Beatrice man found dead at scene of accident, Thanksgiving Day

BEATRICE - A Thanksgiving weekend accident in northwest Gage County was fatal, for a Beatrice man. 

Gage County Sheriff’s Deputies began investigating a missing person report involving 40-year-old Leroy Lopez, of Beatrice…Thursday morning.  Family members who began searching found Lopez in his vehicle, which had gone off a road, down a creek embankment.

The vehicle was found along West Chestnut Road….between Southwest 100^th and Southwest 86^th Road.   Sheriff’s officials say DeWitt Fire and Rescue personnel responded to the scene, finding the driver dead. 

The Nebraska State Patrol also responded to the accident.  It was determined that Lopez had been driving west when his vehicle went off the north side of West Chestnut Road, hitting a creek embankment.  The accident scene is about five miles south of Clatonia.

Authorities say they do not believe the driver was using a safety restraint at the time of the accident.