Two charged after hitting parked cars

One man has been charged and sentenced after hitting a parked car in New Rockford and fleeing the scene. Yet another has pleaded not guilty to a similar crime alleged to have happened last month.

According to court documents, Elvin Quintero of New Rockford was driving on 1st Avenue South on Saturday, August 5, when he struck a parked car owned by Lucas and Becki Schumacher.

After the incident, court documents say Quintero “fled the scene of the accident, which ultimately led to him rolling his vehicle outside of town in a field.

“No attempt was made to contact the owner of the unattended vehicle and no written notice was left on the vehicle,” court documents add.

Quintero was charged with duty upon striking an unattended vehicle – a Class A misdemeanor – as well as care required in operating a vehicle, driving without operator’s license and driving without liability insurance, each an administrative traffic violation.

Court documents say Quintero admitted to both hitting the unattended vehicle and fleeing the scene, and he pleaded guilty to all charges.

On Thursday, August 10, Quintero was handed his sentence for the Class A misdemeanor: $325 in fees as well as unsupervised probation until August 4, 2024. The state’s attorney was also given 60 days to request a hearing on restitution.

Quintero was also assessed a combined $200 for the three administrative traffic violations.

As it happens, that wasn’t the only case involving a crash with a parked vehicle in New Rockford recently.

According to court documents, on Sunday, July 2, Nathan Rue struck a parked car while driving on 1st Avenue North in New Rockford with a blood alcohol content of 0.243 percent. The legal limit in North Dakota is 0.08 percent.

Court documents allege the parked car suffered property damage and subsequently hit the car parked in front of it, causing property damage to the second vehicle as well.

On Tuesday, August 8, Rue pleaded not guilty to the Class B misdemeanor charges of DUI and reckless driving. Court documents also say this is Rue’s second DUI within seven years.

Therefore, certain mandatory consequences would be enforced if he’s found guilty, such as a $1,500 fine, $250 in fees, completion of an addiction evaluation and recommended treatment, 24/7 participation for 360 days and at least 10 days’ imprisonment.

Each Class B misdemeanor, meanwhile, carries a maximum sentence of 30 days’ imprisonment, a fine of $1,500, or both.

Rue is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

Also facing DUI charges are Mark Rue and Carl McKay.

In McKay’s case, this is his fourth or greater DUI offense in the last 15 years, therefore upgrading his DUI charge to a Class C felony.

Court documents say McKay was driving on Highway 281 in Eddy County with a blood alcohol content of 0.188 percent. McKay has not yet entered a plea for the DUI charge. He pleaded not guilty to driving under suspension on Thursday, August 10.

McKay – if found guilty – would be required to pay at least a $2,000 fine, spend a year and one day imprisoned, complete an addiction evaluation and recommended treatment, 24/7 participation for two years and supervised probation for two years in addition to license suspension.

McKay is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

Mark Rue, meanwhile, was charged with a misdemeanor DUI for allegedly driving on Highway 281 in New Rockford on June 11 with a blood alcohol content of 0.236 percent.

Rue pleaded not guilty on June 26 to the DUI charge, which would be his first offense. A pretrial conference has been scheduled for September 14.

If found guilty the mandatory consequences would be a $750 fine, $225 in fees, completion of an addiction evaluation, at least two days’ imprisonment and a possible license suspension.

Rue is considered innocent unless proven guilty.

Meanwhile, Nathan Baker of New Rockford recently pleaded guilty recently to a number of charges.

Baker was charged after a domestic incident in New Rockford on June 13, during which court documents say he punched his girlfriend and her grandmother in the face, and later resisted arrest once police arrived.

Baker originally pleaded not guilty to multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, but amended his plea to guilty for three of those charges on Thursday, August 10.

The felony charge of terrorizing was dismissed, and a deferred prosecution agreement was reached on the felony count of assaulting a police officer. He pleaded guilty to preventing arrest, domestic violence and disorderly conduct, each a misdemeanor.

The deferred agreement states that prosecution of the felony charge is suspended for a period of 360 days and will ultimately be dismissed. But that’s only if Baker does not violate the conditions of the agreement, such as not committing any infraction, misdemeanor or felony.

Regarding the charges he pleaded guilty to, Baker was assessed $360 in fees and placed on unsupervised probation until August 4, 2024.