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Man pleads no contest to vehicular homicide

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GREELEY, Neb. (AP) — A January sentencing has been scheduled for a driver accused of hitting and killing a highway worker in central Nebraska.

Court records say 77-year-old Nicholas Dutcher, of Scotia, pleaded no contest Wednesday in Greeley County Court to a misdemeanor charge of vehicular homicide. His sentencing is set for Jan. 19.

Authorities say that on Oct. 3, Dutcher was traveling at least 55 mph in a pickup truck when he hit Peggy Gray, of North Platte, who was working as a flagger on a highway between Greeley and Wolbach. Investigators say Gray’s husband, a road construction worker, was at the scene and saw his wife thrown nearly 100 feet when she was hit.

Authorities say she died from her injuries in November.

Dorothy M. “Dot” Curran

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Dorothy M. “Dot” Curran, 82, of North Platte, passed away Oct, 27, 2017, at Centennial Park Retirement.

Dorothy was born on April 3, 1935, to Thomas and Martha Pugh. Dot grew up and attended North Platte High School.

Dot worked at W.J. O’Connor’s as a cook. She worked at the Pawnee Hotel for more than 10 years until her retirement.

She loved going dancing, band concerts and stock car races. She would do anything for her family.

Dot was preceded in death by her parents; son, Davie Allen; one brother, William Pugh; two sisters, Florence Devino and Alice King; grandson, Robert Brownell; and two great-granddaughters, Abcde and Nevaeh.

Dot is survived by two daughters, Beverly Polanco of North Platte and Gloria Brownell of California; one grandson, Anthony Polanco of North Platte; three granddaughters, Stacy (Llogan) Veith of Denver, Elizabeth Brownell of California and Sheila (Shawn) Poorman of North Platte; great-grandchildren; and many other family and friends.

Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association.

Services will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 13, at the United Methodist Church. Inurnment will be at the North Platte Cemetery.

 Robert B. “Bob” Lowe Death Notice

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Robert B. “Bob,” Lowe, 89, of North Platte, died Nov. 1, 2017, at Linden Court. Services will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 6, at Carpenter Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Steve Berke officiating. Burial will be at Fort McPherson National Cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, at Carpenter Memorial Chapel. Online condolences may be shared at carpentermemorial.com. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.

Robert A. Venezie Death Notice

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Robert A. Venezie, 87, of North Platte, died Oct. 31, 2017, at Centennial Park Retirement Village. Cremation was chosen. Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Sentencing set for driver in fatal Colfax County accident

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SCHUYLER, Neb. (AP) — A January sentencing has been scheduled for a Schuyler man who was involved in a fatal traffic accident.

27-year-old Jesus Vasquez De La Cruz pleaded no contest in Colfax County District Court to manslaughter. He was driving a pickup truck in April 2016 when it went out of control on a rural road north-northwest of Schuyler. His passenger, 24-year-old Moises Aguilar-Aguilar, was fatally injured.

The county attorney’s office is recommending a four-month jail sentence and $5,000 restitution as part of a plea deal. The judge is not bound by the agreement.

The sentencing is set for Jan. 10.

Man accused of stopping train to get competency evaluation

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OXFORD, Neb. (AP) — A competency evaluation has been ordered for a man accused of pulling an emergency brake to stop an Amtrak train in south-central Nebraska.

Court records say the attorney for 25-year-old Taylor Wilson, of St. Charles, Missouri, told a judge Monday that Wilson was incompetent to stand trial. The judge then approved a motion for the evaluation.

Wilson remained in Furnas County Jail on Wednesday. His next court date is Nov. 27.

The eastbound train with about 175 people aboard halted Oct. 21 in Oxford, about 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Omaha. Court documents say a Furnas County deputy sent to the scene found Amtrak employees holding Wilson. The documents say the deputy found a loaded revolver in Wilson’s waistband and more ammo in one of his pockets.

Rejection of appeal of Nebraska man who killed coach upheld

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court’s denial of post-conviction relief for a man serving a 20-year prison sentence for drunkenly running down and killing a Nebraska high school volleyball coach.

The appeals court on Tuesday said a Furnas County District Court did not err in denying Herchel Huff’s latest appeal. Huff had sought post-conviction relief, saying his trial lawyer was so ineffective that it violated his right to a fair trial. The Furnas County court dismissed his motion, and he appealed.

Authorities say Huff was drunk and speeding on Oct. 3, 2007, when he hit and killed Kacey Jo Warner, of Arapahoe, as she was jogging with her 3-year-old daughter. Warner, who coached at Arapahoe High School, was killed on impact, but managed to throw her daughter to safety before Huff’s car hit her.

ABA: Federal judicial nominee from Omaha ‘not qualified’

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The American Bar Association has issued a rare rating of “not qualified” to an Omaha attorney and former state prosecutor nominated for a seat on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The association said in a statement Monday that its committee on the federal judiciary had unanimously found Steve Grasz not qualified to fill a vacancy on the appellate court. The statement cited reports by two evaluators for the ABA that found a number of lawyers, judges and others associated with Grasz believed the anti-abortion advocate would not be able to set aside his personal bias on that issue and others in carrying out his judicial duties.

Grasz was out of the office Tuesday and did not immediately return a message left for him.

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