An iPhone feature alerted authorities of a car crash that claimed the lives of six young people in Nebraska.
An iPhone feature alerted first responders to a horrific car crash in Nebraska, where all six young occupants died after their vehicle slammed into a tree.
Five men were killed inside a Honda Accord at about 2:15 a.m. Sunday in Lincoln, police said. A 24-year-old woman, who was transferred in critical condition to a nearby hospital, later died.
The dead at the scene included the 22-year-old driver. The other victims were 21, 23, and two were 22.
The cause of the deadly collision is under investigation, Lincoln police said. After the crash, an iPhone belonging to one of the victims sent an alert to 911, authorities said.
The feature can detect a crash impact and automatically sends a signal to 911 if the phone's owner doesn't respond.
“This is the worst crash in Lincoln in recent memory,” said Lincoln Police Assistant Chief Michon Morrow. "We’ve been trying to think of another accident this bad and we haven’t come up with anything."
Investigators are looking for witnesses to the early morning collision.
“The cause of this accident is going to take us some time to pin down,” Morrow said. “We are looking at all possibilities, including alcohol, speed or distracted driving.”
Brad Bartak was asleep when his children came to rouse him.
“My daughter and my son came to my room and said, ‘Oh my God dad, there’s an accident, someone hit our tree,’” Bartak told WOWT-TV. “I was sound asleep.”
Bartak said he and his neighbors tried to help.
“I noticed that there was actually a fire coming from the engine. I basically grabbed the garden hose and ran it up to the car and we were dousing it,” he told the station.
“The neighborhood came together for this,” he said. “The way we reacted to it, we did the best we could, I wish we could’ve done more, but we worked with what we had.”
The Lincoln Police Department has asked anyone with additional information or video of the crash to contact the department at 402-441-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600.
Related Stories
