Elsie man killed in UTV accident

    An accident in Chase County on Wednesday, May 10, just south of the Perkins County line, claimed the life of 35-year-old Kevin Lee of Elsie.
    According to the report from the Chase County Sheriff’s Office, the accident involving a side-by-side on Avenue 343, one-half mile south of 750 Road in Chase County, was reported to the office at 7:58 a.m. last Thursday. Responding to the call were personnel from the sheriff’s office, Imperial EMS and the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department.
    Once on scene, Sheriff Kevin Mueller said it was determined that Lee had been traveling southbound on 343 Ave. in a Honda side-by-side UTV, during a rainstorm Wednesday night, with the accident happening sometime between 7 p.m. and midnight, according to the report.
    It was determined Lee lost control going into a sideways slide and into the west ditch. In the ditch, the vehicle hit a small mound causing the vehicle to rollover. During the rollover, Lee, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle and died immediately upon impact.
    No alcohol or drugs are suspected to be a factor in the accident, the sheriff said.
    Lee was the son of Daniel and Patti Lee of Elsie and a 2006 graduate of Perkins County High School. He attended Southeast Community College in Beatrice, where he graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Livestock Management in 2009.
    He returned to the family farm south of Elsie where he worked beside his dad, grandfather and great-uncles.    
    Services for Lee were held Tuesday this week at Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church in Grant with Father Thomas Bush as celebrant. Interment was in the Grant cemetery.
    See Lee’s full obituary on page 4.