Meadow Grove, NE (April 29, 2026) – Two people were killed and a third was hurt after a minivan crossed the center line and struck a semi-truck head-on in the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 29, near Meadow Grove in Madison County.
The crash happened around 4:20 a.m. on Highway 275, about two miles east of Meadow Grove, near the intersection with 541st Ave. A 2018 Honda Odyssey traveling westbound crossed into the oncoming lane and collided head-on with an eastbound 2026 Peterbilt tractor-truck hauling an empty tank trailer. The Honda spun and came to rest on the roadway, while the semi ended up in a field.
The driver and passenger of the Honda, Lynn Phelps, 51, and Robert Phelps, 51, both of Hastings, Oklahoma, were pronounced dead at the scene. The semi’s driver, 71-year-old Michael Klasna of Emmet, Nebraska, was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The extent of his injuries was not disclosed. All three people involved were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.
Highway 275 was closed for several hours between Meadow Grove and the Highway 121 intersection before reopening at around 8:40 a.m. Emergency units from multiple agencies responded to the scene.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash, and more details will be released as soon as they become available. We extend our sincere condolences to the families of Lynn and Robert Phelps.
What Causes Center-Line Crossover Crashes on Nebraska Highways
Center-line crossover crashes are among the deadliest types of collisions on two-lane rural highways. When a vehicle drifts or veers into oncoming traffic, the driver of the other vehicle has almost no time to react, especially in the dark. The result is often a high-speed, direct impact that leaves little margin for survival.
On rural roads in Nebraska, these crashes tend to happen most often in low-light conditions and on long, straight stretches where driver fatigue can set in. A momentary loss of attention — even for a second or two — is enough for a vehicle to drift across the center line at highway speeds. Large commercial trucks make these situations especially dangerous because of their size and the force involved in the impact.
