SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) — An Iowa man faces charges in Nebraska and Iowa after officials say he led officers on a high-speed chase and rammed two law enforcement vehicles.

The Nebraska State Patrol says the incident happened Friday evening when a trooper tried to stop a pickup truck being pursued by South Sioux City police. Officials say the truck rammed the trooper’s car, which had maneuvered in front of it, from behind before crossing into Iowa.

The trooper and a Dakota County Sheriff’s Office following the truck onto Interstate 29 before it went out of control and became stuck in a median. Officials say the truck then rammed both the trooper’s car and the sheriff’s SUV before the driver was arrested.

The patrol says 43-year-old Larry Johnson II, of Sioux City, in being held in an Iowa jail.

The officers were not seriously injured.

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska judge has ruled that Gage County was not liable for a jail inmate’s 2013 death.

A district court issued the decision in a negligence lawsuit filed by the estate of Chad Gesin. Gesin hanged himself in a jail cell in July 2013 after he was arrested for domestic assault and third-degree assault. A grand jury found no criminal conduct in his death.

The lawsuit alleged that county jail workers failed to properly care for Gesin while he was in custody and should have placed him on suicide watch. It sought $1 million in damages.

The lawsuit alleged that sheriff’s department officials had interacted with Gesin before, including in 2011, when he stabbed himself and had to be taken to a hospital.

HUMBOLDT, Neb. (AP) — State health and environment officials have issued a health alert for toxic blue-green algae at Kirkman’s Cove near Humboldt in the southeastern corner of Nebraska.

An alert has also been issued for Maple Creek Recreation Area Lake in Colfax County.

Officials said in a news release Friday that the alerts were issued following tests of the lakes’ water.
Skin exposed to the toxin from the algae can develop rashes and blisters. Someone who drinks water containing the toxin is at risk for headaches, nausea and muscular pain.

When a health alert is issued, signs are posted to advise the public to use caution, and designated swimming beaches are closed. Recreational boating and fishing are permitted, but the public is warned to use caution and avoid exposure to the water.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say they’ve arrested a 54-year-old man suspected of raping several women in Omaha dating back to 2006.

Robert Frazier, of Omaha, is charged with raping four women within a three-mile radius in northeastern Omaha. Frazier was arrested in and charged in April with assaulting a 43-year-old woman on April 1. Police say they believe Frazier also raped the same woman in 2011. Police then collected DNA from Frazier, leading them to charge him with the 2011 rape of a 57-year-old woman and the 2006 rape of a 45-year-old woman.

In May, a judge ruled that Frazier should be evaluated by the Lincoln Regional Center so officials can determine whether he is mentally competent to stand trial.
Frazier is being held without bond.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The last of five people charged in connection with several Lincoln bank robberies has been sentenced.

Federal prosecutors say 21-year-old Kiana Stabler, of Lincoln, was sentenced Friday to seven years in federal prison. She was also ordered to pay more than $28,000 in restitution.

Stable had pleaded guilty to a 2017 bank robbery at Pinnacle Bank and conspiracy to commit bank robbery at Great Western Bank last year.

Last month, Isreal Holmes was sentenced to 10 years and ordered to pay more than $44,500; Kaylene Stabler was sentenced to five years and $17,500 restitution; and

Crystal Stabler was sentenced to four years and more than $23,260 restitution.

In May, Julian Huffman was sentenced to five years and nearly $4,900 restitution.

They all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery.

HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) – Members of a Nebraska county’s planning and zoning commission are calling for a moratorium on solar energy projects.

The Hastings Tribune reports that the Adams County Planning and Zoning Commission voted 9-0 to recommend the moratorium until June 30, 2019. The recommendation will be forwarded to the Adams County Board of Supervisors.

Commission Chairman Dean Rolls says officials want time to study solar energy generation and see what regulations are needed.

The Hastings City Council approved a similar moratorium in June. The city and the county currently don’t have any regulations for commercial or small-scale solar generation facilities.

Adams County Highway Superintendent Dawn Miller says developers are looking at constructing a solar generation facility near a highly traveled roadway.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say a man hit by a sport utility vehicle in Omaha has died from his injuries.

Police said in a news release Thursday that 49-year-old Michael Hodd, of Omaha, died Wednesday at an Omaha hospital. An autopsy is being performed.

Omaha police investigators say Hodd was hit late Tuesday night in the Field Club neighborhood, just blocks from the Gerald Ford Birthsite and Gardens, as he crossed a street in an area with no marked crosswalk. The 40-year-old driver of the SUV was not injured.

An investigation into the crash continues.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Law enforcement officials say a motorcyclist has died in a crash just southwest of Omaha.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened late Tuesday on West Center Road outside of Omaha, when a westbound motorcycle collided with an eastbound pickup truck.

Deputies say Ronald Rowland, of Yutan, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup was taken to an Omaha hospital.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Severe thunderstorms knocked out power to nearly 7,000, disrupted some fireworks displays and injured at least one woman in eastern Nebraska.

The storms moved across the Omaha area around 10 p.m. Wednesday and knocked out power to 6,900 Omaha Public Power District customers.

Electricity was restored to most customers overnight, but about 500 still lacked power Thursday morning.

In Papillion, a 45-year-old woman was struck in the head by a tree branch that fell during the storms. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The weather also prompted the Omaha suburb of Ralston to postpone its fireworks display to Thursday night.