Men pay price for offenses committed after Holt County Fair

Dustin G. Carman, 29, of Neligh faced the Honorable Kale Burdick in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill on Dec. 20, for a change of plea hearing and sentencing on a Class W misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol, first offense. Carman’s attorney, John Green of Omaha appeared telephonically.

Burdick sentenced Carman to a $500 fine, seven days in the Holt County Jail, suspended until Dec. 24, with credit for one day previously served, and revoked his driver’s license for six months. He was taxed $105 costs of prosecution.

Carman was stopped by a Holt County deputy Aug. 13, east of Chambers on Highway 95. The deputy observed Carman’s car drive “over the white line with both wheels and onto the gravel shoulder, kicking up gravel.” According to an affidavit filed by the officer, Carman said he was coming from the Holt County Fair dance and admitted he had been drinking. The officer stated Carman refused to exit the vehicle when instructed, while his passenger refused another officer’s order to stay in the vehicle.

Carman also refused to perform field sobriety tests but consented to a breath test, with a result of .182 BAC. A chemical test at the jail later, during booking, showed .196 BAC. The officer also discovered, during a review of Carman’s records, that his driver’s license was suspended with a pick-up order.

A driving during suspension charge was dropped by Holt County attorney Brent Kelly in November.

Carman’s passenger also faced Burdick on Dec. 20.

Ryan T. Meis, 29, of Petersburg was fined $250 and assessed $50 costs for a Class 3 misdemeanor count of failure to obey a lawful order. Meis was also arrested by a Holt County deputy Aug. 13. He was originally charged with a pair of Class 1 misdemeanors, obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest. The complaint was amended by Kelly in November.

Meis was also represented by Green, who appeared telephonically.

In a warrantless-arrest affidavit, the arresting officer reported Meis’ failure to comply with several instructions - refused to stay in the vehicle, refused to hand over his identification document and attempted to move into the driver’s seat. The officer wrote, “It appeared that Meis was extremely intoxicated during this incident.”

Debra A. Langrock, 63, of Des Moines, Iowa, appeared for arraignment on four counts, Count I, driving without headlights, a Class 3 misdemeanor; Count II, possession of drug paraphernalia; Count III, possession of marijuana; and Count IV, careless driving, the latter three counts, are all infractions. She waived her right to counsel and, pursuant to a plea agreement with Kelly, pleaded guilty to counts II, III and IV, in exchange for dismissal of Count I. Burdick fined Langrock $100, $300 and $100, respectively, and taxed her $49 costs.

The following defendants recently pleaded guilty by waiver and were fined:

•Bruce M. Strong, 48, Norfolk, take deer without permit (purchased deer permit after killing a whitetail buck), fined $100, assessed $500 liquidated damages and $49 costs; cited Dec. 11 at rural Chambers by a Nebraska Game and Parks commissioner.

•Breanna N. Ross, 26, O’Neill, allowing dog to run at large, $20 and $49 costs; cited 11-15.

•Elrico Botes, 20, of Plainview, violate farm registration use (hauling feed commercially on farm plates), fined $100 and $49 costs, cited by Nebraska State Patrol carrier enforcement officer Dec. 5, at the scale near the junction of highways 20 and 275.

Kelly dismissed, with prejudice, a case against Renee L. Howell, 32, of Atkinson. She had been charged with two Class 3 misdemeanor counts of violating the compulsory education attendance requirement. Howell was taxed $49 costs.