BEATRICE – Gage County Sheriff’s officials have released the name of the driver who was involved in an injury accident last Saturday, southwest of Beatrice along U.S. Highway 136.

56-year-old Douglas Beu, of Fairbury was driving a northbound car that went off the west side of the highway, over an embankment….where it went airborne, hitting a utility pole, landing on its top.

Beu was discovered trapped inside the vehicle.  He was extricated by a Beatrice Rescue and Rural Fire crew, then airlifted by medical helicopter to Bryan West Medical Center in Lincoln.  He suffered critical injuries.

Authorities investigating the accident said seat belts were not in use, and drugs or alcohol were being investigated as possible contributing factors in the accident.