NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post) – North Platte Police are investigating the theft of prescription medication from Buffalo Bill Manor.
On Monday evening, police responded to a complaint of a burglary at 1200 South Oak. The victim reported that they were missing prescription medications from their home, but there was no sign of forced entry. An investigation led to the arrest of 40 year old Vicki Arriola, who was not an employee of Buffalo Bill Manor, but an assistant who had been issued keys.
Arriola was charged with burglary. She remains in the Lincoln County Jail on $20,000.00 bail. The investigation continues.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – A registered sex offender has been accused of raping a 15-year-old girl in Lincoln County.
Twenty-two-year-old James Hobbs III was arrested on Monday and faces two counts of sexual assault.
Authorities say the girl reported that Hobbs forced her to have sex with him twice in rural Lincoln County on Oct. 22.
Hobbs has acknowledged being with the girl but has denied having sex with her.
The Nebraska Sex Offender Registry says Hobbs is on probation for sexual assault of a minor in Red Willow County. He was convicted in February 2010.
He remains in Lincoln County custody. His attorney from the Red Willow County case didn’t immediately return a call Wednesday from The Associated Press.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post) – Early Sunday morning, a North Platte Police Officer witnessed a vehicle traveling southbound in the northbound lane of North Jeffers. The driver refused to pull over and led the officer on a chase to West Highway 30 (mm 165) before being stopped by “spike strips.”
The driver was identified as 29 year old Ryan Holechek of Ogallala. Holechek was arrested and charged with 2nd offense Driving Under the Influence, Flight to Avoid Arrest, Willful Reckless Driving, and other traffic offenses. His passenger, 40 year old Carlos Ayala was uncooperative at the scene and taken to jail for Resisting Arrest.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post) – A one-car rollover accident has left a woman hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
A news release from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office says 21 year old Emily Levasseur was traveling east on North River Road about three miles east of North Hershey Road. Levasseur’s 2003 Dodge Dakota pickup left the road and rolled several times. Levasseur had been ejected.
She was transported to GPRMC and later Creighton University Medical Center for further treatment. Her condition is unknown at this time.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (North Platte Post) – A police investigation into two burglaries over the weekend has led to the arrest of four North Platte men.
Around 2:25 a.m. Saturday, North Platte police were searching for 25 year old Clarence Alspaugh who was suspected of driving with a suspended license. After finding and following the vehicle, police found footprints belonging to Alspaugh and 23 year old Aaron Tuenge. Later Saturday morning, the footprints were found to match those at a burglary case reported in the 1400 block of William Avenue. Stolen property associated with Alspaugh was also found.
Both men were arrested. Alspaugh is charged with Obstructing an Officer, Burglary and Driving Under Suspension. Tuenge faces Obstructing an Officer and Burglary charges. Both remain in the Lincoln County Jail.
Ryan MarkwardtThomas Keefer
At 4:05 a.m. on Saturday, North Platte police observed suspicious activity in the 100 block of Rodeo Road. The suspects fled but were caught by officers. They were identified as 27 year old Ryan Markwardt and 22 year old Thomas Keefer. The two men were also believed to be connected to a break-in on the 1300 block of North Bailey. Markwardt is charged with Burglary, Theft by Receiving Stolen Property, and Resisting Arrest. He also had an active local warrant. Keefer is charged with Burglary, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Theft by Receiving Stolen Property. Markwardt and Keefer are in police custody.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – Some Nebraska wheat farmers have been worrying about the warm, dry winter.
Crop specialist Bob Klein says that planting conditions were perfect in fall for dry land winter wheat. The most recent federal survey shows about 74 percent of the Nebraska wheat crop is in good or excellent condition, far above the 42 percent in good or excellent condition reported in the survey a year ago.
But Klein says dry soil warms up easier than wet soil and that January plant growth could hurt the harvest in July.
Plus, the likely ground freeze and thawing can be hard on wheat plants.
Klein says area wheat fields could use “a good blanket of wet snow. That would be the ideal situation.”
OGALLALA, Neb. (AP) – Authorities say a 26-year-old Ogallala man has died from injuries suffered in a crash on Christmas Eve.
Nebraska state trooper Aaron Watson said that Colt Lintt died last week at a Scottsbluff hospital.
Watson says Lintt was driving on U.S. Highway 26 in Keith County when his pickup left the road near mile marker 146. Watson says Lintt over-corrected and the truck went off the other side of the highway and rolled.
Lintt was taken to Ogallala Community Hospital, and then flown to Scottsbluff.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – A Nebraska lawmaker wants to end a state sales tax exemption on soda pop and energy drinks and use the money to fight childhood obesity.
State Sen. Bill Avery of Lincoln introduced a measure (LB753) Wednesday that would channel the tax revenue into state-based efforts to promote heath. The bill would allocate $100,000 for a statewide database to monitor student obesity and fitness.
Some of the money would go to the state Department of Education to improve school meal programs and support school district wellness coordinators.
Avery introduced the bill on the first day of an expected 60-day legislative session.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – A baby boy has died in North Platte, and his mother has been accused of not getting immediate medical attention for him.
Authorities say 44-year-old Christine Sytek, of North Platte, has been arrested on suspicion of intentional child abuse that resulted in death. It’s a felony charge.
Police say Sytek waived down a passer-by early in the morning on Sunday and asked the person to call 911. Police say Sytek told the person the baby wasn’t breathing.
Police say an emergency crew took the baby to Great Plains Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Prosecutors say the baby had been born at Sytek’s home and was premature. Investigators are awaiting autopsy results. Sytek’s being held on $100,000 bail. Online court records don’t list her attorney.
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) – A young dog is recovering after being rescued from the icy waters of a western Nebraska lake near North Platte.
The golden retriever, Emmy, fell into Lake Maloney on Sunday, probably while she was chasing eagles on the ice.
Jess Phillips, who owns Emmy, says a neighbor came to his door to report that Emmy had fallen into the water about 300 yards from shore.
The Lincoln County dive team and sheriff’s deputies responded.
The divers suited up for the icy water and took a boat out to the ice gap where Emmy was struggling.
After Emmy was pulled out, she was taken to a veterinarian with a body temperature about 10 degrees below normal.
Phillips told the station that the dive team members “risked their lives to save my dog, and it’s pretty special to me.”
