Truck Grab Goes Sideways

(SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb.) — Michael T. Carrera faces a felony theft charge in connection with the alleged theft of a truck and a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. He pled not guilty to both charges. A judge scheduled a pretrial hearing for Dec. 9, 2026, and a jury trial for Jan. 4, 2027.

The alleged incident occurred June 18, 2026, at Backaracks Bar in Scottsbluff. According to court documents, Neil Blanton had borrowed his mother’s 2001 Dodge Dakota. Security footage showed Carrera and Blanton getting into the truck that night.

Blanton briefly exited the vehicle, and Carrera moved into the driver’s seat. Blanton attempted to stop Carrera from taking the truck. According to the allegations, Carrera backed up, dragging Blanton, then drove forward, causing Blanton to fall, before speeding out of the parking lot.

Scotts Bluff County District Court Judge Leo Dobrovolny presided over a bond hearing Oct. 16, 2026, and allowed Carrera to be released from custody without posting bail. As a condition of his release, Carrera was ordered not to contact Blanton.

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Monday Oct 19 2026 - Scanner News - Panhandle Scanner News

Scanner traffic indicated a male bleeding at Essential Fuels on East Overland in Scottsbluff Sunday evening. The call came in just after 7:30 p.m. One witness said there was blood everywhere. Ambulances responded, but were cancelled by Scottsbluff PD. We'll keep our eyes out today in the public record for any type of altercation that may have happened last night. And we have several court reports for you, thanks to our courthouse reporter. Like this story, Fake Plates, Real DUI. A 23-year-old man was sentenced to 45 days in jail for drunk driving with additional fines and a revoked license. The arrest happened in Henry, Nebraska, where Jerry Dalton Jones entered a guilty plea in Scotts Bluff County Court to amend a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, a Class W misdemeanor. And the box truck that ended in arrest. It was a pursuit, with two occupants taken into custody October 17th after a box truck allegedly failed to stop for law enforcement. In Grant County, two occupants were arrested. When the incident began near mile marker 142 on Highway 61, deputies attempted to stop the truck for reported driving violations. The vehicle allegedly failed to yield to emergency lights and sirens and continued south into Arthur County. The Arthur County Sheriff's Office was notified of the vehicle's location and direction and deployed stop sticks, bringing the truck to a stop near mile marker 129 on Highway 61. Authorities conducted a felony traffic stop and took both occupants into custody without further incident. Catch these stories and more on our website or on Facebook by the same name... Panhandle Scanner. And don't forget our daily public record, every Monday through Friday when available.