicle drove over the stop sticks, another trooper implemented a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a halt, with the suspect taken into custody.

Waters is currently housed at the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center, in Neligh.

Calls were made to schools in towns along the route, alerting them to potential danger.

"We told them they were possibly in the path and to go into lockdown," Hattan said. "The vehicle never stopped (in those towns), but the driver posed a danger to the public as he was driving."

Hattan said officers found several weapons inside the vehicle once the suspect was taken into custody.

According to Hattan, Antelope County's attorney will serve as primary prosecutor since the arrest took place here.

"Most likely, attorneys in all counties involved will work together to file charges," Hattan added.

Traffic along U.S. Highway 20, in Antelope County, was rerouted for a time.

In addition to the Nebraska State Patrol, the Antelope County Sheriff's office, Pierce County Sheriff's office, Cedar County Sheriff's office, Laurel Police Department, Randolph Police Department and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission assisted.