PRESS RELEASES

Man Arrested for Public Indecency 5/14/08:

The Stanton County Sheriff's Office has arrested a 40-year-old Leigh man on charges of Public Indecency after he allegedly exposed himself to several children on Wednesday evening near a Stanton School. Steven Mueller was taken into custody shortly after the incident was reported. Mueller was released from custody after he posted a cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court next month.

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Attemped Murder 3/29/08:

The Stanton County Sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate a vicious hammer attack that seriously injured an 80-year-old Stanton woman.  Ietta Wise was injured at about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday evening at the Stanton home she shared with the alleged suspect in the eastern part of the city.  Wise was taken directly from the scene by LifeNet medical helicopter to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa with head injuries.  Taken into custody for the assault was Robert Shocker, 86.  He was transported to an area hospital for a mental evaluation.  Mrs. Wise was able to flee the residence and get help from a neighbor.  Stanton Rescue personnel treated her on scene until LifeNet took her to the hospital. 

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Accident 3/24/08:

On Monday afternoon at about 5:00 p.m. the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office investigated a one-vehicle traffic accident about four miles east of Woodland Park on 844th Road that sent three Norfolk residents to the hospital.  Injured when the eastbound car he was a passenger in left the roadway and rolled was Jeffrey Hynek, 30 who suffered a possible neck injury.  Also taken to FRHS by Woodland Park/Hoskins Rescue for treatment were the driver, Melanie Robb, 30 and her 2-year-old son Tre Allen Robb.   All occupants were using seatbelts and a child safety seat.  The car was considered a total loss.

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Robbers arrested after pursuit 3/13/08:

On Thursday morning at about 1:30 a.m. the Stanton County Sheriff’s office arrested Alex Sohl, 17 and a 14-year-old male after a brief vehicle pursuit on Hwy 275 east of Norfolk.  The two were wanted in connection with the unlawful flight from a Norfolk group home where they were being held.  They allegedly assaulted a staff member and physically stole a van before fleeing east out of Norfolk.  The vehicle was spotted near Spurville and was finally stopped about five miles later.   The two were taken into custody and are now being held in the Madison juvenile detention center facing multiple felony charges.

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Fatality Accident 3/7/08:

The Stanton County Sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate a two-vehicle traffic accident that claimed the life of a 37-year-old rural Pilger man.  James Hanson was killed when his eastbound car went left of center on a county road and struck a westbound pickup head-on that was driven by Jason Siebrandt, 29, of rural Stanton.  Hanson was pronounced dead at the scene and Siebrandt was taken directly from the scene by Life Net medical helicopter to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa with serious injuries.  Pilger Fire and Rescue also responded to the scene that closed a portion of 837th Road for about two hours as the scene was investigated and cleaned up.  Seatbelts did not appear to be in use and alcohol was a possible factor in the accident.  The accident was reported at about 6:20 p.m. on Friday evening about five miles southeast of Pilger.  Both vehicles were destroyed in the collision.

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Injury Accident 3/1/08:

On Saturday afternoon at about 4:30 p.m. the Stanton County Sheriff’s office investigated a one-vehicle accident that seriously injured a 52-year-old Stanton man.  Randy Phillips was injured when his eastbound vehicle left a county road and went airborne striking a tree and then plunged about twenty feet into a water filled ditch.  Phillips was extricated from the water by Stanton rescue personnel and was then transported directly from the scene to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City by LifeNet helicopter.  The accident occurred about six miles northeast of Stanton on 840th Road.  Alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident and Phillips was arrested for suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated.

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Bomb Threat Sentencing: 2/4/08

On Monday in Stanton County District Court a 47-year-old Stanton man was sentenced for his involvement in a Bomb Threat against the Stanton Post Office in January of 2007.  Randy Eberhardt was sentenced to three days in jail and also received a $1,000.00 fine and 100 hours of community service after he had entered a no-contest plea to a reduced charge of Attempted Threatening the use of an Explosive.  Eberhardt was arrested by the Stanton County Sheriff’s office shortly after the January 24, 2007 incident in Stanton after a threat was called into a Norfolk radio station that a bomb was in the Stanton Post Office.  The investigation revealed that a phone owned and possessed by Eberhardt placed the threatening phone call.  District Judge Robert Ensz sentenced Eberhardt.

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Theft Arrest: 1/17/08

The Stanton County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 35-year-old Pilger man on Felony Theft charges.  Christopher Rutledge was arrested following an investigation of nearly $2,000.00 worth of irrigation pipe that was taken in Pilger and then sold as scrap iron.  Rutledge is being held in the county jail pending the posting of bond.  He was also arrested on unrelated charges of Driving During Suspension and Giving False Information to a Police Officer and also on an outstanding Cherry County arrest warrant for Failure to Appear.  During the investigation his wife was also arrested on an outstanding Cherry County arrest warrant for Bad Checks.

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Escapees Arrested 10/17/07:

The Stanton County Sheriff’s Office has arrested three males that had fled from a drug treatment center in Norfolk.  The three left the Norfolk facility on Monday evening and one 14 year old was arrested on Tuesday evening in Stanton and the other two Jarod O’Horo, 17 and Jesus Cortes 17, were arrested on Wednesday morning south of Stanton along Hwy 57.  The three were considered dangerous and histories of assault and theft. They are now being held at the Madison Juvenile Detention Center.

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Search Warrant 10/06/07:

Early Saturday morning the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office assisted the SNARE drug task force and Nebraska State Patrol serve a hi-risk search warrant at a rural residence between Stanton and Pilger off Old Hwy 8.  As a result of the search warrant and investigation a large amount of Methamphetamine and cash was recovered from the scene.  Also arrested as a result of the investigation were Douglas Hunt, 27 and Tabitha Morris, 23, both of Norfolk.  They were arrested on drug related charges including conspiracy and possession with intent to deliver Methamphetamine.  They are being held in the Madison County jail pending the posting of bond.  Authorities are still trying to locate Manual T. Delaolla who resided at the rural farm place.  He faces multiple felony charges for his alleged involvement.  Two SWAT teams took part in the raid along with a helicopter from the State Patrol. Several firearms were also recovered during the search.  The investigation is on going and additional arrest is possible.

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Motorcycle Collision, 9/27/07:

The Stanton County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate a motorcycle accident that injured a 23-year-old Stanton man on Thursday afternoon. He was injured when his westbound motorcycle left the Golf Course Road about five miles east of Stanton was Duane Curtis. Curtis lost control of his motorcycle and it entered a deep ditch coming to rest about 30 feet off the county road. Curtis was taken to FRHS by Stanton Rescue with possible head and back injuries. Curtis was thrown off the motorcycle and was wearing a helmet.

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Four People Injured in Collision, 7/14/07:

The Stanton County Sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate a one-vehicle accident Saturday evening that seriously injured two and sent two others to the hospital.  The accident about seven miles northwest of Pilger occurred at about 6:45 p.m. when a northbound vehicle driven by Cole Matthies, 20, Wisner failed to negotiate a T-intersection and left the county road and rolled.  A 17-year-old passenger, Cody Jensen, 17, of Pilger was taken from the scene by LifeNet helicopter to Mercy medical center in Sioux City, IA with internal injuries.  A second passenger Jeremy Goeschel, 24, Pilger was taken to FRHS by Pilger Rescue and then later transferred by medical helicopter to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha with possible spinal injuries.  Winside Rescue transported A third Passenger, Joshua Henry, 20, Pilger and Matthies to FRHS for treatment.  All four were cited for alcohol related charges and it was unclear if seatbelts were in use or not.

Sexual Assault:

The Stanton County Sheriff's office has arrested a former Woodland Park man on charges of First Degree Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault of a Child (6 counts). Allan Brockman, 57, of Alvin, Texas is currently in custody in Galveston, Texas on a Stanton County arrest warrant. Brockman was arrested after a yearlong investigation by the Sheriff's office into the alleged sexual assault(s) of a minor child back in the mid 1990's in Woodland Park. Texas authorities assisted in the investigation and also arrested Brockman on unrelated child sexual enticement charges there. Arrangements are currently being made to bring Brockman back to Nebraska to answer the charges against him. He faces up to fifty years in prison if convicted.

