Man in crash with Omaha mayor gets jailtime

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    OMAHA, NE (WOWT) — An Omaha man involved in a crash with Mayor Jean Stothert in September appeared in court Thursday, upset he was the only one who received a ticket.

Joshua Gibson was at the Douglas County Courthouse for his plea deal. According to court records, the accident occurred near 130th and I Streets in September.

Stothert was in her SUV behind a box truck Gibson was driving, who had stopped to turn. She pulled past the truck when her SUV and Gibson’s truck collided.

Neither were injured while Stothert’s car sustained damages estimated at $8,500. But security video from a nearby business caught the attention of Omaha Police, which showed Gibson switch seats with his passenger because his license was suspended.

Gibson and his passenger were charged with false reporting. Investigators asked Gibson at the time why he switched seats, to which he answered that he did not want to lose his job for having a suspended license.

Gibson said he has owned up to his mistake but still wonders why Stothert was not ticketed for her role in the crash.

“Maybe a small fine. This is the quickest way to get it over with, but I think she should have consequences as well,” he said.

Gibson pleaded no contest and was sentenced to two days in jail.

A spokeswoman from the mayor’s office said, “the police officer at the scene reviewed the security video and found no wrongdoing or a reason to issue (Stothert) a ticket.”

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