Clay County Sheriff’s Officers arrested 22-year-old Justin Zoerb of Litchfield Dec. 8, in connection with a fatal traffic crash on Aug. 9, 2023, near Highway 6 and Road A in Clay County.
Zoerb was arrested on two counts of Motor Vehicle Homicide and one count of Reckless Driving, which resulted in the deaths of 30-year-old Nicole Pavelka and her 8-year-old son, Ryker Schlichtman. Preliminary investigations done at the time of the accident showed Zoerb’s semi was westbound on Highway 6 when he failed to slow for stopped westbound traffic. He entered the eastbound lane, lost control, and struck an eastbound Buick Enclave, occupied by Pavelka and four children. Pavelka and Schlichtman were pronounced dead at the scene. The other three children—an 11-year-old, a 10-year-old, and a 9-year-old—were transported with serious injuries.
The charges against Zoerb stem from an extensive investigation conducted by the Nebraska State Patrol and Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
