What happened
A 19-year-old Arnold woman was airlifted in critical condition Sunday afternoon after a head-on crash on Highway 70 west of Arcadia. According to 1011now/KSNB Local 4, citing Valley County Sheriff David Scheideler, the crash happened around 3:15 p.m. Sunday, August 18, on Highway 70 approximately two miles west of Arcadia. A westbound Chevrolet Blazer, driven by Riata Remund, 19, of Arnold, crossed the center line and collided head-on with an eastbound Dodge Ram pickup driven by Joshua Hougnon of Colorado. Seat belts were in use and airbags deployed in both vehicles. Remund was airlifted to CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney and later transferred to an Omaha hospital in critical condition. Hougnon was treated and released. The sheriff's office said no drugs or alcohol are suspected, and that warrants for vehicle data modules are pending to help determine what caused the crash. (1011now/KSNB Local 4)
Our condolences
A drive on a rural Nebraska highway on a Sunday afternoon turned into a fight for survival for a 19-year-old from Arnold. Our hearts go out to Riata Remund and her family as she fights to recover, and to Joshua Hougnon as well — a crash like this shakes everyone involved, even those who walk away with lesser injuries.
Safety context
Head-on collisions are disproportionately deadly. Nationally, they are the most harmful event in roughly 14 percent of all U.S. traffic fatalities each year, and roadway-departure crashes — where a vehicle crosses a center line, edge line, or otherwise leaves its lane — account for more than half of all highway deaths, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Rural two-lane highways like Highway 70, with higher speeds and no barrier between opposing lanes of traffic, are exactly where head-on crashes tend to be most severe. This crash is a reminder of how quickly a moment of drifting out of a lane, for whatever reason, can turn catastrophic at highway speed.
The rights of families after a crash like this
Crashes involving a vehicle crossing the center line often raise the question of what caused that vehicle to leave its lane in the first place — driver error, a medical emergency, a mechanical failure, road conditions, or something else entirely. Here, the sheriff's office has said only that the Blazer crossed the center line; investigators reportedly still have warrants pending for the vehicles' data modules, which suggests the full picture of what happened is not yet known. That matters for families on both sides of a crash like this: if a full investigation confirms driver error caused the crossing, that can support a claim; but if it turns up a mechanical defect, a medical event, or some other explanation, the legal picture can look very different. Families in a situation like this are often best served by having their own investigation done rather than relying solely on a preliminary law enforcement account. Nothing here should be read as a determination of fault; the investigation remains open.
Learn more about your rights: Car Accident Claims in Nebraska
How I help families in crisis
When a loved one is fighting to recover after a crash like this, families are often left with more questions than answers, and a preliminary account from law enforcement rarely tells the whole story. My job is to take that stress off a family's shoulders, take up the shield to protect and advocate for the rights of the people I represent, and guide them through one of the hardest chapters of their lives.
I move quickly to gather and preserve evidence before it's lost — vehicle data, the physical scene, medical records, and witness accounts — and when the facts call for it, I bring in accident reconstruction experts to help determine what actually happened, rather than relying on early assumptions. I deal directly with insurance companies so my clients don't have to fight that battle themselves.
I've recovered more than $23 million for injured people and their families, and I'm proud of the trust reflected in countless five-star client reviews and peer endorsements, including Best of Omaha for personal injury in both 2025 and 2026.
If you or someone you love was affected by this crash or one like it, I offer a free, no-pressure conversation, and if I take your case, there's no fee unless I win.
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