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MADD Honors Sheriff Unger:

Stanton County Sheriff, Mike Unger, was honored recently by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers as one of their 2007 Officers of the Year for his efforts in driving while intoxicated enforcement and strict stance against underage drinking. Sheriff Unger was recognized and awarded a plaque at a recent MADD ceremony in Lincoln, Nebraska.

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Drug Arrest 6/6 /07:

On Wednesday morning the Stanton County Sheriff’s office arrested Michael Larkowski Jr., 21, of O’Neill on felony drug charges following a traffic stop for a traffic violation near Stanton.  A significant amount of Methamphetamine and packaging materials were located in his vehicle along with cash.  He remains in jail on alleged charges of Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Deliver. 

Pursuit 5/12/07:

The Stanton County Sheriff’s office has arrested a 43-year-old Norfolk man after he allegedly led them on a high-speed pursuit Saturday night for more than 25 miles.  Kenneth Clausen Jr. was arrested on charges of Operating a Motor Vehicle to Avoid Arrest, Willful Reckless Driving, and Attempted Assault on a Police Officer with a motor vehicle as well as numerous traffic violations.  The pursuit began about 10:30 p.m. just west of Stanton when a deputy tried to pull over Clausen’s pickup for erratic driving.  Clausen then fled North on county roads at high speeds and then continued west on Hwy 24 towards Norfolk.  He entered Madison County and then fled back east on Hwy 275, for nine miles before he turned south on Hwy 57 and proceeded back towards Stanton.  It was during this time that he nearly struck a Sheriff’s patrol unit as fled. Clausen entered the City of Stanton and began driving with his lights off and finally abandoned his vehicle on the east side of Stanton and fled on foot.  He was later identified as the driver and taken into custody by the Sheriff’s office.  The State Patrol assisted in the foot search for Clausen with a K-9 unit.  Clausen was released from custody after posting a $10,000.00 bond.  Charges are also possible in Madison County.

Recent Sentencings:

On Tuesday in Stanton County District Court two men were sentenced to prison terms. Bruce hogan, 20, of Stanton was sentenced to 2-3 years for 2nd Degree Assault and Use of a Weapon to commit a felony. Hogan was arrested last December by the Stanton County Sheriff's Office following a stabbing in Stanton that injured a 19-year-old Stanton youth. Also sentenced to prison was Jeff Houdek, 38, of Norfolk. He was sentenced to one to two years in prison for Felony Theft following his arrest by the Stanton County Sheriff's Office. He was arrested last August following the discovery of an operational Methamphetamine lab southwest of Stanton. He was earlier sentenced to 2 to 4 years on those drug related charges. Also sentenced was Jose Vasquez, 21, of Norfolk. He was sentenced to two years of Probation and thirty days in jail following his conviction for Possession of Methamphetamine. He was arrested last year by the Sheriff's Office following a traffic stop for speeding near Stanton. District Judge Robert Ensz sentenced all three men.

Also recently sentenced to jail for Felony Drug Possession was Richard Domsch, 32, of rural Norfolk. Domsch was sentenced to six months in the county jail for Possession of Methamphetamine and Attempted Possession of Stolen Property. He was arrested last August by the Sheriff's Office and Snare Drug Task Force after a search warrant was served at his residence near Woodland Park. His wife Kim, 30, was earlier sentenced to probation on her drug charges.

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Fatality Accident: 04/25/07

The Stanton County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate a two-vehicle accident that claimed the life of a 33 year old Gretna woman and injured two other women. Killed when her westbound car crossed the centerline of U.S. Hwy 275 and struck an eastbound car head-on was Shannon Marcoe. The driver of the eastbound car, Sabrina Hansen, 19, of rural Beemer was critically injured and originally was taken to FRHS in Norfolk and later was transferred to Creighton University hospital in Omaha. A passenger in her vehicle Megan Farewell, 20 of West Point was taken to FRHS in Norfolk. Rescue units from Pilger, Stanton and Norfolk responded to the scene. The accident was reported just before 3:30 a.m. about two miles west of Pilger. The accident closed the highway for more than two hours as the scene was investigated and cleaned up. No restraints were in use.

