Police find woman’s body in trunk after apprehending 17-year-old driver

(NEXSTAR) – Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol discovered a dead body in the trunk of a car after pursuing and apprehending a 17-year-old driver who was speeding through the state.

The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) made the discovery after being alerted to a homicide investigation by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Texas. The sheriff’s office informed the NPS that a vehicle believed to be involved in investigation — a black Mazda — was traveling through Nebraska.

NSP troopers were able to located the Mazda within minutes of the alert, according to a news release issued Friday. The driver then led troopers on a high-speed pursuit after ignoring a traffic stop, at times reaching speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour, according to the NSP.

“After approximately nine miles, the Mazda attempted to slow down, but struck the rear of a semi, left the roadway, and struck a tree in the ditch,” the NSP wrote.

Troopers then found the body of a deceased woman in the trunk.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) said Friday that the identity of the woman had not been confirmed. The teen driver, meanwhile, was identified as a missing 17-year-old from Texas.

The HCSO had previously issued an alert for the teen and his mother, 49, saying they were last seen on Thursday.

The 17-year-old suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to both the NSP and HCSO, though the NSP said they were “non-life-threatening.”

The investigation is ongoing, Sheriff Gonzalez said.