Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Southeast wind 6 to 8 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. East southeast wind around 10 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Northeast wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. East northeast wind around 17 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.
Thursday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, then a chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Breezy, with a northwest wind 17 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Breezy.
A Sutherland man who was convicted of killing his girlfriend’s four-year-old daughter five years ago is seeking freedom.
39-year-old Donald Lee was sentenced to 70 years to life in prison for the murder of Ashlyn Gamble.
Lee, who had been drinking heavily, was babysitting Ashlyn on July 19, 2008. Ashlyn’s mother, Kristen Gamble, returned home to find the little girl in distress.
Ashlyn was rushed to Great Plains Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.
An autopsy showed that Ashlyn had a fractured skull, and determined that strangulation was the cause of death. There was also evidence that she had been sexually assaulted, but this was never proven in court.
Lee, represented by Public Defender Bob Lindemeier, reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of 2nd degree murder. He was sentenced on July 13, 2009.
Lee has since argued that his rights to a speedy trial, due process and representation by effective counsel were violated.
Under Nebraska law, offenders must be sentenced within 180 days from the time charges are filed. But, often times, these rights are waived by the defendant to allow attorneys time to prepare.
The case went before the Nebraska Supreme Court, which ruled that they did not have enough information. The case was therefore sent back to Lincoln County.
Lee’s attorney, Mike Nozicka, argued Monday that Lee did not request or authorize the multiple continuances in his case, and court records did not indicate that the continuances would not count against the state for speedy trial purposes.
“Information was filed in November 2008, and by May 2009 he had entered a plea,” said Lincoln County Attorney Rebecca Harling.
“That’s the fasted first degree murder case I have ever seen,” Harling added.
The case was taken under advisement by Lincoln County District Court Judge, Donald Rowlands, who said he would render a decision in a week to 10 days.
Lee remains in custody at the Tecumseh State Prison.
(AP) — A 31-year-old Scottsbluff man wanted in two other states has been captured after a chase and hunt that lasted more than four hours.
The Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were helping the Nebraska State Patrol at a Scottsbluff checkpoint around 11:30 p.m., Saturday, when they saw a vehicle turn around as it approached the checkpoint. The vehicle accelerated away, with deputies in pursuit.
Deputies say they followed the vehicle for several miles. It eventually ran off a highway and crashed in a field, where the driver fled on foot.
Officers eventually found the driver and took him into custody around 4 a.m. Sunday. He was identified as Christopher Lynch.
Deputies say Lynch is wanted in Colorado on a theft warrant and in Wyoming for probation violation.
(AP) — Iowa and Nebraska farmers say they’re still on track to get their corn planted despite cold, wet weather that slowed their start to the planting season.
Numbers released Monday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show 23 percent of Iowa’s corn crop has been planted. That’s up significantly from last week’s 15 percent planted.
The percentage likely will rise quickly this week, as farmers have several warm, dry days before rain returns to the forecast.
Chad Hart, an Iowa State University agriculture economist, says it’s crucial for farmers to get their crop planted in the coming weeks. He says corn should be in the ground by late April to early May.
Nebraska is closer to completion, with 44 percent of its corn crop planted.
The Nebraska State Patrol in conjunction with the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 67-year old Overton man on charges related to the electronic enticement of a minor.
67-year-old Paul Teagler, of Overton, was taken into custody around 1:30 a.m., Saturday, May 3, at a bus stop in Lexington.
His arrest follows a 10-day investigation involving the Nebraska and Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces.
During the investigation, Tegeler engaged in electronic communication of a sexual nature with an investigator posing as a juvenile female during which he arranged a meeting for the purpose of having sex.
A search warrant was also served at Tegeler’s home at 203 9th Street, in Overton. Computers, other electronic devices and evidence pertaining to the investigation were seized from the home.
Teagler was taken into custody without incident and lodged in the Dawson County Jail on charges of sexual assault by use of an electronic communication device, enticement by electronic communication device and attempted manufacturing of child pornography.
