Sen. Danielle Nantkes of Lincoln entered guilty pleas to driving under the influence — first offense and refusing a chemical test.
LORI PILGER / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Monday, May 7, 2007 7:00 pm
A Lincoln state senator pleaded guilty to drunken driving Monday and was sentenced to probation for a year.
Sen. Danielle Nantkes entered guilty pleas to driving under the influence — first offense and refusing a chemical test.
She had been charged with second offense DUI, but the City Attorney’s Office chose not to enhance it as part of a plea agreement. The prosecutor also dismissed a negligent driving charge and an allegation that Nantkes had refused a preliminary breath test.
In a press release, Nantkes, a 29-year-old elected in November to represent District 46 in the Legislature, apologized again to her constituents, colleagues and family.
She also said she already has completed the steps recommended in an alcohol evaluation she received before she went to court.
“… And I am thankful to be in recovery,” Nantkes said. “I sincerely thank my colleagues and members of the public for their letters and phone calls of support as I have continued to deal with these difficult personal issues in a straightforward manner. I take full responsibility for my behavior.”
At 1 a.m. Feb. 14, Nantkes was driving east on P Street in the south lane in her 1990 Dodge Spirit when she collided with a southbound front-end loader, according to police.
The snow plow had not quite cleared the intersection at 19th Street when Nantkes hit the right rear of it, causing $1,500 damage to her car, according to police. The plow’s driver, Timothy Brabb of Lincoln, called police.
The officer said Nantkes smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech, noticeably impaired balance and bloodshot, watery eyes. She refused a chemical test. Police cited her and took her to Cornhusker Place detox center.
Nantkes since waived legislative immunity afforded to state senators under Nebraska’s Constitution and pleaded guilty.
Monday afternoon, she and her attorney, Toney Redman, went before County Court Judge James Foster with the alcohol evaluation.
Nantkes and Redman offered no comment before Foster sentenced her to 12 months’ probation beginning May 7, ordered her to pay a pair of $500 fines and impounded her driver’s license for 60 days, subject to an ignition interlock device being issued to her.
She had faced a week to two months in jail on the charge and a six-month license suspension.
In the press release, Nantkes said she continues to work hard on issues affecting working families in north Lincoln and pledged to “utilize my position as a state senator to advocate on behalf of others who face substance abuse problems and will work to ensure that all Nebraskans have opportunities for prevention and treatment services available.”
Lincoln police stopped Nantkes twice before on suspicion of drunken driving, both times in 1997.
After a stop on April 24, 1997, the then 19-year-old Nantkes was convicted of reckless driving and paid a $100 fine. After a stop Aug. 22, 1997, she was convicted of DUI-first offense and ordered to serve one year on probation and pay a $200 fine.
At least five state senators have faced drunken driving charges in the past couple of decades, including then-Sen. Ray Mossey of Papillion, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to drunken driving and no contest to prescription fraud. He withdrew his bid for election four months after his arrest.
Reach Lori Pilger at 473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com.