RED CLOUD, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a Red Cloud man has died in a collision at a rural Webster County intersection.

The accident occurred Tuesday afternoon, around 5 miles northeast (8 kilometers) of Red Cloud. A pickup truck driven by 60-year-old Dallas Henry, of Blue Hill, collided with a utility task vehicle driven by 56-year-old Ulayn Hobbs.

The Webster County Sheriff’s Office says Hobbs was pronounced dead at the scene. Henry was taken to a Red Cloud hospital.

The collision is being investigated.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say someone stole a crucifix valued at $4,000 from a Roman Catholic church in Lincoln.

A priest told officers the gold- and silver-plated crucifix and a book of readings were missing when he arrived Thursday morning at St. Patrick Church in the Havelock neighborhood in north Lincoln.

Authorities say the theft occurred between 9:30 p.m. Wednesday and 6:30 a.m. Thursday. The church is left open through the evening for people who wish to pray there.

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — A judge has halted an effort to recall Bellevue City Councilman Pat Shannon because the affidavit filed against him was handwritten, not typed.

The Sarpy County judge on Thursday determined that state law requires the affidavit to be typed. But the judge told Christine Jurgens, the Bellevue woman who filed the affidavit, that she can file a new one with the Sarpy County Election Commissioner.

The recall effort was launched earlier this month days after Shannon was found not guilty of violating electrical license requirements for a building he owns. Also this month, the City Council voted to condemn and tear down an eyesore carwash owned by Shannon.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested a suspect in the Sioux City stabbing death of a Nebraska man.

Police say 29-year-old Daniel Levering, of Sioux City, was arrested Wednesday on a warrant charging him with first-degree murder in the Sunday stabbing and beating death of 36-year-old Vincent Walker, of Winnebago, Nebraska.

Police say Walker was washing his car when he was confronted late Sunday afternoon by three people. Police say the group then assaulted him, with one stabbing him and another hitting him repeatedly with a baseball bat. Walker later died at a Sioux City hospital.

Levering is being held on $1 million bond. His preliminary hearing has been set for Aug. 7 in Woodbury County District Court.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Nebraska man has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for escaping last year from a federal halfway house in western Iowa.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says 28-year-old Keith Wayne Page, of Omaha, was sentenced Thursday to 16 months in prison for escape, to which he pleaded guilty in January.

Officials say Page failed to return to CH Inc., a residential re-entry center in Council Bluffs, in early September after being granted a job-seeking pass. Page was arrested in Omaha in December on a federal arrest warrant.

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — A man accused of leaving his bulldog puppy on a hot apartment balcony, leading to its death, has been cited on suspicion of animal cruelty.

The Nebraska Humane Society says the 52-year-old owner faces a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty, which carries a sentence of up to a year in jail.

Nebraska Humane Society officials were sent to the Bellevue apartment complex earlier this month and found the 16-month-old dog’s carcass. There was food and water on the balcony, but the dog was left in direct sunlight with no shade on a day when the heat index was 97 degrees (36 Celsius).

Veterinarians say the dog’s death was “consistent with signs of heatstroke.” Experts say a bulldog’s shortened snout makes it harder for the animal to eliminate heat by panting.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Garland man charged with misdemeanor vehicular homicide has taken a plea deal in Lancaster County.

Court records say 68-year-old Gary Jacobsen pleaded no contest Tuesday in a Lincoln courtroom. Prosecutors dropped a related charge in exchange for Jacobsen’s plea. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 29.

Prosecutors say Jacobsen was driving a truck, headed west with a load of rock on Dec. 6, when he pulled across U.S. Highway 77 just north of Lincoln and struck a southbound semitrailer. The semi rolled onto its side and erupted into flames.

Authorities say the semi’s driver, 21-year-old Brandon Gerdes, died at the scene. He lived in Osmond.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee has been charged with burglarizing the service office in Wood River and stealing property from the service and cash from Crane Trust.

John Cochnar is charged with felony burglary and theft. His attorney didn’t immediately return a call Wednesday from The Associated Press.

Authorities say he broke into the service’s field office at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center on March 21 to steal property. Authorities also say he took $508 from the visitor center’s donation box.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A prosecutor plans to reveal the findings of an investigation into the death of a mentally ill Nebraska man whom police officers beat, dragged and shocked with a stun gun a dozen times.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine is expected to disclose Wednesday whether his office will charge the two former Omaha officers who confronted 29-year-old Zachary Bearheels on June 5 at an Omaha convenience store.

The Omaha Police Department fired the officers, Scotty Payne and Ryan McClarty, earlier this month on the recommendation of Police Chief Todd Schmaderer.

Officials say Bearheels died after the officers shocked him 12 times with a Taser, punched him and dragged him by his hair.