John Miller dies in fatal Saunders County car crash

John Miller dies in fatal Saunders County car crash
Fatal Saunders County car crash death of John Miller – Obituary

John Miller, 81, of Omaha, was killed in a two-vehicle collision Friday morning on Highway 77 near Wahoo, Nebraska. John Miller was driving a utility vehicle southbound when it was struck from behind just north of the County Road H intersection, approximately three miles south of Wahoo.

The Saunders County 9-1-1 Center received the emergency call at 7:09 a.m., prompting deputies and first responders to the scene. Investigators said an 18-year-old driver from Wahoo, operating a 2005 Ford Explorer, collided with the rear of Miller’s vehicle while both were traveling south on Highway 77.

Miller was transported by ambulance to Saunders Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. His passenger, Sheila Miller, 78, also of Omaha, was taken to Bryan West Hospital in Lincoln and later died from her injuries.

The teenage driver was treated at Saunders Medical Center for minor injuries and later released. Highway 77 was shut down in both directions for roughly three hours as emergency crews worked the scene and cleared the roadway.

Multiple agencies, including Ceresco Fire and Rescue, Wahoo Fire and Rescue, the Wahoo Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol, assisted during the response. Authorities said the crash remains under investigation, though distracted driving is believed to have contributed. Officials noted that all occupants were wearing seat belts and that alcohol is not suspected to be a factor.