ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. (AP) – Authorities say an Oregon couple is in custody after a shooting, a high-speed pursuit into Utah, and a foot chase. Detective Dick Blust Jr., of the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s office says Roy and Jessica Fritts were arrested around 1 p.m.
Sunday. Blust says 54-year-old Edmund Thornell of Costa Mesa, Calif., was camping with the Fritts when a dispute arose and he was shot several times Sunday morning. He says Thornell, who was in stable condition, reported that they fled in his van. Wyoming authorities spotted the van and chased it 30 miles into Utah near Echo, where the pair fled on foot but were quickly captured. They are being held at the Summit County jail in Utah. The Deseret News reports that the sheriff’s office says 33-year-old Roy Fritts is wanted in Oregon after fleeing from supervised prison release on two counts of attempted aggravated murder. In Nebraska, state troopers suspect the pair stole a car last week before abandoning it.
Roland Kramer has replaced Dean Sparks as the new Chief Deputy Sheriff. Sparks resigned in May opening the way for Kramer who brings 17 years of experience to the post. Roland Kramer will have his hands full with his second promotion in less than six months, not only with new training, but dealing with the growing pains and issues that have arisen moving in to the new jail building.
Nebraskaland National Bank was on-hand with their locally famous grill
A close-up of the check
Members of the NPPSF, Live Well NE, & Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Members of the NPPSF, Live Well NE, & Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Jackie Lucas, NPPSF Executive Director
Rulon Gardner signs an autograph
Olympic Champion & “The Biggest Loser” participant Rulon Gardner
The Live Well Nebraska tour was in North Platte Thursday with a big special guest and a big check for a local educational organization. Olympic Gold Medalist and Biggest Loser participant Rulon Gardner spoke to the crowd about his own personal journey and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Live Well Nebraska, which is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, presented a $10,000 check to the North Platte Public Schools Foundation, who will use the funds to promote healthy lifestyle programs locally. One such program awards a bicycle to the student who most adheres to a commitment to walking and biking to school. For more information visit the North Platte Public Schools Foundation’s website at http://nppsf.org/, or the Live Well NE website at http://livewellnebraska.com/section/livewell
WAHOO, Neb. (AP) – A woman has been convicted of manslaughter in the death of a fellow resident at an assisted-living facility in Wahoo. The Saunders County attorney’s office says 36-year-old Angelic Norris was found guilty on Monday. She faces up to 20 years in prison when she’s sentenced on Oct. 3. Investigators say Norris got into dispute last September with another resident at Liberty House, which serves people with mental-health issues. Authorities say 56-year-old Elizabeth Collins suffered a head injury and later died. Norris was found competent to stand trial in January.
HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) – Three people charged in the death of a 4-year-old Minden boy have pleaded no contest to lesser charges. Dustin Scoville, Sharon Turnell and her husband, Charles, were charged in the December 2009 death of Landon Payne. He was Sharon Turnell’s nephew, and lived with the couple. The Hastings Tribune says Scoville and Sharon Turnell pleaded no contest to attempted child abuse resulting in death on Wednesday in Adams County District Court. They face up to 50 years in prison. Charles Turnell pleaded no contest to attempted child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. He faces up to 20 years in prison. All three had been charged with aiding and abetting child abuse resulting in death, punishable by up to life in prison. Sentencing is Sept. 20.
The North Platte Sunrise Rotary Club is pleased to welcome Katharina Sterr of Erding, Bavaria, Germany to the United States as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. Her first host parents are Matt & Jessie Bergen of Paxton. The Bergen’s daughter Dakota recently returned from her own Rotary Youth Exchange experience in Sweden. Dakota was the featured speaker at the North Platte Sunrise Rotary Club’s weekly meeting on Thursday, August 11th, at Hobbe’s Restaurant.
(North Platte, NE)- Nebraska authorities are looking for a stolen vehicle out of Cozad that is believed to be driven by a suspect and his female companion. The male suspect is wanted for Absconding Post Prison Supervision, Union County, Oregon. Just before 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 10, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a stolen vehicle from the home of an employee of Paulsen Construction. The vehicle is described as a red 2008 Chevy Silverado C150, 4 door extended cab, with Paulsen Incorporated written in white letters on the doors and bearing NE Commercial license plate 18-5857. Authorities believe the stolen vehicle may be driven by Roy Scott Fritts, Jr., 33, Union, Oregon. Fritts is described as a white male, shaved brown hair, blue eyes, 5’10’’, and 160 lbs. He is traveling with a female companion; identified as Jessica (a.k.a. Kadesh) Fritts, 35, red hair, green eyes, 5’8”, and 150 lbs. Roy Fritts has an extensive criminal history and should be considered dangerous. Anyone who spots the vehicle should call 911 or local law enforcement immediately.
Prior to the stolen vehicle report, the Nebraska State Patrol on Tuesday evening, August 9, received a broadcast from Oregon authorities that Fritts, who absconded from parole and was wanted in Oregon could be traveling I-80. Fritts was believed to be traveling with his wife identified as Jessica (a.k.a. Kadesh) Fritts in a 2010 Chrysler 300.
Just before 10:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 9, a trooper spotted a vehicle matching the description traveling westbound on Highway 30 west of Lexington. The trooper attempted to stop the vehicle on the outskirts of Cozad. The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit ensued. The pursuit traveled through a portion of Cozad before returning to Highway 30 and onto county roads in the area. It ended approximately 10 minutes later, when the suspects abandoned their vehicle on the north side of Paulsen Construction and fled into a field.
The Nebraska State Patrol assisted by the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office and the Cozad Police Department set up a perimeter and initiated a ground search. The search was called off after more than three hours.
MCCOOK, Neb. (AP) – Hail from a fast-moving storm has damaged homes and cars in McCook and other southwest Nebraska communities. The McCook Daily Gazette says hail the size of golf balls was reported Tuesday evening. The Heritage Hills Golf Course was so covered by hail that it looked like a snowstorm had blown through town. The hail broke out skylights at a store, injuring one person. Wind gust of 70 mph were reported. Hail reaching nearly 3 inches in diameter was reported near Danbury.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Two people who authorities believe helped sell more than 200 Hummers with phony titles and export many of them are now facing federal fraud charges. FBI agent Andy Thomure said Wednesday that a former salesman at the Omaha car dealership that sold the Hummers has been arrested. The other person charged is a woman who owned an Overland Park, Kan., trucking company. She hasn’t been arrested yet. Many of the vehicles sold by the Huber dealership in 2005 and 2006 were bought by a small broker in Chillicothe, Mo. Most of the Hummers were resold overseas and exported to Nigeria, Germany, Canada, Japan and elsewhere. The fraudulent titles allowed the buyers to collect incentives from General Motors that weren’t available to anyone buying more than five vehicles.
