Forsberg dies in prison
TECUMSEH — Coleridge native James Forsberg, 86, died just before 9:30 a.m. Dec. 24 at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.
His sentence started on Jan. 17, 1995 after being convicted of killing Ellen Gray of Coleridge.
He was sentenced 50 years to life in prison for second degree murder.
Forsberg was convicted of intentionally running down Ellen Gray with his pickup truck Jan. 20, 1994, in downtown Coleridge.
According to witnesses, Forsberg drove his pickup directly and intentionally at Gray as she was walking north across Broadway Street.
Reports from at least three witnesses said Forsberg was driving his pickup east bound on Broadway Street.
The pickup suddenly accelerated rapidly and veered to the left heading toward Gray and struck her as she walked into the intersection of Broadway and Main streets.
The pickup then continued on striking two sandstone pillars of the Gray-Munter Agency building.
Gray was taken by the Coleridge Rescue Squad to the Martinsburg turnoff junction on Highway 20.
A Marian Air Care helicopter took her to the Marian Health Trauma Center in Sioux City where she was pronounced dead.
The Coleridge Rescue Squad took Forsberg to the Marian Health Center where he was treated for minor head injuries and broken ribs. He was placed in custody en route.
The rural Coleridge farmer was no stranger to the Cedar County Courthouse.
He was accused of killing his daughter in 1987 at his Coleridge farm home. He then endured a lengthy trial. Eventually, the court acquitted him of all charges related to that incident, however.
While the cause of Forsberg’s death has yet to be released, he was being treated for a medical condition.
As is the case whenever an inmate dies in the custody of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, a grand jury will conduct an investigation.
No funeral services have been announced.
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