Agreement reached in five-year-old case

Jeffrey A. Reinke, 35, of Omaha faced the Honorable Donna Taylor last Wednesday, Jan. 17, in the Antelope County courtroom in Neligh, in a five-year-old case. He was charged with Count I, leave accident, fail to furnish information, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and Count II, no operator’s license, a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Reinke’s attorney, Gregory Pivovar of Bellevue, had filed a motion to dismiss or discharge, on Jan. 14. He indicated, in the motion, that neither the complaint filed Feb. 26, 2018, nor a warrant issued in May 2018, were ever served on his client.

In the motion, the attorney claimed Reinke had never been served the complaint nor the original warrant issued in 2018 and that he had lived with a roommate, who was the owner of the vehicle, at the address listed on the registration.

He asked for dismissal or discharge the matter, “for the state’s failure to serve the arrest warrant within the statute of limitations for this action and for failing to bring the defendant to trial within 180 days of filing the complaint.”

A plea deal was discussed. County attorney Joe Smith agreed to dismiss Count I upon Reinke’s payment of restitution and he will be allowed to handle Count II by waiver.

Reinke’s case stems from allegations he failed to report a 2018 New Year’s Day accident. Reinke, allegedly driving an uninsured vehicle belonging to another Omaha individual, crashed the vehicle at the intersection of highways 20 and 13 east of Brunswick, causing damage to signs and then abandoned the damaged vehicle. In addition, his driver’s license was allegedly suspended out of Washington state.

The warrant was issued after he failed to appear in court. The warrant expired and was re-issued in May 2023, and was served Oct. 18, 2023, at the Antelope County Law Enforcement Center in Neligh.

Austin L. McCullough, 31, and Jolene L. Miller, 32, both of Hudson, Wisconsin, were set for arraignment and trials on infraction counts of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, alleged Dec. 12.

McCullough paid his fines, $300 and $100, respectively, and $49 costs in a waiver process. He did not, however return the signed guilty plea. Taylor ruled the payment of fines and costs was construed to be a plea of no contest and found him guilty.

Smith dismissed Miller’s charges, with prejudice.

Both were represented by Martin Klein of Neligh.

Israhel E. Vance waived his right to counsel and pleaded guilty to no proof of financial responsibility, a Class 2 misdemeanor commited Dec.9, 2023. Vance was fined $100 and $50 costs. A second charge, operate unregistered vehicle, was dismissed by Smith.

David G. Sykora, 62, of Scotland, South Dakota pleaded guilty, by waiver, to a pair of Class 4 misdemeanor offenses, failure to have or carry fuel permit and UCR-no registration/payment. He was fined $100 for each offense and taxed $49 costs. Sykora was cited by a Nebraska State Patrol carrier enforcement officer Dec. 8, 2023, near the junction of highways 14 and 20.