Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 285
A New Year's Eve altercation that took place on Clearwater's Main Street led to the appearance of Joy L. Joyce, 23, in Antelope County Court on Feb. 4. Joyce, a Neligh resident, appeared for further arraignment, and entered a not guilty plea to one count of domestic assault-third/threat/bodily injury, a Class I misdemeanor. On Dec. 31, two Antelope County Sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call about a physical altercation. The caller, Zachary Sohler, said he and Joyce had been drinking and...
A continuance was granted in a case involving a47-year-old Tilden man charged with assault. On Feb. 4, Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith requested a continuance to discuss a plea deal with Joshua G. Andrews. The Honorable Donna Taylor granted Smith's request. The charges stem from a Dec. 5 incident in Neligh when Andrews is alleged to have pushed Craig Smith, owner of Smitty's Super Clean, to the ground in the east wash bay. Andrews is scheduled to appear March 12 for further arraignment....
Two individuals were scheduled to appear before the Honorable Donna Taylor for show-cause hearings in Antelope County Court on Feb. 4. Hope M. Petite, Columbus, contacted the court on Feb. 3 to make payment toward fines and court costs. Taylor scheduled a show cause hearing for March 12. Petite was found originally found guilty on one count of driving under suspension/before reinstated-state, a Class III misdemeanor. *** Raymond F. Poli, 49, of Norfolk failed to appear. Since payment in full was not received, Taylor issued an warrant. Poli...
The Honorable Donna Taylor presided over multiple cases during a Feb. 4 session of Antelope County Court. Luis A. Gomez Hernandez, 28, of Wahpeton, North Dakota, failed to appear for arraignment on three misdemeanor counts. Hernandez faces charges of no proof of insurance, a Class II misdemeanor; no operator’s license/non-waiverable, a Class III misdemeanor; and speeding 11-15 mph county/state, an infraction. Taylor told Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith that an arrest warrant may be filed. ••• Michael D. Sheldon, 25, of Elgin, pleaded guilty...
Hope M. Petite, 32, of Orchard, will receive another opportunity to explain why fines have not been paid in an Antelope County Court case in which Petite pleaded guilty to one count of driving under suspension/before reinstated-state, a Class III misdemeanor. Petite was expected to appear Jan. 21, before the Honorable Donna Taylor, for a show cause hearing; however, the defendant did not show up, prompting Taylor to issue a warrant for non-payment. The next day, Petite contacted the county...
A 20-year-old Elgin man will pay fines on two charges after he pleaded guilty during a Jan. 21 session of Antelope County Court. Shane L. Hammock accepted a plea agreement, in which he agreed to enter guilty pleas to two counts, and a third charge would be dismissed. Hammock pleaded guilty to one count of minor in possession - ages 19/20, a Class III misdemeanor; and one count of speeding 36+ MPH county/state, an infraction. One count of careless driving, an infraction, was dismissed, with...
Three individuals appeared during a Jan. 21 session of Antelope County Court, facing misdemeanor charges on various motor vehicle violations. Jace A. Rocha, 19, of Neligh, appeared for hearing on one count of operating a motor vehicle/avoid arrest-mi, a Class I misdemeanor. Rocha accepted a plea agreement. Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith outlined the parameters, including he would recommend probation, concurrent with a case Rocha is serving in Madison County, in exchange for a guilty plea. The probation officer will provide an update to the...
Several individuals appeared before The Honorable Donna Taylor, Jan. 21, in Antelope County Court. Lynn Wagner, of Norfolk, appeared on a public nuisance charge on property in the Village of Oakdale. According to Wagner, he still pays taxes on the property, which remains in his name. He also told Taylor the property has sold. Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith asked for a continuance. Taylor ordered Wagner to appear March 12 for a pretrial hearing. ••• Shane L. Zierke, 48, of Royal, appeared for a plea entry hearing on one amended count of DU...
