2/9/22 York County, NE – Attempted Traffic Stop – 100 MPH Pursuit – Vehicle Stop – Suspect Exits And Claims To Have A Concealed Gun – Suspect Steals York County Deputy’s Marked K9 Unit With K9 Inside – Suspect Pushes Stopped Civilian Into Train And Kills Him – Suspect And K9 Are Also Killed By Train

February 9, 2022

www.ketv.com/

Two people and a York County sheriff’s office K-9 have died following a high-speed pursuit and a train crash involving two vehicles in York on Tuesday night.

Joseph Stoltenberg, 43, the suspect who initiated the chase, died on impact.

The other person who died was 31-year-old Kyle Ediger, a teacher at Hampton Public Schools, the district confirmed to KETV. Ediger, who worked at the school for the past nine years, was a math teacher and the Hampton boys basketball coach.

“Mr. Kyle Ediger worked at Hampton Public School for the past 9 years, and was a valued and respected math teacher and coach. His unexpected death was a shock to our students and staff,” Hampton Public Schools said in a statement.

Stoltenberg hit the back of a vehicle driven by Ediger that was waiting for the train, pushing the vehicle into the train. Stoltenberg, Ediger and the K-9 died on impact.

Nitro was the female K-9 who died in the crash, the York County sheriff’s office confirmed to KETV.

Around 11 p.m., a deputy spotted a 2008 silver Ford F-150 driving erratically near the intersection of Road H and Road 15 in York County. The deputy attempted a traffic stop and the suspect, Stoltenberg, fled, starting a pursuit that reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

The chase ended after about eight minutes at Road H and Road 18, where officers attempted a high-risk vehicle stop, according to the York County sheriff’s office.

Stoltenberg then exited the vehicle and claimed to have a gun. According to the York County sheriff’s office, the suspect concealed his hands and told officers at the scene that he wanted to die. Stoltenberg did not respond to officers and advanced toward them, gaining control of a “marked patrol canine unit.”

Another high-speed pursuit then ensued, traveling throughout York County and into the city of York.

Stoltenberg stopped the stolen patrol car on the railroad tracks at 19th Street and Delaware Avenue in York and exited the vehicle as a train approached. As officers attempted to regain control of the patrol car and retrieve the K-9, the 43-year-old entered the vehicle again and proceeded northbound on Delaware Avenue.

At this point, the train was passing through and blocked officers on the south side of the railroad tracks.

The suspect drove to 25th Street on Delaware Avenue before turning around and traveled toward the train at a “high rate of speed,” according to the York County Sheriff’s Office.

Stoltenberg then struck the back Ediger’s vehicle, pushing it into the train.