Bomb Threat Suspect 4/10/07:

A 46-year-old Stanton man has been charged for his alleged involvement with a bomb threat made against the Stanton Post Office back on January 24th.  Randy Eberhardt has been charged with threatening the Use of an Explosive Device, a Class IV Felony.  Eberhardt was charged by the Stanton County Attorney’s Office following an investigation by the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Postal Inspectors.  The threat was called into a Norfolk radio station on the morning of January 24th, stating a bomb was inside the Stanton Post Office.  No explosives were found at the Post Office and the cell phone used in making the call was seized later that day by the Sheriff’s office.  Eberhardt is scheduled to appear in Stanton County Court on April 19th.

CourtSentence 4/5/07:

Alan Wentling Jr. age 20 of Norfolk was sentenced to one year in jail following his conviction for operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest. He was arrested last fall by the Stanton County Sheriff's Office following a high speed pursuit on county roads south of Stanton after an attempt was made to stop him for alcohol and game violations.

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Court Sentence 4/2/07:

On Monday in Stanton County District Court a 19-year-old Woodland Park man was sentenced to a prison term of 12-18 months on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance  (Methamphetamine).  Patrick Prince was arrested last August by The Stanton County Sheriff’s Office following the service of a search warrant at 411 Broadmoor in Woodland Park.  Several others arrested at the same time have already been sentenced.  Also sentenced on Monday was Juan Rojas, 35, Woodland Park.  He was sentenced to 12 months probation and 30 days in jail following his conviction for Felony Theft.  He was arrested last fall for stealing copper wiring from the Nucor Steel mill and trying to sell it for cash.  District Judge Robert Ensz sentenced both men.

Court Sentences 3/5/07:

Two teenagers recently received jail sentences on charges of Operating a Motor Vehicle to Avoid Arrest. Eric Petersen, 19, Pilger received a four month jail sentence and two year revocation of his drivers license for leading Stanton County authorities on a high speed chase last summer. Also sentenced to jail for leading Stanton County authorities on a high speed chase was Joseph Lenser, 19, Norfolk. He was sentenced to one year in the county jail and also had his drivers license revoked for two years. Bruce Hogan,20, Stanton will be sentenced in May after he plead guilty to 2nd Degree Assault and Use of a Weapon to Commit a Felony. He was arrested in December after he stabbed a 19 year old Norfolk man in Stanton. Also pleading guilty to Felony Theft was Jeff Houdek, 35, Norfolk. He was arrested last fall by the Sheriff's office following an investigation into area thefts.

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Accident 2/19/07:

On Monday night at about 11:50 p.m. the Stanton County Sheriff’s office investigated a one vehicle traffic accident that critically injured a 20 year old Hubbard man.  Justin Woltman, received severe head injuries in the crash and was taken directly from the scene by medical helicopter to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City  The accident occurred when a eastbound car driven by Joshua Holmquist, 19, left the roadway and struck a tree about 4 ½  miles east of Stanton on the Stanton Shortcut road.  Alcohol was a contributing factor and Holmquist was arrested for suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated and Minor in Possession of Alcohol.  He remains in the county jail at this time.  Both were students at Northeast Community College in Norfolk.  Stanton Rescue and Fire assisted at the scene.  The accident remains under investigation and further citations are possible.

Bomb Threat 1/24/07:

The Stanton County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Postal Inspectors are continuing to investigate a phone threat against the Stanton Post Office on Wednesday morning at about 10:17 a.m. The male caller called a Norfolk radio station alleging that a bomb was in the Stanton Post Office. The area was cleared and secured and no evidence of an explosive devise was found following several searches of the area. The phone that was used to make the phone call from was identified and seized. An adult and juvenile male from Stanton who were in possession of the phone have been interviewed. Reports will be forwarded to the Stanton County Attorney and U.S. Attorney's Office.

