A passenger’s iPhone 14 automatically alerted emergency services after a car struck a tree early Sunday in a crash in Nebraska that killed all six young occupants, authorities said.
Five men in the Honda Accord died at the crash site around 2:15 a.m. in Lincoln, about 5 miles east of the Capitol, police said. A 24-year-old woman later died at a hospital where she was taken in critical condition.
Among the five men who died was the 22-year-old driver. The other victims were a 21-year-old, a 23-year-old and two 22-year-olds.
Police said the cause of the crash is still under investigation, and they said the crash was reported by an iPhone 14 that detected the impact and automatically called emergency services when the phone’s owner failed to respond.
“This is the worst crash in Lincoln in recent history,” said Lincoln Police Assistant Chief Michon Morrow. “We’ve tried to think of another accident so bad and we haven’t come up with anything.”
Investigators were unable to find witnesses to the crash Sunday afternoon, which could make it more difficult to determine what happened.
“The cause of this accident will take some time to determine,” Morrow said. “We are looking at all possibilities, including alcohol, speed or distracted driving.”
