CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) – Nebraska officials are investigating a collision between a train and a semi truck which resulted in the death of a Casper resident.

The collision was reported around 2:45 pm on Tuesday, July 16 afternoon on US Highway 34 in Dundy County, located in the Southwest corner of Nebraska, bordering Colorado and Kansas.

The semi was attempting to cross the tracks when it collided with a BNSF locomotive, ejecting the two occupants of the semi. The men were transported to Wray Colorado Hospital for treatment

The passenger, identified as 61-year-old Steven Drinkwalter of Casper, was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

The driver,  46-year-old Matthew Drinkwalter of Midwest, Wyoming was flown to another hospital for further care.

There were no injuries or fatalities reported from those on the train.

The Dundy County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incident.

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LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Starting Friday, drivers in Nebraska won’t be able to make left or right turns on red arrows.

Under the new law, drivers facing a red arrow signal must make a complete stop and wait for a green arrow before entering a crosswalk or stop line.

The Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department said the new statute “aims to enhance safety for all road users, including drivers and pedestrians.”

Dan Carpenter, the traffic engineering manager for LTU, said the new law clarifies the traffic rule that red means stop.

“This push right now is to educate travelers in Nebraska about what the law is, what the change is and how state statute defines the rules of the road,” he said.

One Lincoln driver said he’s happy officials are taking people’s safety seriously.

“I think it’s a good thing if it’s going to save lives,” John said. “We can all slow down a little bit and not be in such a hurry.”

Another man said the new law won’t stop him from turning on red arrows if there’s no oncoming traffic.

Carpenter said drivers still have the ability to turn right on a solid red light.

“At your standard four-way intersections, you’ll typically face a red ball, and you’re still permitted to turn on red unless there’s additional signage telling you not to,” he said.

The Lincoln Police Department said it plans to enforce the law the same way it does any other traffic law.

Nebraska’s Big Rodeo will swing open its chutes next week in Burwell. The Hall of Fame rodeo will take place July 24-27th.

Burwell will host some of the top cowboys and cowgirls in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association for four jam-packed nights of rodeo action. Travis Schauda of Broken Bow will be returning for his fifth time announcing the rodeo.

In addition to the standard rodeo events, Nebraska’s Big Rodeo will feature a host of accessory events on the track including Indian relay races, the dinner bell derby, and the wild horse race.

Wednesday evening will also feature the crowning of a brand new pair of rodeo queens. Miss Burwell Rodeo 2023, Brylee Thompson of Hershey, and Little Miss Burwell Rodeo, Kartyr Johnson of Denton, will crown their successors during the first performance.

After suffering huge loss due to a storm in 2022, there have been many construction projects happening at the rodeo grounds. Most notably, a new set of north grandstands is being constructed to replace those damaged by the storm.

Rodeo board president Jess Helgoth says the grandstands will be functional at this year’s rodeo. However, the roof and the event space slated to be underneath the grandstands will not be complete. Other facility improvements rodeo attendees may notice include expanding the size of the dance pavilion, adding restroom accommodations, and increasing the amount of handicap seating.

This year’s Grand Marshal is none other than Nebraska Volleyball Coach, John Cook. The 4x national champion has taken an interest in rodeo and horses over the past few years and will be gracing Nebraska’s Big Rodeo this year. The rodeo committee has even created merchandise to commemorate Coach Cook’s attendance that will be for sale during the rodeo.

Tickets can be purchased online in advance at https://nebraskasbigrodeo.com/tickets/.

Nebraska’s Big Rodeo is held in conjunction with the Garfield County Fair. View the full schedule of events here: https://nebraskasbigrodeo.com/schedule-of-events/

Listen to our interview with Nebraska’s Big Rodeo President Jess Helgoth:

Listen to our interview with announcer Travis Schauda:

Listen to our interview with Hailey DeMers of Pioneer Band, who will play in the beer garden following the rodeo: