KDSN RADIO News
$1 million bail set for Earling man charged in I-480 crash that killed 2, injured 3 others
(7-15-25) – A judge set bail at $1 million for 22-year-old Christian Stephens of Earling, the man charged with killing two people after driving the wrong way on Interstate 480 near downtown Omaha last week. In addition to being charged with two counts of motor-vehicle homicide, Stephens was charged with causing serious injuries to three others.
The charges stem from a crash involving an eastbound Ford F-150 pickup that was traveling in the westbound lanes of I-480. The truck crashed nearly head-on into a Buick Century sedan near the 14th Street exit shortly after 2 a.m. Friday. The crash killed two people in the sedan, though their identities have not been released.
Omaha Fire Department medics transported two teenage girls—passengers in the Buick—to the Nebraska Medical Center for treatment. The impact of the collision caused the Buick to catch fire.
According to an arrest affidavit filed by an Omaha police detective, a preliminary breath test allegedly indicated that Stephens was drunk at the time of the crash. The affidavit did not specify his blood-alcohol content, but blood was drawn for testing.
Stephens must pay $100,000, or 10% of the total bail, to be released from custody. His next scheduled court appearance is a hearing on August 25.
