(AP) — A 46-year-old Crete man has died in a crash in southeastern Nebraska’s Lancaster County.

The crash occurred Thursday morning.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says Brent Boyd was driving his pickup westbound on a rural road in the southwest corner of Lancaster County when he drove into a ditch, crossed the road into another ditch and rolled several times.

Boyd was thrown from the truck, leading investigators to think he was not wearing a seat belt.

A passing driver noticed the pickup around 6 a.m. Thursday and called authorities. Sheriff’s deputies found Boyd dead at the scene.

(AP) — The mother of a man charged in the deaths of four Omaha people has been found guilty of illegally buying ammunition that police say her son used in the killings.

A jury in federal court reached the verdict Thursday against 47-year-old Lori Jenkins on two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition. She faces up to 10 years in prison on each count.

Lori Jenkins is the mother of Nikko Jenkins. He faces four counts of first-degree murder in the August deaths of Curtis Bradford, Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz, Juan Uribe-Pena and Andrea Kruger.

Authorities say Lori Jenkins bought ammunition that Nikko Jenkins used in the killings. She is awaiting trial in district court on charges of being an accessory to a felony. Court records do not list an attorney.

(AP) — A second man has been convicted of first-degree murder in the 2012 shooting deaths of an Omaha man and his two teenage sons.

Timothy Britt was recently found guilty of three counts in connection to the July 2012 deaths of 44-year-old Miguel Avalos, 18-year-old Miguel Avalos Jr. and 16-year-old Jose Avalos.

Another man, Anthony Davis, was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and other charges in March. Witnesses testified during a two-week trial for Davis that the men went to the Avalos home to steal drugs and money.

Davis was sentenced to life in prison. Sentencing for Britt has been scheduled for May 29.

(AP) — A body was discovered near Omaha’s Westroads Mall, and police are investigating.

The body was found Thursday in some bushes near an office building northwest of the mall.

The body was reported to police shortly before 2 p.m.

Few details about the body were released immediately.

(AP) — Officials say a computer glitch led to 44 entities in Dodge County being shorted about $2.3 million in tax disbursements in 2011 and 2012.

Representatives of Terra Scan, the software provider for the county treasurer’s office, told county officials Wednesday that a miscommunication between their software and the county assessment office’s software led to the problem.

The problem came to light last month when Logan View and North Bend Central school districts said they were shorted nearly $900,000 over 2011 and 2012. Since then, the county has learned of 42 others that did not get the tax money they were due.

County Treasurer Cathy Dill says she will send letters to each affected entity, and the money owed will be dispersed in May.

(AP) — A 63-year-old David City man has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with a pipe bomb explosion during a July 4 celebration that seriously injured a teenage family member.

Russell Hilger pleaded not guilty Wednesday to second-degree assault, misdemeanor assault and five counts of criminal mischief. The charges carry a maximum combined sentence of 22 years in prison.

Hilger is accused of stuffing a 2-foot steel pipe with gunpowder and towels and lighting it at a family gathering at Ernst Lake. The pipe blast sprayed shrapnel that tore into the abdomen of 14-year-old Lauren Campbell of David City.

She lost her spleen and part of her pancreas, but has otherwise recovered.

A trial date for Hilger has not been set.

 

(AP) — A fire at a farm south of Creston in eastern Nebraska has destroyed a hog confinement building.

The fire occurred around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The building was empty at the time.

About 40 firefighters from Creston, Humphrey, Platte Center and Columbus Rural Fire were at the scene until around 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Creston firefighter Tony Woerdemann says the building was engulfed in flames and part of the roof was coming down when the fire department arrived. He said the fire was contained to the single building.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

(AP) — A proposed ballot measure that could allow betting on previously recorded horse races has failed to win enough support from Nebraska lawmakers.

Backers fell short Thursday of the 30 votes needed to approve the proposed constitutional amendment.

The legislation, by Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh of Omaha, would have allowed voters in November to decide if Nebraska should license and regulate wagering on the races.

Supporters argue that allowing the bets would help the struggling horse racing industry and increase attendance at live racing events. Opponents say the measure amounts to expanded gambling.

Lautenbaugh filed a motion to reconsider the vote, so lawmakers may vote on the issue again this session.