Student formally charged for alleged terroristic threats

Antelope County attorney Joe Abler filed a complaint Oct. 3, in the Antelope County Court, charging Koda K. Fernau, 18, of Clearwater with a felony count of making terroristic threats, along with two misdemeanor counts of disturbing the peace, alleged between Sept. 2 and Sept. 9, at locations including a Summerland Public School bus, the school and his former place of employment.

The Honorable Donna Taylor, on Sept. 14, set bond at $25,000, 10%, with terms for no contact with the school. She appointed Norfolk attorney Ryan Stover to represent him, after Antelope County public defender Pat Carney indicated a conflict of interest.

Fernau made his first court appearance Wednesday, Oct. 5. Stover requested a preliminary hearing, which is set for Oct. 19.

Following Wednesday's hearing, Fernau was remanded back to the custody of the Antelope County Sheriff.

According to a probable-cause affidavit, filed by Antelope County sheriff Bob Moore on Sept. 14, the sheriff was first called to the school Sept. 6, when school officials reported a Sept. 2 incident on a Summerland bus. Fernau was accused of using inappropriate language and making sexual remarks to elementary age bus passengers, ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade, and allegedly talked about a gun. School officials confronted Fernau on Sept. 6 about the alleged gun statement and reported he had become belligerent, prompting officials to remove him from the "public arena." Officials later determined Fernau had made no threats but had discussed plans to purchase a firearm. A decision was made, according to Moore, "to give Koda a timeout from school."

A week later, Moore was called back to the school by superintendent Kyle Finke, who reported an incident concerning the school that had happened at Fernau's workplace. Moore allegedly determined Fernau had been fired from his job at a Neligh retail business, due to threats made to coworkers about "shooting up a bus."