Plea reached in attempted burglary, 4-wheeler theft

McCOOK, Neb. -- A plea agreement was reached last week in Red Willow County District Court with a McCook man arrested in 2014 while attempting to break into a rural McCook home. The would-be burglar, 18-year-old Colin R. McConnell-Vontz of 803 W. Fourth Street, subsequently pleaded no contest to a Class IV felony offense for attempted burglary.

A sentencing hearing was scheduled at 10:15 a.m. on Sept. 12, 2016, in Red Willow County District Court. In Nebraska, Class IV felonies carry no minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

The plea agreement dismissed a Class 3 felony alleging theft by unlawful taking and a Class I misdemeanor alleging McConnell-Vontz resisted arrest. The theft charge stemmed from a 4-wheeler owned by James Ruggles and allegedly taken by McConnell-Vontz from a quonset on County Road 382 prior to the attempted residential break-in.

Red Willow County Sheriff's deputies responding to a reported break-in found McConnell-Vontz standing inside the doorway of a rural residence on County Road 386 at just before 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 29, 2014, according to court documents. McConnell-Vontz had opened the screen door to the home and continued attempts to open the main door, even while law enforcement officers asked what he was doing. He refused to respond to officer's questions, other than to say the word "proof" twice, and physically resisted officer's attempt to arrest him.

A pair of jeans, pajamas and a pair of black pants were later discovered by investigators on the north side of airport road and confirmed to belong to McConnell-Vontz. When asked why his clothing was found there, McConnell-Vontz said because he took them off there.

A little more than two months later, on Dec. 31, 2014, McConnell-Vontz was arrested again by the Nebraska State Patrol. According to court documents, the arresting officer pulled him over for reckless driving and arrested McConnell-Vontz after he discovered he was naked and appeared to be eating bath beads.

The vehicle McConnell-Vontz was driving had also been reported stolen by his mother earlier in the day and he was subsequently charged with unauthorized use of a propelled vehicle.

McConnell-Vontz was 17 years old at the time of the County Road 386 burglary attempt. He was tried as an adult after a review of his background indicated he had at least one juvenile adjudication in Nebraska and numerous contacts with law enforcement for driving violations, minor in possession, curfew violations and being a runaway, according to court documents.