Kolton Farr, 18, of Alliance, who appeared in Box Butte County District Court earlier this month, pleaded no contest to several charges against him as part of a plea agreement.
The charges against Farr, according to court records, stem from a drunken night in April that included attempted robberies, child abuse, reckless driving and attempted assault.
According to the Affidavit for Custody in the case, at approximately midnight on April 10, an officer with the Alliance Police Department witnessed a white GMC pickup traveling at a high rate of speed in the 800 block of West Third Street. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver did not comply, which resulted in a pursuit. The officer ended the pursuit shortly thereafter.
According to the affidavit, the same officer and a second officer were investigating a separate incident when the other officer was dispatched to the 600 block of Black Hills Avenue regarding a woman who was held at knifepoint. When the officer arrived, they spoke with the woman, who told them a man, “in blue jeans with an undone zipper, a black coat, a hat, and glasses,” who she described as skinny and young, was driving a white GMC Crewcab.
The woman said the man was holding a knife while speaking to her, and noted that he was trying to use the knife to break into her vehicle. The officer observed scratch marks on the vehicle. The woman told the officer the man tried to shake her hand before leaving the scene in the GMC pickup, heading eastbound.
The officer who tried to initiate a traffic stop on the GMC pickup was in the parking lot of the Alliance Police Department with a prisoner from a separate case when he observed a white GMC pickup chasing a blue sedan into the APD parking lot. The officer heard the driver of the sedan scream for help and observed the pickup strike the sedan. The officer ran toward the vehicles, which were exiting the parking lot, commanding the driver of the pickup to stop. As the pickup continued chasing the sedan, the officer fired three rounds from his pistol at the driver of the GMC pickup. The rounds struck the driver’s side of the vehicle. The blue sedan continued eastbound on Fifth Street while the white GMC turned south on Niobrara Avenue.
Officers located the blue sedan and looked at the damage on the vehicle, including white paint transfer. They spoke with the driver of the blue sedan, as well as the passenger of the vehicle, according to the Affidavit, who said the pickup came out of the alley of Laramie Avenue and began to chase them. The driver said they had to drive the wrong way on a one-way due to the chase. The driver said they drove to the police department and that they weren’t able to dial 911 out of fear for safety.
Another officer went to the residence of Kolton Farr, after dispatch believed he was involved due to a message on Facebook. Farr’s family members answered, noting that the white GMC pickup belonged to them. They also advised that he was not home. The officer observed muddy tire tracks leading from the back of the residence to the street.
At 1:34 a.m., an investigator saw a maroon SUV stopped in the middle of the outside eastbound lane of East Third Street. On the passenger side, two males were observed fighting. One of the males was identified as Kolton Farr and detained. The investigator noticed the smell of alcohol coming from Farr, noting, “his eyes were watery and bloodshot, his speech was slurred, and he had urinated in his pants,” which were unzipped.
According to the Affidavit, Farr said he left the white GMC pickup elsewhere and told officers, “I am the one you are looking for” and “I was the one in the truck,” noting that he was intoxicated. When asked if he had any dangerous items, Farr handed officers a Benchmade pocket knife, and he was taken to the hospital.
Other officers found the vehicle, which had been involved in an accident. Officers determined that the vehicle had gone over the train tracks and had crashed into the foundation of a grain silo. Officers noted that the vehicle was still partially sticking out of the silo.
At the hospital, Farr confirmed he had been in an accident. After he was medically cleared, officers transferred him back to the station to be processed for DUI. Officers administered a PBT and Farr provided a sample of .215. Officers secured a warrant for Farr’s blood, which was secured at 5:35 a.m.
Farr was arraigned in Box Butte County Court on April 20, and a preliminary hearing was set for April 23. An amended complaint against Farr was filed by Deputy County Attorney Larry Miller and listed the charges in the case: two counts of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, each a class 2 felony; attempted first degree assault, a class 2A felony; attempted robbery, a class 2A felony; two counts of first degree false imprisonment, each a class 3A felony; two counts of child abuse, each a class 3A felony; leaving the scene of an injury accident, a class 3A felony; DUI +.15, first offense, a class W misdemeanor; flight to avoid arrest, a class 1 misdemeanor; stalking, a class 1 misdemeanor; third degree assault, a class 1 misdemeanor; criminal mischief, $500-$1,500, a class 2 misdemeanor; leaving the scene of an accident, a class 2 misdemeanor; criminal mischief less than $500, a class 3 misdemeanor; two counts of willful reckless driving, each a class 3 misdemeanor; and minor in possession of alcohol, a class 3 misdemeanor.
According to the amended complaint, the first degree false imprisonment charges and child abuse charges come from placing two juveniles in a harmful situation.
On June 16, Farr entered into a plea agreement and an amended complaint was filed against Farr charging him with attempted first degree assault, a class 2A felony, first degree false imprisonment, a class 3A felony, child abuse, a class 3A felony, DUI +.15, first offense, a class W misdemeanor, two counts of third degree assault, each a class 1 misdemeanor, criminal mischief $500-$1,500, a class 2 misdemeanor, leaving the scene of an accident, a class 2 misdemeanor, criminal mischief less than $500, a class 3 misdemeanor, and willful reckless driving, first offense, a class 3 misdemeanor.
Judge Travis O’Gorman ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set sentencing for August.