On March 2, 2012 a report was received from Sherri Custer-Ermels of credit card fraud. Several unauthorized charges had been made to her account. This matter is still under investigation.
On March 5, 2012, Matthew T. Leyden, Vernal, Utah, surrendered himself to the Knox County Sheriff was arrested and booked into the Knox County jail on charges of: Count I. Manslaughter, a class III felony, Count II. Manslaughter, a class III felony, and Count III. Tamper with Physical evidence a class IV felony. Leyden was released on a $50,000.00 10% bond.
The charges arise in connection with the deaths of Tracy Arens and Nicholas LaCroix in a one vehicle traffic accident one mile west and approximately 3 ½ miles south of Crofton, Nebraska on September 18, 2010.
BOOKINGS:
2-27-12 CHANCE C. STRICKLAND, 27, SANTEE; FAILURE TO APPEAR (SANTEE WARRANT)
2-27-12 STEPHEN MCLAUGHLIN, 32, WAUSA; CONTEMPT OF COURT (HOLT COUNTY WARRANT)
3-01-12 JACOB M. BRIARD, 26, NORFOLK; ISSUING BAD CHECKS (KNOX CO WARRANT)
3-02-12 CHRISTOPHER CHAPMAN, 38, SANTEE; FAILURE TO APPEAR (SANTEE WARRANT)
3-02-12 DARREN GOODTEACHER, 23, SANTEE; FAILURE TO APPEAR (SANTEE WARRANT)
3-02-12 ANGELA THOMAS, 36, SANTEE; PROBATION VIOLATION (SANTEE SENT)
3-02-12 RUTH S. WHIPPLE, 18, SANTEE; MIP (SANTEE SENTENCE)
3-05-12 MICHELLE L. DENNEY, 33, SANTEE; POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
3-05-12 ANTHONY D. JOHNSON, 33, SANTEE; DISTURBING THE PEACE (SANTEE SENTENCE)
3-05-12 MATTHEW T. LEYDEN, 23, VERNAL, UT; I. Manslaughter, a class III felony; II. Manslaughter, a class III felony; III. Tamper with Physical Evidence, a class IV felony Knox Co Warrant)
Category: Sheriff's Report
I hope that the state of Nebraska does LaCroix and Arens justice in this situation!
I quite agree.
I knew both of them quite well and they are greatly missed by several! This will give their families some peace at last!
When does he go to court or has he already gone?
I think he went to Court early last week but have never seen anything more on this. Family is totally mum on what happened But Mother seems in a good mood, so he must have gotten off.
How is that even fair? He has felony charges! Manslaughter? How in the world did he get off for this?
What I heard was that they couldn’t prove who was driving cause Matt Leyden was thrown from the vehicle. But what about the girl who survived. Doesn’t she have to testify or doesn’t she know anything? Or did she get told to shut up?
Has any one heard anything on this Court case? What we seem to have here is heresay and rumors. It would be nice to hear from some one who actually knows what happened.
Does anyone have unrumored information on this? Because that theory that Matt was thrown is so far from the truth. He was able to walk and all of that. If he had been thrown, he would have gone over the bridge. I just don’t understand how it’s so hard to prove he was driving when it’s OBVIOUS from the crash site and apparently the car that obviously the girl or Matt had to be driving. I think justice needs to be served, he killed two people.
Has anyone else heard anything else about this case?