O'Neill man fined for trespassing

Andrew F. Clark, 54, of O’Neill faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill last Tuesday, Feb. 16, for a pretrial hearing on two June 16, 2020, counts.

Clark changed his not guilty plea to no contest on a Class 2 misdemeanor count of second-degree trespassing – defy order to leave, pursuant to a plea agreement. In return, Holt County attorney Brent Kelly dismissed a Class 3 misdemeanor count of criminal mischief, 0 to $500.

Burdick found Clark guilty, fined him $250 and taxed him $50 costs of prosecution. Clark was represented by public defender Rod Smith of O’Neill.

Thomas J. Bittner, 44, of Albion pleaded guilty, by waiver, to two counts, violate load contents requirement, a Class 4 misdemeanor, and littering, first offense, a Class 3 misdemeanor. He was fined $100 on each count and assessed $49 costs. Bittner was cited by an O’Neill police officer Jan. 12, on Highway 20 in O’Neill, after a piece of scrap metal fell off a trailer onto the highway and Bittner failed to stop and pick it up. The officer noted the load was insufficiently secured.