Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1 - 21 of 21
Shane Sleister, 49, (in custody), appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last Wednesday, April 17, for sentencing in two similar cases. The Honorable Donna Taylor sentenced Sleister to terms in the Antelope County Jail on each of two charges in each case. In the first case, committed Sept. 20, 2023, Sleister was committed to the Antelope County Jail for 60 days on Count I, obstructing a peace officer, a Class 1 misdemeanor, and 10 days on Count II, driving under suspension, a Class 3 misdemeanor, and he was taxed $1 costs....
Joaquin S. Echeverria, 28, of Brenham, Texas, (in custody) appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week for preliminary hearing. Escheverria is accused of a Class 1C felony, possession of more than 28 grams of methamphetamine, with intent to deliver. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith called Nebraska State Patrol trooper Seth Miller to the stand. Miller testified that Escheverria possessed 74-76 grams of methamphetamine when he was stopped for speeding Feb. 19. Miller also testified that...
An Elgin man, who had moved from Arizona last fall, has learned about icy road conditions and Nebraska law regarding vehicle and driver’s licenses. Tyler S. Zawacky, 30, of Elgin appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on March 6 for pretrial hearing on Count I, leaving scene of property-damage accident, a Class 2 misdemeanor; Count II, no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor; and Count III, fictitious plates, a Class 3 misdemeanor. Pursuant to a plea agreement with a...
Two separate jury trials have been set for an Oakdale man accused of driving during revocation/suspension and other crimes in September 2023 and in January. Shane Sleister, 49, of Oakdale (in custody), appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Feb. 21, in the two similar cases. Sleister’s attorney, public defender Pat Carney, asked Taylor to set separate trials in front of different juries. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith estimated one- to two-day trial in each case. Taylor set the t...
A Petersburg man accused of passing a counterfeit $100 bill last fall doesn’t want a lawyer but wants his bond modified. Thomas R. Miller, 54, had waived his right to counsel at his first court appearance last month and was denied a request for a bail refund. Miller appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor last Wednesday, Feb. 7, for further arraignment on a Class 2 misdemeanor, second-degree forgery, alleged Oct. 11, when he is accused of passing the bill at Elgin One Stop. He again waived his right to counsel. He entered a not g...
Shane Sleister of Oakdale appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh last week, for trial on an Oakdale nuisance violation, alleged last February on his property at 606 Rath Street. Special village assistant attorney, Joe Smith, had previously offered a deal after some abatement work was completed by the defendant. Smith agreed to dismiss the charge if Sleister paid $50 court costs. Sleister did not comply and the case was set for trial. Sleister, who was self-represented, told the Honorable Donna Taylor that two vehicles that remain...
Three defendants, charged with Neligh city and Oakdale village ordinance violations had their day in county court last week. Appearing in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor at the courthouse in Neligh on Dec. 6, Linda Mack of Elgin appeared for sentencing and an abatement order on an offense of maintaining a dangerous building on the west half of lots 10, 11 and 12, Block 197, in Neligh. Prosecutor, Neligh city attorney James McNally, indicated Mack had recently contacted the Neligh Volunteer Fire Department about burning the house as a...
Kegan J. McAllister, 19, of Tilden faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Dec. 6 for pretrial hearing on a Class 1 misdemeanor. A plea agreement was announced. McAllister pleaded guilty, as charged, to a count of third-degree domestic assault committed July 6. In return, Antelope County attorney Joe Smith agreed to file no additional charges related to the incident and will make no recommendation at sentencing. Carney informed the judge that McAllister is set for sentencing in Madison County district cour...
Austin Bertschinger, 30, of Omaha appeared in front of the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Nov. 15, to explain why he hadn’t paid a fine and costs ordered Aug. 2, for a December 2022 crime. He said he had lost his job. A time-payment warrant had been issued Nov. 8, after he failed to appear in court on Nov. 1. He was arrested Nov. 14 in Lancaster County and transported to Neligh. He posted 10% of a $1,500 bond. Taylor amended the bond to a $150 cash bond and applied it to his unpaid balance. She gave him u...
A charge against a Clearwater man was dismissed by Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith on Oct. 25. Zane Herley, 23, of Clearwater, was set for pretrial hearing Nov. 1 and trial Nov. 17 in the Antelope County court, on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor (allegedly provided a Jell-O alcohol shot to 18-year-old minor), a Class 1 misdemeanor alleged June 24 in Clearwater. According to a document filed by Smith, the reason for dismissal was that law enforcement did not preserve the evidence. Smith also dismissed a minor in...
Shane A. Sleister, 49, of Oakdale faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope Count courtroom in Neligh on Oct. 4, for arraignment on two counts, Count I, resisting arrest, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and Count II, driving under suspension, a Class 3 misdemeanor. If convicted, Sleister faces up to a $1,000 fine and/or one year incarceration on Count I and up to $500/90 days on Count II. Sleister requested court-appointed counsel. Taylor appointed Antelope County public defender Pat Carney and set further arraignment Nov. 1. Bond is continued,...