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Sheriff Unger Delivers Baby, 1/5/07:

On Friday morning, Sheriff Unger initiated a traffic stop on Highway 24. The frantic woman advised she was on her way to her son's house because her daughter-in-law was having a baby. Sheriff Unger requested Stanton Rescue and proceeded to the rural home of Steve and Megan Moenning. Sheriff Unger stated he could hear a woman screaming as he entered the home. Mrs. Moenning was due at anytime. Her husband, Steve Moenning, laid out some towels and had his wife lie down. Sheriff Unger delivered the new born, Natalie Elizabeth, in the home. Sheriff Unger and proud father, Steve Moenning, tied off the umbilical cord and cut it. Rescue personnel from Stanton and Norfolk arrived and took the mother and daughter to Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk.

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New Years Party Busted 12/31/06:

Stanton County Sheriff's Office arrested 26 minors for MIP and 3 adults were arrested for providing the alcohol and allowing the consumption of alcohol at a rural Pilger address. Everyone cited faces a February 1st court date.

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Two Vehicle Accident 12/14/06:

On Thursday afternoon at about 4:00 p.m. the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office investigated a two-vehicle traffic accident that injured three people.  Injured when her northbound car was struck by a westbound car was Tess Lage, 47, of rural Pilger.  Also injured was the driver of the westbound car Derek Bosler, 15, and his 11 year old brother Trent also of rural Pilger.  The accident occurred at a marked county road intersection about five miles northwest of Pilger.  All three were taken to FRHS by Pilger and Stanton Rescue units with broken bones and possible internal injuries.  Seatbelts were in use and both vehicles were considered total losses.

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Stabbing Incident 12/5/06:

The Stanton County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate the stabbing of an 18 year old Norfolk man in Stanton on Tuesday night. Ryan Huntley was stabbed in the lower abdomen just before 8:00 p.m. in the 500 block of 10th Street. He was transported to FRHS by Stanton Rescue. A 20 year old Stanton man, Bruce Hogan was arrested on felony charges of 2nd Degree Assault, Terroristic Threats and use of a Weapon to Commit a Felony. The knife used in the assault was later found in a field near the assault location. Hogan is currently being held in Pierce County Jail. A 16 year old Stanton youth was also arrested for Third Degree Assault and Disturbing the Peace for his actions during the incident.

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Injury Accident 11/22/06:

On Wednesday morning at about 1:00 a.m. the Stanton County Sheriff’s office investigated a one-vehicle traffic accident that injured an 18-year-old David City woman.  Injured when her northbound car left a county road and rolled was Brittney Lensch.  Norfolk Rescue transported Lensch to FRHS with non-life threatening injuries.  The accident occurred about 3 miles northeast of Woodland Park on 561st avenue.  Alcohol was a contributing factor and Lensch was cited on alcohol related offenses.

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Death Investigation 11/19/06:

The Stanton County Sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate the death of a 28-year-old rural Stanton man who was found dead at his residence on Sunday afternoon.  Kevin Wiese was found dead by family members at his residence about 10 miles southeast of Stanton.  The cause of death is known and the Sheriff’s office is trying to determine the manner of death.

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Drug Convictions 11/7/06:

On Monday in Stanton County District Court, two men were sentenced on Felony drug charges.  Jacob Briard, 21, Woodland park was sentenced to two years of Intensive Supervised Probation and 30 days in jail for Attempted Delivery of a Controlled Substance.  Briard was arrested earlier this year following an investigation by the Stanton County Sheriff’s office.  Donald Detlefsen, 38, Stanton was sentenced to 90 days in the county jail for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine).  He was arrested last December following a traffic stop near Stanton by the Sheriff’s office. 

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Court Convictions 11/7/06:

On Monday in Stanton County District Court a 28-year-old Norfolk man was sentenced to 12 to 18 months in prison on a drug related charge of Possession of Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine).  Daren D. Drews was originally arrested in July of 2004 near Woodland Park by the Stanton County Sheriff’s office.  He was placed on probation for the felony drug violation and after violating his probation, his probation was revoked and he was sentenced to the prison term.  Also in Stanton County District Court a 21-year-old Woodland Park man, Matthew J. Williams entered a guilty plea to a felony charge of Possession of Visual Depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving minors.  District Judge Robert Ensz will sentence him later this year.  He was arrested in May following a joint investigation by the Stanton County Sheriff’s office and Norfolk Police Division and service of a search warrant at his residence in Stanton County.  Williams faces up to five years in prison.

