• Michael James Ashby, 27, North Platte and Kaitlyn Michelle Bunkowske, 23, North Platte

• Cody James Steinke, 22, North Platte and Tyler Jayde Damerst, 22, North Platte

• Larry Mason Opal Jr., 49, Clarinda IA and Eva Rose Melius, 50, North Platte

A North Platte man escaped injury after a Monday morning rollover crash on North River Road.

According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the report of a rollover accident on North River Road, approximately two miles west of US Highway 83, at around 8:42 a.m.

Deputies arrived and noticed a dark-colored vehicle in the north ditch.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as 28-year-old Benjamin Keck, who told deputies that he was not injured.

An investigation revealed that Keck was driving westbound when he became distracted.  Deputies say his tire went off the roadway and he overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll and come to rest in the ditch.

Alcohol was not a factor in the crash.  No charges or citations were reported.

Keck was the only occupant in the vehicle.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former state senator from Lincoln has been chosen to serve as Nebraska’s tax commissioner.

Gov. Pete Ricketts announced Monday that he has chosen Tony Fulton for the position in the Nebraska Department of Revenue. The 43-year-old Fulton served in the Legislature from 2007 to 2013, and was a member of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee.

Fulton is the founder and owner of Guardian Angels Homecare, Inc., a business that provides housekeeping, companionship, and health care services for seniors. He also is a member of the People’s City Mission Board of Directors.

Ricketts says Fulton experience as an entrepreneur, policymaker and community leader will help the administration craft a pro-business tax climate.

Fulton starts Jan. 4. His salary will be $160,000.

A North Platte man is behind bars, accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.

According to Investigator John Deal, North Platte Police began an investigation into a possible sexual assault of a child on December 15.

Police say it was alleged that 59-year-old David Navarrette had sexually penetrated the girl on multiple occasions over the period of a year.

On December 18, a search warrant was served on a residence in the 600 block of North Willow.

Officers made contact with Navarrette and placed him under arrest, charging him with first-degree sexual assault of a child.

According to Deal, evidence was seized from the residence that corroborated the allegations against Navarrette.

Navarrette is being held on $50,000 cash bond.

A North Platte man is facing a felony charge after he allegedly assaulted and held his girlfriend against her will.

According to North Platte Police, officers responded to the report of an assault in the 200 block of South Bare Avenue, at around 11:29 am on December 9.

Officers met with a female victim who alleged that her boyfriend, Jeffry Sierks, had assaulted her and wouldn’t let her leave the residence.

The victim told officers that Sierks had arrived at the house and pulled her out of bed by her hair.  Police say evidence was found in the bedroom to support the allegation.

Police say Sierks then broke the victim’s cell phone so she couldn’t contact police and, when she tried to leave the residence, the victim claimed Sierks blocked the doorway and pushed her away.

Then, when the victim tried to exit through the garage of the residence, Sierks allegedly turned off the power to the residence so the overhead door could not be opened.

Eventually, the victim was able to get to a computer and contact a friend via social media.  The friend then contacted police.

Officers say when they arrived, Sierks had already left the residence and could not be located.  Officers did make contact with Sierks on the phone, but he refused to tell officers where he was or turn himself in.

On December 19, Sierks turned himself in at the Lincoln County Detention Center and was placed under arrest.

He’s been charged with domestic assault and false imprisonment.

BROKEN BOW, Neb. (AP) — A new trial date has been scheduled for a woman charged in the 2013 death of a Broken Bow toddler.

Prosecutors didn’t object last week to the requested delay by the attorney for 25-year-old Brittney Pryce. She’s pleaded not guilty to a charge of child abuse. Her trial had been set to begin Feb. 1. Now it’s scheduled to start Aug. 22 in Custer County District Court.

Authorities say 20-month-old Noah Pryce suffered a suspicious head injury in November 2013 while in a car with Pryce and her mother, Diane Hill.

Hill and Brittany Pryce were initially charged with second-degree murder. The case against Hill was dismissed in July 2014. A murder charge against Price also was dropped.

Authorities say Brittany Pryce and her husband, Richard Pryce, were Noah’s guardians.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of serious crashes involving drivers who were under the influence of drugs is growing in Nebraska, and officials are concerned about the trend.

Officials say 28 Nebraskans have died this year in crashes where one of the drivers had drugs in his or her system.

That’s up from 22 last year, and before that the state averaged about a dozen drug-related traffic deaths.

Increased testing might be part of why drugs are being found in more drivers, but the numbers are clearly up.

Fred Zwonechek with the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety says this is a troubling trend.

Law enforcement officials say the legalization of marijuana in Colorado has made the drug more readily available in Nebraska.

Beginning Friday, December 18 and continuing through Sunday, January 3, 2016, the Nebraska State Patrol will take part in the national “You Drink & Drive You Lose” (YDYDYL) campaign in an effort to remove impaired drivers from our roadways.

“Impaired driving spells holiday heartache, not holiday cheer,” said Colonel Bradley Rice, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “We are asking all motorists to partner with us to help ensure everyone can be home for the holidays. Through voluntary compliance with all traffic safety laws you can help keep our roadways safe.”

As part of the “You Drink & Drive You Lose” campaign, troopers and communications specialists will work overtime hours during the special enforcement which encompasses both the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. A nearly $22,000 grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS) will help to pay for the extra enforcement.

Motorists are reminded to always wear their seat belt, never drive impaired or distracted, obey the posted speed limit and never travel faster than conditions allow.

Travelers can keep up to date with the latest weather and road conditions by utilizing 511, Nebraska’s Advanced Traveler Information System. The system can be accessed by dialing 511 or online at < www.511.nebraska.gov >. A Nebraska 511 mobile app is also available to download at no cost for smartphone users. Simply search your app provider for Nebraska 511.

To report a reckless or impaired driver, or if you are in need of non-emergency roadside assistance call the Nebraska State Patrol Highway Helpline when safe to do so, at (star) *55 from any cell phone or 1-800-525-5555 from any landline. Emergencies should be reported to 911.

Colonel Rice said, “From the Nebraska State Patrol family to your family we wish you safe travel this holiday season.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska says it continues to improve the way it runs its economic and food assistance programs.

The USDA says the AccessNebraska program ranked 32nd in the timeliness of how it handled applications for food stamps in the first half of 2015.

That’s up from 39th last year and 52nd in 2013.

Courtney Phillips is CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Phillips says it’s excited to see continued improvement in the state’s benefits programs.

Last month, the average time to process an application was 11.5 days. That’s down considerably from November 2014 when the wait time peaked at 40.9 days.