A 19-year-old Grant woman has been given four years of probation after pleading No Contest to Motor Vehicle Homicide.

Judge Richard Birch handed down the sentence to Casey Lake on Monday in Lincoln County District Court.

Lake was driving on Interstate 80 in March of 2013 when she lost control of her vehicle causing it to roll several time.  The sole passenger in the vehicle, Emma Redinger, was killed.

According to Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol, Lake had been drinking, was traveling in excess of 100 mph and texting at the time of the crash.  They say Redinger was wearing her seatbelt but was not wearing it properly.  Lake was also seriously injured.

Chief Deputy County Attorney Tanya Roberts-Connick called the accident a “perfect storm of bad choices,” and noted that it was obvious to all involved that Lake was remorseful for her actions.

Birch said as he gets older, he is becoming more and more aware of how fast events can spiral out of control and this was a perfect example of that.  He also said Lake will have to deal with the outcome of the accident for the rest of her life.

As part of her probation, Lake will be required to serve 24 hours in jail on Redinger’s Birthday, the date of the crash and Christmas Day.  Additionally, Lake will spend the day in jail on her 21st Birthday in 2016.  She must also have an Interlock ignition device placed in any vehicle she operates.

Birch also ordered Lake to complete 200 hours of community service, to include speaking to area high school and college students about this tragic incident.

 

• Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. North northwest wind 6 to 11 mph becoming light and variable in the afternoon.
• Tonight: Snow likely, mainly after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
• Tuesday: Snow. High near 33. East wind 11 to 14 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.
• Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Northwest wind 6 to 13 mph.

 

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT CST /11 PM
MST/ TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT CST /11 PM MST/ TUESDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTH PLATTE HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT CST
/11 PM MST/ TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT CST /11 PM MST/ TUESDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING...RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW ACROSS WESTERN NEBRASKA AFTER
  MIDNIGHT...WITH THE CHANGE OVER TO SNOW TO SPREAD EAST ACROSS
  THE AREA THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. BRIEF MODERATE TO HEAVY
  SNOW IS ANTICIPATED TUESDAY MORNING...OTHERWISE SNOWFALL IS
  EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT TO LOCALLY MODERATE.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...WIDESPREAD TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO
  5 INCHES...LOCALLY A NARROW BAND OF HIGHER SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE
  FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA.

* WIND...EASTERLY WINDS MONDAY NIGHT WILL BECOME NORTHERLY
  TUESDAY. WIND SPEEDS WILL INCREASE TUESDAY AFTERNOON TO 15 TO 20
  MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 25 MPH.

* IMPACTS...BRIEF PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW TUESDAY
  MORNING WILL RESULT IN RESTRICTED VISIBILITIES...TO AROUND A
  MILE OR LESS. TEMPERATURES WILL HOVER AROUND FREEZING WITH SOME
  MELTING EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY ON ROADWAYS. THE MELTING ON THE
  ROADWAYS WILL RESULT IN SLUSHY ROADS AND HAZARDOUS TRAVEL
  CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

A North Platte teen tragically died Saturday morning in North Platte.

According to North Platte Police Department (NPPD) Public Information Officer Rodney Brown,  at around 11:30 a.m. Officers responded to the 800 block of South Griffith on the report of an unresponsive teenager in a camper.

Responding Officers learned that 17-year-old Chandler Snyder had died sometime prior to their arrival.

According to Brown, Snyder’s cause of death is unknown at this time.  He says the investigation is ongoing with an autopsy scheduled for Monday.

According to sources close to the situation, Snyder is believed to have died from alcohol poisoning, but the official cause of death will not be known until toxicology tests are completed.

Chandler was a Senior at North Platte High School

It’s time to fall back.

Standard time returns this weekend at 2 a.m. Sunday, so set your clocks back an hour before going to sleep Saturday.

The change means most Americans will get an extra hour of rest, but those working overnight shifts might toil an hour longer. It also means some will forget to change their clocks, and show up early for church or other events on Sunday.

Daylight time returns to Nebraska and Iowa in March.

Not everyone in the U.S. makes the switch from standard time. The exceptions are Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.

In addition to setting your clocks back, Fire officials urge you to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

A North Platte man has been arrested after he allegedly choked his ex-girlfriend during an argument.

According to the North Platte Police Department, a female came to the Police Department at around 8:19 a.m. on Thursday to report an assault.

The female told Officers that her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Kalen Gordon, had assaulted her earlier in the day.

According to the victim, she was leaving her residence in the 200 block of South Maple with their child when she noticed Gordon sitting in the alley behind her residence.  A short time later, she said Gordon approached her and their child and began verbally fighting with her.

At one point, Gordon reportedly attempted to take the child and, in the process, shoved the victim into the vehicle “causing her pain.”  According to Police, Gordon put his forearm against the victim’s throat, causing her to have difficulty breathing before eventually letting her and the child go.

The victim told Officers she attempted to call Police, but Gordon took her phone and threw it into the yard.

Following an investigation, Police found probable to cause to arrest Gordon and charge him with Domestic Assault and Felony Strangulation.

According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Gordon is being held without bond on the felony charge .