A 48-year-old Neligh man received a continuance in Antelope County Court case where he is charged with one count of no operator’s license/non-waiverable a Class III misdemeanor. Raymond F. Poli appeared for arraignment and requested counsel. The Honorable Donna Taylor deemed Poli indigent and appointed Antelope County Public Defender Patrick Carney. On Nov. 24, Carney entered a motion to withdraw as counsel, due to a conflict of interest. Taylor ordered Poli to appear Dec. 3 for further arraignment. ••• Jordan D. Melhado, 20, of Wayne, entered...
A 67-year-old Orchard man will spend time in jail after being sentenced in a case dating back to 2022. Russell L. Meyer appeared in Antelope County Court, Oct. 15, on one count of failure to appear when on bail - misdemeanor, a Class II misdemeanor. He pleaded guilty to the charge. The Honorable Donna Taylor sentenced Meyer to 10 days in the Antelope County Jail. Meyer was also ordered to pay court costs. He was remanded to the custody of the Antelope County Sheriff. ••• Connor W. Soles, 19, of Springview, pleaded guilty to one count of crimi...
A continuance was requested in a case involving a 34-year-old Texas resident charged with one count of operating a motor vehicle/avoid arrest-fl, a Class IV felony. Public Defender Patrick Carney made the request for Michael S. Boughton of Krum, Texas. The Honorable Donna Taylor granted the motion. Boughton is scheduled to appear Oct. 1 for further arraignment. ••• Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith dismissed charges against Mandy L. Morrison, 37, of Neligh. Morrison was originally charged with one count of disturbing the peace, a Class III m...
A 27-year-old Albion man will spend 7 days in jail after being sentenced by the Honorable Donna Taylor in Antelope County Court, Sept. 19. Blake R. Baldwin was remanded to the custody of the Antelope County Sheriff. A work release was under consideration by Sheriff Bob Moore. Additionally, Baldwin agreed to have his bond exonerated and applied to $1,281.65 in restitution plus $50 court costs. The Albion man accepted a plea agreement in which he agreed to plead guilty to an amended charge of assault-bodily injury/mutual consent, a Class II...
Seven individuals appeared Sept. 5, in Antelope County Court, on various drug- or alcohol-related charges. Denise A. Blevins, 63, of Norfolk, for further arraignment on one count of possession of a controlled substance, a Class IV felony. Defense counsel Patrick Carney told the Honorable Donna Taylor that he and his client had not discussed the preliminary hearing. Taylor ordered Blevins to appear Sept. 19 for a preliminary hearing. Denise Blevins was arrested June 17, during a traffic stop, when Antelope County Deputy Keegan Barker pulled...
A 34-year-old Texas resident will return to Antelope County Court, Sept. 19, for further arraignment on a count of operating a motor vehicle/avoid arrest-fl, a Class IV felony. Michael S. Boughton, of Krum, Texas, appeared for arraignment, Sept. 5. The Honorable Donna Taylor found Boughton indigent and appointed a public defender. Boughton requested to be able to leave the State of Nebraska. Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith did not object, and Taylor removed the travel restriction from Boughton’s bond requirements. Bond, set at $...
A 29-year-old former Clearwater resident failed to appear in Antelope County Court on Sept. 5 for a show cause hearing regarding payment of fines. Henry Petite was found guilty, June 4, on one count of driving under suspension/before reinstated-state, a Class III misdemeanor. At the time, the Honorable Donna Taylor ordered Petite to pay a $100 fine, in addition to $50 court costs. Taylor noted payment in full has not been submitted to the court and, since the defendant failed to appear, a warrant for nonpayment will be issued. ••• Jacob R. McKi...
The Honorable Donna Taylor heard two separate child abuse cases Sept. 5 in Antelope County Court. The defendants in the first case - Kaitlyn Kopejtka, 24, of Neligh, and Seth F. Lampert, 26, of Neligh each appeared for arraignment on one count of commit child abuse intentional/no injury, a Class IIIA felony stemming from a July 25 incident. Indigency hearings were held in both cases A public defender was appointed to Kopejtka. Lampert was adjudged not indigent. Both defendants will appear Oct. 1 for further arraignment. ••• Christian A. Marti...
