(AP) — The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services says inmates selected to drive vans for the prison’s work release programs first go through a review of their driving and chemical abuse records.
The department released some details of the policy on Thursday, following a fatal crash. Authorities say 35-year-old inmate driver Jeremy Dobbe hit a minivan, killing its driver, 47-year-old Joyce Meeks.
A news release from the department Thursday says selection as an inmate van driver includes a review of the inmate’s driving record, with particular attention to recent history. The department says drivers also undergo weekly urine testing to check for chemical abuse.
Online court records show Dobbe has DUI and reckless driving convictions from 1999 to 2003. He is serving a 5-7 year sentence for drug and other offenses.