BEATRICE – A Crete man has been sentenced to a Gage County Jail term for a fatal accident in which his vehicle struck the rear of a farm tractor, near Pickrell.

38-year-old Troy A. Smith was sentenced in Gage County court to a 300-day jail sentence, after being convicted of misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide. Smith was also fined $100 for careless driving.   He received credit off the jail sentence for one day spent in custody.

He had earlier pleaded no contest to the charges, in the death of 82-year-old Robert Snyder Sr., of Odell. 

The incident happened last July 1st, when the semi-trailer truck driven by Smith struck the left rear of a farm tractor operated by Snyder, near U.S. Highway 77 and Chestnut Road, about a mile north of Pickrell.  The farm tractor was northbound with hazard lights blinking and a slow traffic sign on the back.

Authorities said Smith’s truck veered at the last second, but struck the left side of the tractor, ejecting the operator.   The impact sheered off a rear wheel on the tractor.

The collision occurred at about 7:50 p.m.