Michael P. Doty, 32, of Orchard, appeared for arraignment in Antelope County Court on Aug. 6. Doty faces three felony counts, including possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a Class ID felony; and two counts of terroristic threats, both Class IIIA felonies. According to Acting Antelope County Attorney Joe Hurd, Doty is alleged with possession of a firearm between July 26 and July 29, and during that time period, Doty threatened two individuals with violence with the intent to terrorize another. Based on the probable cause affidavit,...
A Plainview man who was arrested on May 30 at a rural Antelope County residence appeared in county court, Aug. 6, facing a charge of obstructing government operations. While serving a search warrant, Christopher L Beltz became agitated with. Nebraska State Patrol Trooper Schroeder took Beltz into custody, leading him to a different location. Beltz continued to become more agitated and argumentative with NSP officers, who ordered Beltz to sit on the ground. The defendant refused their commands, requiring Schroeder to use force to make Beltz...
A 63-year-old Tilden woman charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class IV felony, appeared before the Honorable Donna Taylor, Aug. 6, in Antelope County Court. Denise Blevins was arrested June 17, during a traffic stop, when Antelope County Deputy Keegan Barker pulled over the vehicle, which had a headlight out. According to the probable cause affidavit, an unidentified driver was arrested for operating the motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license. The driver told Barker that Blevins had consumed “a few alcoholic bev...
Two hearings for individuals charged in separate theft cases took place during the July 16 session of Antelope County Court in Neligh. In both cases, the defendants failed to appear before the Honorable Donna Taylor. Harley J. Finazzo faces a charge of theft - shoplifting, $0-500, a Class II misdemeanor, for a June 14 incident alleged to occur at Cubby’s in Neligh. Taylor said Antelope County Attorney Joe Smith may file an affidavit and order for an arrest warrant. ••• Angel Martinez, 30, of Huron, South Dakota, faces one count of theft b...
Two individuals scheduled for show cause hearings, in Antelope County Court, on June 18, were no-shows. The Honorable Donna Taylor issued a warrant for non-payment of court fines from a 29-year-old Atkinson man. Tristan A. Dearmont was scheduled to appear for a show cause hearing stemming from an April sentencing, when he was sentenced to pay a $200 fine after pleading guilty to one count of no proof of insurance, a Class II misdemeanor. Since payment was not made in full by the time of the scheduled court appearance, and the defendant did not...
A 30-year-old Minnesota man pleaded guilty by waiver to one count of possession of marijuana - 1 ounce or less - 1st offense, an infraction. Damien J. Rose of Monticello, Minnesota, will pay a $300 fine, plus $49 court costs, ordered by the Honorable Donna Taylor. The charges stem from an April 27 stop, on Highway 14, by Antelope County Sheriff’s Deputy Steven Mills....
Two assault cases were on the May 7 Antelope County Court docket. A 27-year-old Albion man appeared before the Honorable Donna Taylor, May 7, for arraignment on charges stemming from an April 27 incident alleged to have occurred in Brunswick. Blake R. Baldwin pleaded not guilty to one count of domestic violence assault - third/threat/bodily injury, a Class I misdemeanor. According to the probable cause affidavit, Antelope County Deputy Keegan Barker was dispatched to a Brunswick residence to investigate a report of a physical disturbance and,...
Four individuals appeared before the Honorable Donna Taylor, April 16, for charges related to driving under suspension. Chad C. Bennett, 47, of Omaha, appeared for arraignment on one count of driving under suspension/before reinstated-st, a Class III misdemeanor and one count of speeding, 11-15 MPH county/state, an infraction. Bennett requested additional time to get his license and Taylor granted the request. Bennett will appear May 21 for further arraignment on both counts. Diana L. Burden, 71, of Orchard, appeared for arraignment on three...
The Honorable Donna Taylor presided over nine cases involving alcohol-related charges during an April 16 session of Antelope County Court. Zayden A. Magana, 18, of Columbus, appeared for arraignment on one count of minor in possession-under 19/1st offense, a Class III misdemeanor. Magana entered a guilty plea and was pronounced guilty by Taylor. Sentencing occurred during the session. Taylor ordered Magana to pay $300 in fines, plus $50 in court costs. Taylor ordered him to pay $50 immediately. Magana’s license was impounded for 30 days. If the...