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Accident 11/1/06

At about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening the Stanton County Sheriff’s office investigated an SUV and Semi-truck accident that injured the 18 year old driver of the SUV. Justin Niewohner, Beemer was taken to FRHS in Norfolk with non-life threatening injuries by Pilger Rescue and his 17 year old passenger Travis Heller of West Point was treated at the scene.  The accident occurred when the westbound  1992 Chevy Blazer driven by Niewohner crossed the center line of U.S. Hwy 275 and struck a semi-tractor nearly head on about two and half miles west of Pilger.  The driver of the eastbound semi, Wayne Kimball, 61, of Witt, Illinois was not injured.  The accident closed one lane of Hwy 275 for about one hour as the wreckage was cleared.  The  Niewohner vehicle was a total loss and the semi suffered major damage.

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Pursuit spans four counties:

A 19-year-old Norfolk man was arrested after leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit through three counties early Saturday morning.  Joseph D. Lenser was taken into custody in Stanton County after the nearly 60-mile pursuit.  The pursuit began in Hooper when Hooper Police tried to stop the 1983 GMC van for Reckless Driving.  The pursuit continued on U.S. Hwy 275 through Dodge and Cuming Counties before entering Stanton County.  A Stanton Sheriff's deputy and NSP trooper deployed tire deflation spikes near Pilger.  That caused a front tire to flatten and the van continued west on Hwy 275 towards Norfolk.  Near the Hwy 275 and Hwy 57 junction a second Sheriff's deputy deployed deflation spikes and the other front tire was flattened.  The van continued west driving on its rims and nearly struck a patrol unit as he swerved in traffic lanes.  The van was finally stopped about 5 miles east of Norfolk on Hwy 275 at about 1:10 a.m. and Lenser was taken into custody on charges of Willful Reckless Driving, Driving During Suspension, Driving While Intoxicated, Minor in Possession of Alcohol, Operating a Motor Vehicle to Avoid Arrest and Resisting Arrest.  Charges are pending in all three counties.  The pursuit involved law enforcement from the Dodge, Cuming and Stanton County Sheriff's offices and Nebraska State Patrol.

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Vehicle Accident 10/19/06:

On Thursday morning at about 1:30 a.m. the Stanton County Sheriff's office investigated a one-vehicle traffic accident that sent a 29-year-old Randolph woman to the hospital.  Gillian Krueger was northbound on Hwy 35 about 1-1/2 miles southwest of Hoskins, when she failed to negotiate a curve and left the highway.  Krueger was taken to FRHS by Norfolk Rescue.  Alcohol was believed to be a contributing factor and Krueger was cited for suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated.  Hoskins Fire and Rescue and LifeNet also responded to the scene.

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Man sentenced on drug charge 10/2/06:

On 10/2/06 in Stanton County District Court, 25-year-old Brent Goeken, Stanton, was sentenced by Judge Robert Ensz to a prison term of two to three years for delivery of a controlled substance (methamphetamine).
Goeken was arrested by members of the Stanton County Sheriff's Office after an investigation last fall into illegal drug activity.
Goeken has been in jail since his arrest last December.
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Several one-vehilce accidents 9/29-10/2/06

The Stanton County Sheriff's Office responded to three accidents in the past week.
On Friday 9/29/06, a one-vehicle accident injured Gustavo Puig-Lopez, 31, Norfolk. He was westbound on 838 1/2 Road about four miles southwest of Pilger when he lost control of his vehicle and rolled. He was transported to Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk by Pilger Rescue. Puig-Lopez was cited for no operator's license and was taken into custody on an outstanding arrest warrant in Madison County.

Sunday brought another one-vehicle traffice accident to the county. Two teenage males were injured when their SUV left the county road, 838 Road, and rolled. Phillip Spiegel, 19, rural Stanton, and his passenger, Oscar DeHorta, 18, Woodland Park, were taken to Faith Regional by Stanton and Norfolk Rescue. Both occupants were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

Monday morning officers responded to another one-vehicle accident at about 7:40 a.m. on Highway 15 about 13 miles south of Wayne.
The accident occurred when a southbound car driven by Travis Kuchar, 19, Meadow Grove left the roadway and crashed through a cable guardrail. It came to rest at the bottom of a steep incline. Kuchar was treated at the scene by Pilger Rescue. The vehicle was considered a total loss, and the guardrail received extensive damage.
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Cocaine and Stolen Property 9/30/06:

Very early Saturday moring just after midnight, a traffic stop resulted in the recovery of more then four ounces of cocaine and the arrest of two people.

