State Briefs

Sentencing date set in New Year’s fatal accident

PINEDALE (WNE) — The Jackson woman who pleaded guilty on May 27 to causing the New Year’s Day aggravated vehicular homicide of a Pinedale man will be sentenced on Thursday, Aug. 19, in 9th District Court. 

Jade S. Jewkes changed her earlier “not guilty” pleas made at her March 25 arraignment without forging a plea agreement between her attorney and Sublette County Attorney Mike Crosson. This is called a “cold plea,” leaving the prosecution and defense to argue their respective, recommended sentences to 9th District Judge Marv Tyler.

Jewkes’ 12-person, five-day jury trial beginning Sept. 20 is canceled, court records show. 

Jewkes was driving through Hoback Canyon on New Year’s Day when her vehicle collided almost head-on with a truck driven in the opposite direction by Shane Deal, of Pinedale. Deal was life-flighted to St. John’s Hospital and was to be transferred to Idaho Falls’ Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Deal died at the Jackson hospital. 

Jewkes was treated for injuries to her hands, records show. 

Jewkes was arrested and charged with the felony of aggravated homicide by vehicle with an alcohol concentration of .08 percent, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. 

She was also charged with the felony of aggravated homicide by vehicle while incapable of safely driving, which has the same maximum sentence. She also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol, with a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $750 fine.

Former counselor pleads guilty to assault charges

CHEYENNE (WNE) — A former Cheyenne counselor pleaded guilty earlier this month to sexual assault and theft charges after he was accused of having a sexual relationship with a patient and improperly billing Medicaid for their sessions. 

At his July 9 arraignment, William Dale Robinson pleaded guilty to two felony charges as part of a stipulated plea agreement: second-degree sexual assault by a health care provider and theft (obtaining by false pretenses). Because the agreement was stipulated, Robinson may withdraw his plea if a judge does not go along with the agreement at sentencing. 

In exchange for the guilty plea, the state and Robinson agreed to a sentence of three to five years of incarceration for the sexual assault charge, along with 36 months of probation for the theft charge, with a suspended sentence of 12 to 16 months of incarceration. 

While working as a licensed professional counselor and part-owner of Capitol Counseling, 1918 Thomes Ave., Robinson had an ongoing sexual relationship with one of his patients, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case. 

Robinson admitted in the plea agreement that, after having the woman as a client for several years, he approached her during a June 2018 therapy session about beginning the sexual relationship. 

Robinson said he and the woman had sexual contact during a regularly scheduled therapy session in July 2018, and that he billed Medicaid and received reimbursement for both the June and July visits. 

Man killed in coal mine accident

GILLETTE (WNE) — A 31-year-old Gillette man was killed working at a Campbell County coal mine Wednesday.

Jeff A. Wendland and four other workers were adding a section to the boom of a 200-ton crane at Black Thunder mine near Wright. As they were doing so, Wendland was underneath the section when it fell onto the right side of his shoulder and neck area, said Undersheriff Quentin Reynolds.

A mine employee called the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office around noon requesting an ambulance and an air ambulance. Emergency medical services personnel pronounced Wendland dead at the scene, Reynolds said.

The cause of death has been determined as asphyxiation with crushing injuries, said Campbell County Coroner Paul Wallem.

Wendland worked as a millwright at the mine and had been at Black Thunder for 13 years, according to a statement from the mine’s parent company, Arch Natural Resources. He leaves behind a wife and four children.

He was helping to perform a dragline repair when the accident happened, Arch said. The mine is working with federal and state officials to investigate the accident and determine what caused it.

Mining operations were suspended Wednesday but have since resumed.