OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A judge has denied a new trial for an Omaha man convicted of killing a college student whose body has never been found.

Douglas County District Judge J. Russell Derr on Friday rejected Christopher Edwards’s plea for a new trial.

Edwards was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2006 disappearance of 19-year-old Jessica O’Grady and was sentenced to 100 years to life in prison. Edwards has maintained he’s innocent and that David Kofoed, former commander of Douglas County crime scene investigation unit, planted some of the evidence used to convict him.

In 2012, the Nebraska Supreme Court granted a new hearing for Edwards, based on the claim that he was framed.

But on Friday, the judge rejected that claim.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Lancaster County Sheriff says a motorcyclist has died in a hit-and-run crash.

The crash happened around 7:35 p.m. Friday near Lincoln on a county road just north of Interstate 80 in a construction zone. The motorcyclist was found near an intersection, where he was pronounced dead.

The name of the motorcyclist has not yet been released.

The sheriff’s office says it’s looking for an older model white pickup.

Anyone with information is urged to call the sheriff’s office at 402-441-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600.

RICHLAND, Neb. (AP) — A 53-year-old Fremont man has died in a crash that saw his car collide with a semitrailer on U.S. Highway 30 in eastern Nebraska.

Terry Kirchmann was pronounced dead at the scene of the Friday evening.

Colfax County Attorney Denise Kracl says the crash happened near the Platte-Colfax county line just west of Richland, which is east of Columbus.

Kracl said the semi was hauling a tanker filled with diesel when it drove onto the highway from a fuel terminal and was hit by Kirchmann’s car.

The 60-year-old driver of the semi was not hurt.

Authorities are still investigating.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha business catering to the needs of four-legged customers is taking advantage of the new year to help the less fortunate.

Three Dog Bakery at Omaha’s Midtown Crossing is selling a “Dogs of Midtown” 2015 calendar for $10, with the proceeds going to the Nebraska Humane Society and its Omaha animal shelter.

Pam Wiese with the Nebraska Humane Society says Midtown Crossing residents and condominium owners nominated their dogs for inclusion in the calendar. Fourteen were chosen — with two months feature two dogs — and professionally photographed. Each month features a different, playful theme.

TABLE ROCK, Neb. (AP) — Officials say a father died and his three young children and dog were thrown from an SUV during a single-vehicle crash in northeastern Nebraska.

Dennis Schlund, of Humboldt, lost control of his vehicle sometime Thursday evening. The SUV rolled several times before stopping in a field, where it was discovered near Table Rock on Friday morning.

Pawnee County Attorney Jennifer Stehlik Ladman says Schlund was pronounced dead at the scene. His children, ages 7, 5 and 3, were flown to a nearby hospital. Their identities and conditions have not been released.

The dog, also injured in the crash, was taken to a Tecumseh animal shelter.

Authorities believe drug use was a factor in the crash. Stehlik Ladman says a toxicology test will be conducted.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska sheriff who gave his wife a department job has agreed to pay a $3,000 fine for violating state disclosure rules.

Merrick County Sheriff Kevin Campbell acknowledged in a settlement released Friday that he hired his wife part-time in August 2011, and was employing her full-time by August 2012.

Campbell was fined by the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission for not filing a disclosure notice with the county clerk. The commission says he also failed to advertise the job as required when it became a full-time position.

Campbell says the violations were unintentional, but he accepts responsibility. He says the first disclosure filing was mistakenly sent to the county attorney instead of the clerk, and he didn’t realize he had to advertise again when the job became full-time.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City hospital says it has confirmed two flu-related deaths that happened within the past two months, but a spokeswoman says rules prohibited her from providing additional information.

Children’s Mercy Hospital spokeswoman Jessica Salazar declined to provide ages or genders of the patients, but she said the hospital treats people between birth and 21 years old.

The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 45 children have died from the flu this season, including four in the region that includes Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

The CDC says 109 children in the U.S. died last year of the flu, which was a sharp decline from the 171 pediatric deaths reported in the 2013 flu season.

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s decision to dismiss a Bellevue man’s motion for post-conviction relief without first holding an evidentiary hearing.

Jonathan Armendariz is serving 80 to 100 years in prison for second-degree murder and a weapons conviction in the 2011 shooting death of 18-year-old Kyle Williams. Armendariz was 17 at the time of the killing and had said he shot his friend during an argument over money.

Armendariz appealed after a Sarpy County District Court dismissed his motion for post-conviction relief, which is typically filed once all other appeals are exhausted.

On Friday, the state’s high court rejected Armendariz’s claims that his attorney didn’t effectively defend him

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 58-year-old man has died after being struck and dragged by a car on the west side of Omaha.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says the man was walking north on 204th Street when he was hit around 8 p.m. Thursday by a northbound car. Lt. Rob Jones says the driver reported that she didn’t see the man, who was dragged about 75 yards.

The driver was treated at a hospital for cuts by glass from her shattered windshield.

The names of those involved haven’t been released. The crash is being investigated.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha’s mayor says now’s not the time to merge the city and county crime labs.

Mayor Jean Stothert (STAH’-thurt) said she’s open to the idea, but now’s the wrong time.

Stothert says she first wants to ensure that Douglas County’s crime lab becomes accredited, and then she wants to assess the results of a five-year agreement to share services. That deal went into effect Jan. 1.

The county has been checking the fiscal impact of a lab merger, and on Tuesday Douglas County Board member Mike Boyle suggested merging the Omaha Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Stothert says that as the city grows and the county’s jurisdiction shrinks, merging the police forces would be worth discussing, but not yet.