NSP Trooper Honored for Stop Stick “Hit of the Year”

NSP Trooper Honored: JUNE 30, 2022 (LINCOLN, NEB.) — The Nebraska State Patrol has been honored by Stop Stick Ltd. for the 2021 “Hit of the Year”.

The company presents the award annually for an exceptional Stop Stick deployment that results in the safe conclusion of a pursuit.

This article was written by Cody Thomas – Public Relations Director-Nebraska State Patrol.

JUNE 30, 2022 (LINCOLN, NEB.)

The Nebraska State Patrol Stop Stick Ltd. honored Trooper John Lewis with the 2021 “Hit of the Year” award. The company presents the award annually for an exceptional Stop Stick deployment that results in the safe conclusion of a pursuit.

Stop Stick representatives presented the award to Trooper John Lewis for his successful deployment during a critical pursuit. Specifically, the chase involved a man suspected of shooting Omaha Police Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck on March 21, 2021. Ultimately, the committee chose Trooper Lewis’s action from over 4,000 deployments in 2021.

“The apprehension of this suspect demanded exceptional teamwork,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Furthermore, an unbelievable Stop Stick deployment by Trooper Lewis formed a crucial part of that team effort. Had the suspect not hit the spikes, he could have entered Lincoln and endangered even more members of the public.”

A trooper initially observed the suspect vehicle at the Gretna interchange of I-80. Then, when the suspect fled westbound, the trooper initiated a chase. Consequently, many divisions within NSP and other agencies immediately responded.

As the suspect vehicle approached the Waverly interchange, speeds exceeded 130 miles per hour. Trooper Lewis successfully deployed the Stop Sticks and contacted the driver’s side tires. Remarkably, however, he achieved this while a passing semi completely blocked his view. The suspect vehicle then exited I-80, and therefore, police took the suspect into custody minutes later without further incident.

Adam Freeman, National Sales Director for Stop Stick Ltd., expressed amazement: “I don’t know how Trooper Lewis managed it. He had a tractor-trailer traveling parallel with the suspect vehicle and remarkably did not flatten any non-target vehicles.”

”Earlier this year, NSP presented the actual stop stick used in the pursuit to Officer Wittstruck as he returned to work for the Omaha Police Department.