LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The Lincoln man who investigators said was driving distracted when he hit and killed a Ceresco Police officer last year was found guilty on Wednesday.

A Lancaster County District Court judge found 51-year-old Tony Pierce guilty of felony motor vehicle homicide. He previously changed his plea from not guilty to no contest.

He will be sentenced on Jan. 8 at 8:30 a.m. He could spend up to three years in prison, documents show.

On April 12, Officer Ross Bartlett pulled over a Nissan Altima on Highway 77 just south of Ceresco. While parked on the shoulder, a southbound Ford F-150 driven by Pierce hit Bartlett’s vehicle from behind, causing it to hit the Nissan.

NSP believes Pierce was using his phone at the time of the crash.

Bartlett was flown to a Lincoln hospita

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