KDSN Radio

Multi-Car Accident east of Harlan Friday morning

At 7:57 Friday morning, March 27th, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a multiple vehicle accident on Highway 44 east of Maple Road. According to the accident report, a 2003 Chevy K3500, driven by Michael Thraen, was stopped, waiting to turn into a driveway in the 1400 block of Highway 44. Thraen says he saw the accident was going to happen as a car coming behind him was not slowing down. A 2005 Dodge minivan driven by Star Gifford was stopped behind the Chevy pickup and was struck by a 2018 Dodge minivan, driven by Lydia Holtz, who is pregnant and had her two children with her. The third vehicle was a white 2005 Dodge minivan driven by Star Gifford. A passenger in the Gifford vehicle, Michael Gettler, was trapped in the vehicle. He was wheelchair-bound and had to be extracted by mechanical means. Gettler was then transported to Myrtue Medical Center by Shelby County Ambulance and was later transported to UNMC. Lydia Holtz and her children were also transported to Myrtue Medical Center to be checked out. Holtz’s vehicle ended up in the north ditch; Thraen’s and Giffords both stayed on the roadway.