(AP) — A woman injured by a cannon blast in south-central Nebraska has settled her lawsuit.
The Gosper County Board of Commissioners was informed of the settlement last week. The notice had come from the Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Association. The settlement amount has not disclosed.
Authorities say the homemade cannon was positioned in an area where people were coming and going during a community celebration in Smithfield on July 3, 2009. An attorney for the Doyle Daake (DAY’-kee), who made the cannon, says Kanda Garrelts walked around the cannon after it was lit and that she ignored warnings.
Garrelts had sued Smithfield and Daake, and Smithfield filed a subsequent action against Gosper County.
(AP) — The University of Nebraska at Kearney is hosting this year’s Nebraska Victim Assistance Academy.
The training program for crime victim advocates, law enforcement and others will take place July 21-25. Faculty from across the state will offer instruction focused on different crimes, such as stalking and domestic violence, and specific victim groups, such as children and immigrants.
Faculty members include representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol and Legal Aid of Nebraska.
Organizers say they expect high demand for the academy, and they plan to cap enrollment at 50. Applications are being accepted. For more information, contact project coordinator Lauren Pilnick at LaurenPilnick@Creighton.edu or 402-490-7667.
A North Platte woman, accused of threatening her husband with a knife, has been sentenced to time served.
40-year-old Victoria Winder was sentenced in Lincoln County District Court on Monday.
North Platte Police responded to the report of a disturbance in the 1500 block of West 4th Street, on September 16, 2013.
Officers made contact with a 43-year-old male standing outside the residence. The victim told police that he had been sleeping when he awoke to Winder holding a knife.
Prosecutors say Winder threatened the victim and told him he should “be afraid.”
After reaching a deal with prosecutors, Winder pleaded no contest to attempted terroristic threats and 3rd degree assault, both misdemeanors. In exchange, the state dropped a felony charge and reduced another.
Winder was originally charged with use of a weapon to commit a felony and felony terroristic threats.
When asked by Judge Richard Birch if she had anything to say prior to sentencing, Winder replied, “I want the public to know that I am not a violent person.”
“I believe in this community,” Winder added.
Judge Birch then sentenced Winder, who has been incarcerated since September, to 364 days in jail. She was given credit for 231 days already served.
A 29-year-old North Platte man is facing felony charges after he allegedly stole several firearms and tools from a North Platte residence.
At around 9:15 a.m., on Monday, May 4, officers with the North Platte Police Department responded to the report of a burglary to a residence in the 700 block of South Walnut.
According to Officer Rodney Brown, the 35-year-old male victim alleged that Erik Brian had forced his way into his garage through a window. Brian then allegedly stole several items, including three shotguns, a rifle and multiple tools.
Brown said officers found shoe prints at the scene linking Brian to the crime. Additionally, they found drag marks from a trash receptacle Brian used to load and haul the stolen property.
The drag marks led officers to a garage in the 400 block of East D. Street, where, according to Brown, they discovered the empty trash can. The stolen property was located both in the garage and in the residence.
As a result, Brian was arrested and charged with felony burglary and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Brian was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.
A 52-year-old North Platte man is facing a felony child abuse charge after he allegedly struck his son several times following a fight at a North Platte teen dance.
According to Officer Rodney Brown, police were called to the North Platte Recreation Center at around 9:30 p.m., on Friday, on the report of a fight between Vernon Roepke and his 14-year-old son.
According to witnesses, Roepke had come to pick up his son, who had been banned from the dance for fighting with another boy.
Roepke alleged that his son had punched him in the face. He said him and his son then became engaged in a wrestling match as Roepke tried to subdue him.
Following further investigation, officers learned that, following the wrestling match, Roepke had punched the juvenile multiple times.
Roepke was placed under arrest and charged with felony child abuse. He was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.
The boy was cited for 3rd degree assault and being an uncontrollable juvenile. He was released into the custody of his grandmother.
