SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Prosecutors in Southern California say a father from Nebraska has been convicted of murdering a man who got into a fight with his daughter. District attorney’s spokeswoman Farrah Emami says 41-year-old Cesar Marta of Omaha was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder. Prosecutors say Marta, of Omaha, was visiting family in 2010 when he beat 27-year-old Cesar Gutierrez Hernandez as he was leaving his Santa Ana home, a month after Hernandez fought with Marta’s daughter.

An unknown accomplice of Marta’s held Hernandez’s friends back at knifepoint then stabbed Hernandez, who later died at a hospital. When Marta was identified as a suspect, he was in federal custody in Council Bluffs, on immigration charges. He was extradited to California to face trial. He is due for sentencing Aug. 9.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of a large fuel tank from property owned by Schildberg Construction, north of Red Oak. Officials say sometime between the hours of 4-p.m. Monday and 6:45-a.m. Tuesday, a person of persons entered the Schildberg Quarry property located at 1423 J Avenue, and stole a 550-gallon fuel tank valued at $2,000. In the process, a small storage building sustained $500 damage.

The fuel tank was described being red, with a top mounted electric pump. Authorities say evidence at the scene leads them to believe the tank was stolen by using a vehicle with rear duals. Anyone with information about the crime is urged to call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-432-1001.

Authorities in Montgomery County report also, the arrest Tuesday morning of a Red Oak man following a traffic stop at the intersection of 200th Street and G Avenue. 20-year old Isaias Guerra was charged with Driving Under Suspension/Habitual Violator, and he was cited for having no insurance and a registration violation. Guerra was released after posting bond.

A Taylor County man died Tuesday after the van he was driving collided with a semi in southwestern Union County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 79-year old Leonard Page, of Lenox, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Highway 25, northeast of Lenox. Officials say Page was traveling southbound at around 5:15-p.m, when for reasons unknown, the 2002 Ford van he was driving crossed the center line of the road and collided head-on with a northbound 2007 Freightliner driven by 59-year old David Werner, of Mason City.

Pages’ body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny for an autopsy. The accident remains under investigation.

The Shelby County Supervisors approved a labor relations engagement with a law firm for representation for the county. In a regular board of Supervisors meeting this (Tuesday) morning, the board approved the agreement with Ahlers Law Firm for a flat rate of $1,250 per month for one year. According to Supervisor Roger Schmitz, the law firm would represent the county on several items. He said “Lawyers that would represent the county on negotiations to contracts, grievances, complaints and consulting services. We felt maybe this was the time to do this and go through the whole process.” 

The County can terminate the contract but would need a 30 day notice. Supervisor Steve Kenkel went on to say the law firm will take care of policies and job descriptions as well. “We will use this to get into our negotiations and to work on implementing annual evaluations and updating job descriptions and our handbook. A lot of policies are outdated so combining them all into one.” 

In other business, the supervisors tabled an agreement between the county and city of Harlan for the collection of delinquent parking tickets. Shelby County Treasurer Carolyn Blum stated at the meeting she has not had proper time to go over the agreement yet and felt by the next board meeting, the agreement should be written and approved. Blum said cities in other counties do in fact use an agreement at times. The agreement on the collection of delinquent parking tickets is a fee of $5 to the county from the city of Harlan. She said the city has 13 overdue parking tickets averaging around $50. The Shelby County Board of Supervisors will discuss the agreement again at their next meeting on Tuesday, July 23^rd.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests over the past few days. On Friday, June 28th, , deputies arrested 29-year old James Nektarios O’Brien, of Cumberland. O’Brien was charged with Driving While Barred and brought to the Cass County Jail. He was released the next day on his own recognizance.

And, on Sunday, sheriff’s deputies arrested 36-year old Richard Edwin Swain, of Griswold, on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense. Swain was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance.

Police in Harlan are investigating a break-in and theft at a local establishment. On Saturday, officers were called to the Westside Lounge, with regard to a break-in, where food and alcohol was reported missing. The case remains under investigation.

The Harlan P-D reports also, a 2008 Chevy truck, along with about $500 worth of tools and other items, were stolen sometime Saturday night from a property in Harlan. The incident remains under investigation.

A Harlan man turned himself-in to authorities Saturday after he ran from police the previous day, following a traffic stop. 26-year old Joey Ranney, Jr., was subsequently cited for Driving Under Suspension, and Interference with official acts, and then released from custody. Officials said also, 55-year old Robert Murtaugh, of Harlan, was arrested Thursday, on a warrant associated with a charge of OWI/1st Offense. And, 18-year old Payton Larsen, of Harlan, was arrested Friday, following a traffic stop. The young woman was cited for being a Minor in Possession of Alcohol and having improper headlights while driving at night. She was subsequently released from custody.