James Boyd-Bey, 38, Norfolk, was stopped about 10 miles east of Norfolk on U.S. Highway 275 when he was traveling 82 mph in a 65 mph zone. His passenger, Janharoy Wilson, 34, Norfolk, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Wilson was also arrested for possession of stolen property after being found with stolen merchandise from Illinois.

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Burglaries Solved:

A joint investigation by the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office and Howells Police Department has led to three juvenile males being taken into custody on Burglary charges for the burglary of the double E bar last weekend in Howells.  Some of the stolen merchandise was recovered at a Woodland park residence.  The cooperative investigation also resulted in the recovery of firearms and other items taken last weekend in two separate rural farmhouse break-ins north of Howells in Cuming County.  Those responsible for that crime have also been identified and formal charges are pending in both Colfax and Cuming County.

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Drugs Lead Women to Prison 8/25/06:

On Wednesday, in Stanton County District Court, two Norfolk woman received prison sentences on separate drug related charges.  Jill Halsey, 44, was sentenced to one year in prison following her conviction on a probation violation on an original charge of Possession of Methamphetamine.  She was arrested in 2004 by the Stanton County Sheriff’s office on Hwy 24 near Stanton.  Christal Lawrence, 29, was also sentenced to one year in prison in York for Possession of Methamphetamine.  She was also arrested by the Sheriff’s office following a traffic stop on Hwy 24 in 2005.  District Judge Robert Ensz sentenced them.

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Stanton County Fair COOK-OFF 8/19/06:

Stanton County Sheriff's Office & Stanton Rescue took FIRST PLACE in the Stanton County Fair Beef Cook-off.

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MIP Party Shut-down 8/18/06:

At around midnight on Friday evening the Stanton County Sheriff's office responded to a loud party in the 3100 block of East Norfolk Avenue.  An investigation at the scene led to the arrest of 35 young people on Minor in Possession/Consumption of Alcohol charges.  Those arrested ranged in age from 14 to 20 years old.  The person responsible for the residence, Matthew Swoboda, 18, Norfolk was arrested for Disturbing the Peace and Contributing to the Delinquency of Minors and jailed pending the posting of bond.  A large volume of alcohol including  beer kegs was seized from the area outside the residence.  The State Patrol and Madison County Sheriff's office assisted in the arrest.

Man subdued in stand-off: 8/11/06

On Friday afternoon the Stanton County Sheriff's office responded to a disturbance call in Woodland Park indicating that a man had shot himself. Upon arrival, it was determined the male was not shot, but was armed with several large knifes and was threatening to harm himself and family members.  The male initially refused to cooperate and was very belligerent.  The male was finally subdued after a tense standoff and taken into cutody and then transported to FRHS in Norfolk for a mental evaluation.  No one else was injured in the incident. Criminal charges are possible.

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Meth Lab Search Warrant 8/11/06

As the result of a cooperative investigation by area law enforcement agencies an active clandestine methamphetamine lab was found and rendered safe on Friday in rural Stanton County.  The investigation by the Madison and Stanton County Sheriff's offices, State Patrol and SNARE regional drug task force led to the service of a search warrant at a rural residence about 8 miles southwest of Stanton and arrest of three people.   Arrested for Manufacturing a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) and Possession of Methamphetamine was Jeff Houdek, 37, Norfolk and Robert Thomas, 44, and Barbara  Thomas, 42, of rural Stanton.  A large quantity of freshly made Methamphetamine was located at the rural location.  The active lab was dismantled by a SNARE clan lab team that involved members of the above agencies and  others from the Columbus and Norfolk Police Departments and Cuming County Sheriff's office.   All three suspects are being held in area jails.  The Madison County Sheriff tactical team also participated in the hi-risk arrest.  Stanton Fire and Rescue personnel also stood by as the lab was rendered safe.

