Bail set at $5 million for mother who was driving in fiery crash in downtown Omaha that killed four people

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – More than a month after a tragic fatal accident, a woman has been officially charged in the deaths of four people, including her own children, after authorities said she was driving drunk at nearly 140 miles per hour Time of the wreck.

Rachel Bickerstaff, 33, of Omaha cried in her wheelchair during her court appearance Thursday. She was booked into the Douglas County Jail on Wednesday after spending weeks hospitalized in Kansas with severe burns. While she was in the hospital, an arrest warrant was issued for her.

The state requested that Bickerstaff's bail be set at $5 million; The judge agreed and set her preliminary hearing for December 9th.

Further details about the accident, which occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m. on September 27, were revealed in court on Friday. Authorities said the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee ran a red light at 10th Street and was traveling at nearly 140 mph on Douglas Street just five seconds before the crash — and more than 100 mph upon impact.

According to court documents, a blood alcohol level of 0.216 was measured at the hospital – nearly three times the legal limit.

According to records, Bickerstaff was able to free himself from the vehicle.

At great risk, the “Good Samaritans” managed to get their passenger, a 38-year-old man, who is also the father of the three girls who died in the accident, out of the burning Jeep. Records show. He survived the accident, but the vehicle was too engulfed in flames to save the 11-day-old and 5-year-old who was trapped in her vehicle.

“Passengers attempted to retrieve their children who were trapped in the car – sorry, good Samaritans – but the vehicle was too engulfed in flames at the time.”… She's going 139 miles per hour on Douglas, which is completely outrageous. It reaches speeds of over 100 miles per hour upon impact; “She appears to be drunk when treated by doctors,” the prosecutor said.

Records also show that 70-year-old Michael Sales of Council Bluffs, the other driver involved in the crash, was also trapped in his 2017 Subaru Outback and died in the fiery wreckage. He was on his way home from work at FedEx at the time of the accident.

Bickerstaff's 18-month-old child, who according to court documents was thrown from the water in the accident, was also taken to a burn unit in Kansas City for injuries sustained in the accident, but ultimately died days later. Court documents filed earlier this month said emergency room staff who treated the child said the injuries “could only be described as 'violent.'

Bickerstaff is charged with four counts of motor vehicle homicide and one count of driving under the influence and aggravated assault. If convicted of murder, she faces up to 50 years in prison on each count. She also faces up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of drunk driving.

Court records also show that Bickerstaff had previously been convicted of driving under the influence in early 2020. She pleaded no contest to driving under the influence and reckless driving, lost her license for 60 days and required a safety device. She was also on probation for six months and ordered to pay fines totaling less than $800.

6 News previously reported that Bickerstaff has four other children – now believed to be between the ages of 8 and 11 – who were taken into state care several years ago. According to juvenile court records, the passenger injured in the accident is also the father of one of them.

Documents show the state had concerns about the children's safety and welfare, claiming that Bickerstaff had missed her drug tests – she had used methamphetamine in the past, the documents say – and that she had failed to comply with one medical plan for one of the children. In 2019, the parents finally waived their rights and the children were put up for adoption.

—

Digital producer Jackson Piercy, managing editor Kevin Westhues and reporter Brian Mastre contributed to this report.

—

Get the latest breaking news in your inbox. Sign up for 6 News email alerts.

Copyright 2024 WOWT. All rights reserved.