CUSTER COUNTY— Custer County District Court held a virtual sentencing via Zoom on Thursday, December 3 due to COVID-19 concerns.
Otto Schneidereit, 45 of Anselmo, was sentenced to probation on charges of driving under the influence-1st offense (class W misdemeanor) and leaving the scene of an accident with injury (class IIIA felony). According to the factual basis read by Custer County Attorney Steve Bowers on July 16, Schneidereit was “booze cruising” with two other passengers when the vehicle he was driving rolled resulting in injuries to the passengers as well as to Schneidereit.
Schneidereit left the scene of the accident and was found later at a home by the Custer County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). He had agreed to a blood draw where the test results showed he had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .110.
During arguments, Bowers asked that Schneidereit be sentenced to a term of probation as a jail sentence would not be conducive as Schneidereit had no significant breaks in his employment and the Custer County Jail is dealing with COVID anyway. Bowers also noted that the passengers in the vehicle were not upset about being injured and felt that it was an accident.
Schneidereit’s attorney, Derek Mitchell, stated that his client had been trying to get started on the recommendations from the evaluation, but had been unable to find any openings yet. He also asked that Schneidereit be sentenced to probation.
Judge Karin Noakes agreed to follow both recommendations and sentenced Schneidereit to two years of probation for driving under the influence and three years of probation for leaving the scene of an accident with injury, to be served concurrently. Judge Noakes also ordered that his license will be revoked for six months for the DUI and one year for leaving the scene of the injury accident as well as being ordered to pay a $500 fine.