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Drug & Stolen Property Search Warrant 8/9/06

On Wednesday afternoon following an investigation and search by the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office and State Patrol a rural Norfolk couple was arrested on felony drug charges.  Richard Domsch, 32, and Kimberley Domsch, 29, were taken into custody after Methamphetamine and marijuana was located at their rural Stanton County residence.  Domsch was also arrested for possession of stolen property after several newspaper vending machines were located on his property.  They were reported stolen earlier this year from several Norfolk locations.  Also located during the investigation were the remnants of items that could have been used to manufacture Methamphetamine.  The SNARE regional drug task force assisted in the investigation and determining the residence was not hazardous.  Hoskins Fire and rescue also stood by the location as it was determined it was safe.
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Terrorists in Stanton County:

A standard traffic stop back in early July by a Stanton County Sheriff’s deputy assisted federal authorities in identifying a potential terrorist.  On July 2nd at about 9:00 p.m. a Louai Abdelhamied Othman, 21, of Dallas, Texas was stopped for speeding 83 miles an hour in a 60 mph zone about 16 miles east of Norfolk on U.S. Hwy 275.  He was cited for the speeding offense and later information gathered in that stop, assisted federal authorities in identifying him and what he was doing in northeast Nebraska.  Othman was one of two men arrested last week in Caro, Michigan of terrorism charges after they purchased a large number of disposable cell phones from a Wal-Mart store.  Little information was known about Othman or his actions in Nebraska, until the contact on the traffic violation.

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Drug Arrests 8/4/06

On Friday evening a hi-risk search warrant was served at 411 Broadmoor in Woodland Park following a joint investigation by the Stanton County Sheriff's Office and SNARE regional drug task force. As a result an 18 year old Woodland Park man, Patrick Prince was arrested on methamphetamine and marijuana drug charges and is being held in the Madison County Jail. Three juvenile males were also taken into custody on drug and probation violation charges. A second resident Kael Prince, 23 is currently being sought for his alleged involvment on felony drug charges. The Madison County Sheriff's Office tactical team also assisted in the service of the warrant. Additonal arrests are possible as the investigation is being continued.

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Fraud Alert:  7/28/06

Be aware of any companies contacting you to award a million dollar sweepstake.  They will send you checks to cash and request you to wire them the money to receive your winnings.  The companies listed on the checks and letterhead are legitimate companies, but they are not the company requesting the wire of the money.  The letters are postmarked from other countries.

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ACCIDENT: 7/5/06

The Stanton County Sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate a car-bicycle accident that sent a 7 year old Stanton youth to the hospital.  Ryan Colsden was riding his bicycle when he collided with a marked Nebraska State Patrol unit at the intersection of 8th Street and Veterans Avenue in Stanton.  Colsden was taken to FRHS in Norfolk by Stanton Rescue where he was treated and released with minor injuries.  The intersection is a highway intersection and can be very confusing to all drivers and pedestrians.  The patrol unit had just stopped for a stop sign and was at minimal speeds when the boy rode in front of the vehicle.  The accident occurred just before 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon.

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07/03/06

On Monday morning at about 3:00 a.m. a 30 year old Columbus woman led the Stanton County Sheriff's office on a high speed chase that ended in Norfolk with her arrest.  Maida Leon was stopped for speeding on Hwy 275 about 12 miles east of Norfolk.  When a sheriff's deputy approached her she fled westbound at high speeds on Hwy 275.  Near the intersection of Victory Road and Omaha Avenue (Hwy 275) a tire deflation device was deployed by Norfolk Police and two of the vehicles tires were flattened.  The vehicle continued for about one mile until it came to a stop near 1st and Omaha Avenue in Norfolk.  The female was taken into custody at that time and four small children in her SUV, ranging from ages 2 to 9 were taken into protective custody.  Leon is being held in the Madison County jail on charges of Speeding, Reckless Driving, Operation of a Motor Vehicle to Avoid Arrest and Child Abuse.  The Madison County Sheriff's office also assisted in the arrest.

/S/  Sheriff Mike Unger
       Stanton County Sheriff's Office