The Honorable Donna Taylor set trial dates in five Antelope County court cases when she presided at the bench in the Neligh courtroom Sept. 6. Kami M. Ash, 29, of Wood River faced Taylor for arraignment on a count of driving under revocation, a Class 2 misdemeanor alleged July 21. Ash waived her right to counsel for arraignment proceedings. She pleaded not guilty, telling the judge her license was not suspended on July 21. She asked for a trial to the court, which Taylor set for Oct. 4. Shane Sleister, 48, of Oakdale is set for trial Nov. 1,...
Adalberto Sanchez, 34, of Tornillo, Texas, appeared in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on Aug. 2, via Zoom, for arraignment on 2016 charges, including Count I, driving under the influence of alcohol, Count II, no operator’s license, and Count III, possession of an open alcohol container. Sanchez waived his right to counsel and trial, pleading guilty to counts I and II. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith dismissed Count III. The Honorable Donna Taylor ordered Sanchez to obtain an alcohol/drug evaluation from a certified counselor and set...
Max S. Kerkman, 34, of Oakdale faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on June 7, for first hearing on a pair of Class 4 felony drug possession charges. He is accused of possessing methamphetamine and oxycodone June 6. If convicted, Kerkman faces up to $10,000 fine and/or up to two years incarceration for each count. He requested continuance and told Taylor that he would retain an Omaha attorney, Tom Peterson, who had represented him in prior cases. Taylor set preliminary hearing July 5 and continued bond....
Katelynn Westley, also known as Katelynn Marker, 25, of Stromsburg faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on April 19, alongside her court-appointed attorney, Dennis Moreland of Norfolk. Westley is charged with three counts of disturbing the peace, each with a separate victim, all alleged Jan. 26. With no resolution reached, the case is set for jury trial. Antelope County attorney Joe Smith estimated trial may take two days. He plans to call five witnesses and said evidence may include “computer record t...
Jordan J. Knievel, 21, of Neligh faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh on April 5 on three counts, Count I, third-degree assault on a police officer, a Class 3A felony; Count II, false reporting, a Class 1 misdemeanor; and Count III, obstructing a police officer, also a Class 1 misdemeanor. Taylor advised Knievel of the possible penalties if she is convicted of the charges, including up to three years imprisonment and/or $10,000 fine on Count I and up to one year and/or $1,000 fine on each counts II and...
Jackson L. Anderson Jr., 51, of Omaha faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh, last Wednesday, for sentencing in a 2018 case. He was fined $300 and assessed $52 costs of prosecution for possession of marijuana, less than one ounce, second offense. Anderson pleaded guilty in December 2018 after reaching a plea deal with county attorney Joe Abler, and an open container count was dropped. He failed to appear for sentencing on three occasions in February and March 2019, and a warrant was issued for his arrest....
Two Oakdale women have admitted to committing forgery as part of the sale of a “friend’s” vehicle. The 2000 GMC Yukon had been parked at the residence of one of the defendants while the vehicle’s owner was out of town for several weeks. Sada L. Carr, 34, changed her pleas to a pair of second-degree forgery counts last week after reaching a plea deal with Antelope County attorney Joe Abler. In return for guilty pleas to the Class 1 misdemeanors, Abler agreed to file no further charges (first-degree conspiracy to commit forgery and forgery in the...
A dad, who had been remanded to the county sheriff’s custody to serve a jail sentence, drove away from the courthouse in a private vehicle last Wednesday, with his children as passengers. Shane Sleister did not go directly to jail. Instead of proceeding north toward the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center, Sleister’s vehicle headed west on 5th Street, followed by Antelope County deputy and courtroom bailiff, Lyle Juracek, The 46-year old Oakdale man faced Taylor for sentencing on a Class 3 misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace, a cha...
The Honorable Donna Taylor presided over an array of cases last Wednesday, stemming from fights, traffic crashes, driving while intoxicated or under suspension, to dog attacks. In a rare move, Taylor chose not to follow a sentencing recommendation county attorney Joseph Abler offered as part of a plea deal. Abler recommended a fine only for Smokie J. Pike, 24, of Kearney, in exchange for Pike's no contest plea to third-degree assault, fight by mutual consent, a Class 2 misdemeanor. After...
Six of seven defendants who faced the Honorable Donna Taylor last Wednesday morning, July 1, when she presided from the bench in the Antelope County court, faced charges stemming from alleged fights. If convicted of their individual third-degree assault, fight by mutual consent charges, they each face a possible fine of up to $1,000, six months in jail, or both, for the Class 2 misdemeanor. Hugo Estrada, 28, and Smokie J. Pike, 24, who resided in Neligh for the past several months, were cited for a May 3 fight at their residence. Pike pleaded...
