Congratulations graduates! Page 1 The Sundance Times 75¢ Thursday, May 16, 2019 Volume 134 • Issue No. 20 Thursday, May 16, 2019 Thewww.sundancetimes.com Sundance Times Johnson acquitted the jury convened to hear the case. In As the jury saw for themselves in port for Haar revealed a blood alcohol cerned about his personal safety, Johnson acquitted the end, despite what many believed video footage taken from the scene, level of 0.209, which was a significant though he was unable to provide spe- was a clear-cut case for the prosecu- the argument turned physical be- contributory factor to his death. cific examples of threats. of all charges tion, it was the argument with which tween Smith and Haar; Smith can be “When you are this intoxicated, Fuller claimed that Smith did not related to the death the jury agreed. seen hitting and slapping Haar, who you’re not able to protect yourself as stumble and fall to the ground just “This is a case about a young man repeatedly pushes her away and once much,” he told the jury. before Johnson took action, but that of Doug Haar who had to face his tormenter,” or twice approaches Johnson. Even- Haar threw her down. He told the jury Fuller said. “This is about a man’s tually, Smith falls to the ground and Sharing blame Haar was “a bully” who attacked John- BY SARAH PRIDGEON right to defend himself and his loved Johnson intervenes. From his opening statement on- son first with a chest bump and then If the woman you loved was thrown ones.” Johnson was acquitted on all In the video, Johnson takes Haar to wards, Fuller implied that Johnson by throwing a punch that missed, but to the ground in the midst of an ar- charges. the ground in a headlock and then was far from the only person culpable would have had a “powerful” impact gument, would you step in to end the switches to a chokehold. For six min- for Haar’s death. In Fuller’s words, if it had not. threat by whatever means necessary? The incident utes after Haar appears to pass out, he Haar himself, the “mean drunk” with But Johnson did not respond to If you cannot definitively say you In the early hours of August 1, 2018, continues to hold this position. a “head full of jealousy and belly full these acts of aggression, Fuller said. would have made different decisions three people left the Dime Horseshoe Dr. Thomas Bennett, forensic pa- of booze,” bears some responsibility He acted only when Smith took dam- to the ones Jessie Johnson made on Bar and drove to Sundance Travel thologist, testified that the cause of for what happened. age from what Fuller described as the night Doug Haar died, then you Center to purchase snacks. A love death was traumatic asphyxia. “He According to Fuller, Johnson and being thrown “violently” into a soda cannot find him guilty of murder. triangle existed between those three basically couldn’t breathe,” he said, Smith had been dating for just two machine. This was the argument presented people, causing an argument to break due to the chokehold and the weight weeks and Johnson found Haar Fuller painted a familial picture of of Johnson on top of him. threatening. Johnson’s roommate in the closing statements of defense out when Marty Smith appeared to See Trial: page 12 attorney Don Fuller, three days after choose Johnson over Haar. Bennett noted that the toxicology re- testified that Johnson had been con- Quackers for spring Work begins on Elk Creek pipeline BY GRACE MOORE Oneok director of government relations Danette Welsh spoke with Crook County Commis- sioners last Wednesday, up- dating them on the progress of the Elk Creek Oil Pipeline that will be traveling through the eastern part of the county this summer. The Elk Creek Pipeline con- struction is gathering momen- tum for the season and area residents are noticing. Welsh warns that residents will be seeing more congestion in the areas of construction, saying “You’re seeing a little more traf- fic – a little more presence.” Dust is already a significant concern for residents living in the construction areas; Com- missioner Jeanne Whalen said an individual had called her early Sunday morning to complain. Welsh’s response was that the dust mitigation will be on the road, but not in Jeff Moberg photo the pastures where the digging Contractors have launched the Crook County phase of Oneok’s Elk Creek pipeline. will take place. Above, a crew works at a crossing on Moskee Road on Tuesday. “It’s construction and that’s just part of it,” she said. on the roads to mitigate dust been part of the anticipated any problems that may arise With that clear, Crook County until the county reaches those route