Driving friends home while drunk lands man in jail

Marco A. Gomez-Rodriguez, 27, of O’Neill appeared in Holt County court last Tuesday, Aug. 11, facing an enhanced driving under the influence charge, no license on person and careless driving.

Pursuant to a plea agreement with Holt County prosecutor Brent Kelly, Gomez-Rodriguez entered guilty pleas to a reduced Count I, DUI, first offense, low test, and Count III, careless driving, an infraction. In return, Count II, no license on person, was dismissed.

The Honorable Kale Burdick sentenced him to a $500 fine, seven days in jail, with credit for one day previously served, and revoked his driver’s license for six months on Count I; and a $100 fine on Count III; along with $105 costs of prosecution.

Gomez-Rodriguez was arrested by an O’Neill police officer in the early morning hours of March 7 following a traffic stop. Through an interpreter, the defendant told police he was going home after being a good friend and giving others a ride home. His preliminary breath test showed an alcohol content of 0.221.

He was represented by public defender Rodney Smith of O’Neill.

Gerald L. Kohle, 62, of Stuart, appeared on a charge of driving under suspension, a Class 2 misdemeanor. He pleaded no contest and was judged guilty by Burdick, who sentenced him to a $100 fine and assessed him $50 costs for the July 3 offense.

Adam C. Rokahr, 40, of O’Neill pleaded guilty by waiver to violating a City of O’Neill ordinance May 28 by allowing a dog to run at large. He was fined $20 and assessed $49 costs. Four additional counts, two misdemeanors, failure to vaccinate a dog and unlawfully keeping a pit bull breed dog; and two infractions, failure to file rabies certificate and harboring a dog which habitually barks at or chases pedestrians, were all dismissed by Kelly.