Zacharie Cloutier Obituary, Death; – Authorities have confirmed the identity of the driver who lost his life in a head-on collision with a semi-truck early Tuesday in northern Lancaster County.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office reported that 20-year-old Zacharie Cloutier from Grand Island was traveling south on Highway 79 near West Bluff Road at approximately 2:40 a.m. when he veered into the northbound lanes and collided head-on with a semi-truck. Cloutier, who was not wearing a seatbelt, succumbed to his injuries at the scene, according to the LSO.
Chief Deputy Ben Houchin indicated that Cloutier may have been under the influence of synthetic marijuana, as Delta-8 vape pens were discovered in his vehicle. No citations are anticipated in this incident, and deputies are currently awaiting toxicology results to determine if synthetic marijuana played a role in the crash.
The 25-year-old semi-truck driver from Lincoln was unharmed. Chief Deputy Ben Houchin noted that if laboratory results confirm Cloutier’s impairment due to synthetic marijuana, it would represent the first recorded fatal accident in the county involving this substance.