so an additional cost was with the pipeline crews stay- Road and Bridge Superinten- egresses. forwarded to the contractor. ing in area hotels and camp- dent Morgan Ellsbury’s crew The required fees due the According to Ellsbury, “He was grounds during their work on will be spraying magnesium county for the use of said road- there the next afternoon with the pipeline, chloride onto the unpaved ways have been paid; however, a check.” “Undersheriff Leimser will county roads this summer, contractor trucks have been Welsh had also spoken previ- be sure to let me know if our but the contractor will be re- using a portion of the county ously with Crook County Un- sponsible for keeping water thoroughfare that had not dersheriff Todd Leimser about See Pipeline: page 4 Jeff Moberg photo At Sundance Pond, the geese are determinedly ushering in the spring that refused to arrive with a burst of new life. County to take on war memorial Lifetime Crook County residents and vet- erans Earl Gray, Mary Ruland and Wally Elwonger are the last of the war memorial Location, location, committee that originally included Bob Jahnig, Ted Dendy, Bill Semlek, Rodney Jahnig, Loren O’Haver and Dale Ruland location (Mary’s late husband). These individuals for the new business: a 3.5 acre saw the inception of the memorial for City balks at plot currently up for sale near WWII veterans in 1945 and have been site suggestion the Best Western motel, located involved with and were later responsible in the commercial zone. Aes- for the monolith on the north lawn of the from incoming thetically speaking, he felt this Crook County Court House for more than might not be the best place for two score years. business a salvage yard. When this committee started, there Council Member Joe Wilson were no records of those who served and BY SARAH PRIDGEON mirrored the mayor’s concern, the effort expended to find the names of While the City of Sundance is commenting that the site is at Crook County’s sons and daughters was always interested to welcome one of the entrances to Sun- extensive. According to an article written new business to town, the ques- dance and a wrecking yard by committee member Dale Ruland in No- tion of location can occasion- could be “kind of a rough deal vember 1989, “We were determined to go ally prove a stumbling block. to come in to”. He also pointed for broke and honor those who served.” Such was the case when Plains out that, while Plains Towing Gray had met previously with the Towing & Recovery of Sturgis has a good reputation, what commissioners in an effort to reach an visited the council on Tuesday Jeff Moberg photo might happen if the yard was Crook County’s war memorial was originally installed in the 1940s. agreement as this type of responsibility to announce the company’s one day sold to someone less is not usually under the auspices of local hopes to open a third location clean and tidy? BY GRACE MOORE County Attorney Joe Baron introduced government, according to Crook County in Sundance. Karla Greaser of Trihydro pro- With the remaining members of the Earl Gray to the county commissioners Attorney Joe Baron. While pleased to hear the news vided information about the Crook County War Memorial Commit- during their Wednesday morning meet- However, the governing body has initi- and quick to express interest in city’s zoning code, telling the tee now in their 90s, the committee has ing, saying, “He helped when they mixed ated a new committee to take the reins having the company come to council that wrecking or salvage asked the county to continue the care and concrete to build the original one back in and, with the contract rewritten to town, Mayor Paul Brooks was maintenance of the war memorial on the 1945. He’s ready to pass the torch and concerned at the suggested site See Zoning: page 4 courthouse lawn. deposit the funds with the county.” See Memorial: page 4 Area Weather SUNDANCE, WYOMING CONTINUING THE CROOK COUNTY NEWS SINCE 1884 The Sundance Times Page 2 Thursday, May 16, 2019 Clerk’s Week Obituaries Churches Betty Marilyn Cundy Sundance Community Church (SBC) Betty Marilyn Cundy joined rado, Bar Nunn, Wyoming or 10th and Cleveland, her everlasting Father on Hulett, Wyoming for the sum- Pastor Bill Barton, 307- March 19, 2019, at the age of mer months. 391-0135, on Facebook: 82 years. Betty was born on In 1996, Walt and Betty Sundance Community May 28, 1936 at Sundance, were to buy the Antelope Run Church of Wyoming; Sunday Worship - 11 a.m., Crook County, Wyoming as Campground which they ran Fellowship - 10:30 a.m., the daughter of James Bur- for about seven years.