State troopers arrested a man Tuesday afternoon following a pursuit of a delivery van that had been reported stolen out of Omaha, the Nebraska State Patrol said. The chase, which began on Interstate 80 near Lincoln and ended after a tactical stop on a county highway, left no reported injuries but resulted in multiple criminal charges for the driver.
How the pursuit unfolded
The Nebraska State Patrol said troopers located the van — reported stolen during a delivery — traveling westbound on I-80 just west of Lincoln. The patrol attempted a traffic stop north of Pleasant Dale, but the driver failed to yield, initiating a pursuit.
According to the patrol report, the driver used the highway shoulder to pass traffic during the pursuit and struck the passenger side of a semitrailer at one point. The van continued westbound until the driver exited I-80 and turned north onto Matzke Highway, where a roughly two-mile chase continued before troopers used a tactical vehicle intervention (TVI) to stop the van.
Arrest and charges
The driver was identified as Roberto Soto, 24. He was taken into custody without further incident and lodged in the Seward County Jail. The Nebraska State Patrol listed the following allegations against Soto:
- Theft by unlawful taking, $5,000 or more
- Willful reckless driving
- Flight to avoid arrest
- Driving under the influence with a reported blood-alcohol concentration of .15 or greater
- Leaving the scene of a property damage crash
- Numerous traffic violations
"The van was reported stolen out of Omaha," the Nebraska State Patrol said in its account of the chase.
Local context and public-safety notes
Vehicle thefts affecting commercial drivers can have ripple effects across businesses and neighborhoods. In this case, the patrol said the van had been taken during a driver’s last delivery. Authorities did not release information about the delivery company, the driver who reported the vehicle stolen or the value of the property inside beyond the theft charge threshold of $5,000 or more.
Law enforcement agencies commonly employ a tactical vehicle intervention to end dangerous pursuits while minimizing risks to the public once a suspect vehicle can be brought to a controlled stop. Troopers reported the stop was completed without further incident and there were no reported injuries linked to the crash with the semitrailer mentioned in the patrol's account.
Timeline at a glance
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial report | Delivery van reported stolen out of Omaha |
| Location of sighting | I-80 westbound, just west of Lincoln |
| Traffic stop attempt | North of Pleasant Dale — driver did not stop |
| Collision | Driver struck passenger side of a semitrailer while passing on the shoulder |
| End of pursuit | Tactical vehicle intervention on Matzke Highway after ~2 miles |
| Arrest | Roberto Soto, 24, taken into custody and lodged in Seward County Jail |
Authorities have not provided further details about any potential injuries to the semitrailer driver or other motorists. No additional suspects were identified in the State Patrol’s initial report.
What this means for Omaha residents
While the pursuit ended in Seward County, the theft originated in Omaha and underscores ongoing concerns about vehicle security for commercial drivers and last-mile delivery operations. Businesses that rely on van-based deliveries — and the drivers who operate them — often face elevated risk for opportunistic theft when vehicles are left unattended during stops.
Residents who witness suspected vehicle thefts or unsafe driving should report them to local law enforcement. The Nebraska State Patrol and local agencies continue to investigate, and any additional charges or releases of evidence will be handled through Seward County authorities and the court system.
