Manslaughter Charge Filed After Highway 75 Crash

AUBURN - A charge of manslaughter has been filed in Nemaha County Court involving a Highway 75 accident that killed a 26-year-old Pawnee City man. Nemaha County Attorney Louie Ligouri filed the charge against 52-year-old Monty Eaton of rural Brock. A Nemaha County sheriff’s deputy investigating the Feb. 3 accident said Eaton was driving a Dodge Durango on the highway at a varying and slow speed for an extended period of time. The deputy told the court that Eaton turned left near a field entrance. An accident report says the Durango hit the passing Mazda, causing it to overturn. The accident report indicates the Mazda began passing two cars in a passing zone, but the cars had traveled into a no passing zone before the collision. An arrest affidavit says Eaton failed a breath test and was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence. Two passengers of the Mazda were ejected. Travis Ries was later pronounced dead at the Nemaha County Hospital. Serious injuries were also reported to 24-year-old Joshua Townsend of Table Rock.