OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a Sarpy County man convicted of sexually assaulting two children, agreeing that his defense lawyer was so ineffective that it denied him a fair trial.

The ruling Friday came in the case of 73-year-old Philip Armstrong, who was convicted in 2009 of sexually assaulting two children he had babysat.

Court records show that Armstrong’s defense attorney provided Armstrong with a recording of investigators’ interview of the victims. Armstrong then showed the recording to several of his family members — a violation of state law.

In its ruling, the high court said Armstrong’s attorney did not explain to the jury why one witness’ testimony was stricken and why other family members were never called.

ATKINSON, Neb. (AP) — Resurfacing work is scheduled to begin next week on Nebraska Highway 11 in northern Nebraska.

The Nebraska Roads Department says the pavement project will run north from Atkinson for eight miles.

Flaggers and a pilot vehicle will be used to control traffic.

The project is expected to be finished by late June.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two men have been hospitalized with burns suffered in a fire that damaged a house in northeast Omaha.

Authorities say the father and son were in the house basement when the fire was reported at 4:50 a.m. Friday. Firefighters report that three other people who’d been in the house were found uninjured in the front yard.

Fire officials say the blaze was controlled within 10 minutes of the firetrucks’ arrival. The fire cause is being investigated.

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old Fremont man is scheduled to be sentenced in July for the shooting death of his best friend.

Andrew Marty pleaded no contest and was convicted of felony manslaughter and misdemeanor assault on Wednesday in Dodge County District Court. Prosecutors dismissed a weapons charge and a threats charge in exchange for Marty’s pleas. His sentencing is set for July 13.

Fremont officers responded to an apartment on Jan. 25 and found 19-year-old Kevin Kennebeck had been mortally wounded. An arrest warrant affidavit says Marty reported that he was cleaning his .223-caliber rifle and had pointed it at Kennebeck when it went off.

Marty’s attorney, Leo Eskey, says Marty is “totally destroyed by this. This was his best friend.”

FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — A Fremont woman has been charged with helping a man who’s accused of providing alcohol to the woman’s teenage brother, who died after being found outdoors in bone-chilling cold last fall.

The Fremont Police Department says 19-year-old Yesenia (yeh-SEHN’-yuh) Valdez is charged with a felony: aiding and abetting the procurement of alcohol to a minor. Online court records don’t list an attorney who could be contacted to comment on her behalf.

Police say Valdez helped 21-year-old Dakota McDonald provide alcohol to Valdez’s 16-year-old brother, Jaime (HEYE’-may) Valdez. Jaime Valdez was found the morning of Nov. 16, when, according to the National Weather Service, Fremont’s temperature was 2 degrees, with a wind child of minus 16. Police say the boy died later that day of hypothermia associated with acute ethanol intoxication.

 

NOWATA, Okla. (AP) — Authorities say two people are in custody and a manhunt is underway in southeastern Kansas after an Oklahoma police officer was shot in the head during a pursuit.

South Coffeyville Police Chief Wade Lamb said when an officer tried to pull over an SUV Thursday, the vehicle took off.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says shots were fired from the SUV at an Oologah police cruiser that was assisting in the chase, striking the officer, who was airlifted to a Tulsa hospital. His condition wasn’t released.

Authorities say two of the vehicle’s occupants were taken into custody after police used stop sticks.

Lamb says a third escaped, carjacked another car and shot the driver. Lamb says the suspect made it to Liberty, Kansas, before crashing and fleeing on foot.

A search was underway late Thursday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a 21-year-old Omaha man has died after a collision between his pickup and a sedan.

The accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. Thursday at an intersection in southeast Omaha.

The Omaha Police Department reports that witnesses say Zachary Henson accelerated away from a disturbance and drove east around a vehicle that had stopped at the intersection. Henson’s truck was then struck by a southbound sedan, which had the right of way.

Police say Henson died shortly after arriving at a hospital and that no one in the sedan was injured.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific Railroad is undertaking a major track renovation project on its main line east of Grand Island and as far as Columbus.

Union Pacific will replace 36,000 concrete rail ties and put in place 153,000 tons of new ballast. The project is estimated to cost $13 million and is scheduled to be completed the first week of August.

Nearly 100 trains are operated by the railroad daily over this section of the main line across Nebraska.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha man has been convicted of three counts of bank robbery and faces a potential life sentence.

According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office press release, 28-year-old Quantal Blake was convicted Thursday. He faces a $250,000 fine on each count.

Prosecutors say Blake and another man robbed a Premier Bank in February 2014. The car they used was found abandoned a few blocks away.

In March, prosecutors say the two men attempted to rob the same bank, but the lobby was not yet open. They struck another vehicle as they fled, and then and abandoned their car.

According to prosecutors, the men robbed a First Westroads Bank later that day.

Authorities linked Blake to the robberies through his electronic monitoring device that he was required to wear because of a prior robbery conviction.

ELGIN, Neb. (AP) — A federal agency says it is looking into the death of construction worker in northeast Nebraska.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the 40-year-old worker, whom it did not name, died Wednesday morning. The agency says the worker was operating a 90-ton crane along a county road, when the crane slipped into the ditch, overturning and killing the worker.

A message left for Antelope County Attorney Joseph Alber, who also serves as the county coroner, was not immediately returned Thursday.

OSHA said Thursday that the worker was employed by Tradesman International of Omaha, and was working for Wanzek Construction Inc. of West Fargo, North Dakota, on the construction of a wind farm near Elgin.

OSHA said it will also investigate complaints alleging other hazards to workers at the site.