K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For September 14th, 2018 – Morning

THE MAN ACCUSED OF STRIKING AN INFANT AFTER HUFFING AIR DUSTER THIS SUMMER PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO TWO CHARGES THURSDAY AFTERNOON IN NATRONA COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT.

22-YEAR-OLD TRISTAN TIMOTHY MEYERS IS CHARGED WITH FELONY CHILD ABUSE AND MISDEMEANOR UNLAWFUL USE OF A TOXIC SUBSTANCE. HE COULD A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF OVER 10 YEARS IN PRISON IF CONVICTED ON BOTH COUNTS.

IN A SEPARATE CRIMINAL CASE, MEYERS IS CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO DELIVER METHAMPHETAMINE, TWO COUNTS OF DELIVERY OF METHAMPHETAMINE, POSSESSION OF METH WITH INTENT TO DELIVER AND TWO COUNTS OF FELONY METH POSSESSION. IF CONVICTED OF THOSE SIX CHARGES, HE COULD FACE UP TO 94 YEARS IN PRISON.

CHARGING PAPERS FILED IN THE CHILD ABUSE CASE STATE THAT ON JULY 27, MEYERS WAS PICKED UP BY TWO PEOPLE WHO HAD THEIR INFANT CHILD IN THE VEHICLE WITH THEM. MEYERS WENT INTO WALMART, BOUGHT A CAN OF DUST-OFF, AND INHALED IT LATER WHILE INSIDE THE VEHICLE.

THE DRIVER SAID THAT MEYERS "BLACKED OUT," THEN STARTED "HITTING THE BABY." THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE, AND A WOMAN PULLED MEYERS OUT OF THE VEHICLE AS POLICE ARRIVED.

DISTRICT JUDGE DANIEL FORGEY ON THURSDAY REDUCED MEYERS'S BOND IN THE CASE TO $5,000 CASH OR SURETY. MEYERS REMAINED IN CUSTODY AT THE TIME OF THE COURT HEARING.
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A MAN WHO POINTED A GUN AT TWO TEENAGERS IN WEST CASPER IN APRIL PLEADED GUILTY TO TWO COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND BATTERY DURING A HEARING IN NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT ON TUESDAY.
MICHAEL MCLAUGHLIN WILL SERVE BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE YEARS AT THE WYOMING STATE PENITENTIARY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PLEA BEFORE JUDGE CATHERINE WILKING.

TWO OTHER COUNTS -- AGGRAVATED ROBBERY AND POSSESSION OF A DEADLY WEAPON WITH UNLAWFUL INTENT -- WILL BE DISMISSED AT SENTENCING, WITH WILKING SAYING SHE'S NOT OBLIGATED TO ACCEPT THE PLEA.

MCLAUGHLIN REMAINS IN CUSTODY.

COURT RECORDS SAY THE CASE STARTED APRIL 20 WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDED TO A REPORT THAT MCLAUGHLIN HAD AIMED A GUN AT A 16-YEAR-OLD AND FIRED A SINGLE SHOT.

THREE TEENAGERS TOLD INVESTIGATORS THEY WERE WALKING NEAR ROBERTSON ROAD WHEN MCLAUGHLIN APPROACHED HIM AND ASKED IF THEY KNEW ANYONE WHO WOULD TRADE AN OUNCE OF MARIJUANA FOR A GUN.

MEANWHILE, ONE OF THE TEENS RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM HIS FATHER, SO HE AND ANOTHER TEEN STEPPED AWAY.

MCLAUGHLIN POCKETED THE GUN, THEN PULLED IT BACK OUT AND POINTED IT AT THE THIRD TEEN'S HEAD, AND FIRED ONE SHOT, WITH THE BULLET FLYING PAST THE BOY'S RIGHT EAR.

THE OTHER TEENS RETURNED, AND MCLAUGHLIN PRESSED THE MUZZLE OF THE GUN AGAINST ANOTHER TEEN'S CHEST.

THEY WERE ABLE TO LEAVE AND REPORT THE INCIDENT TO AUTHORITIES.

MCLAUGHLIN WAS ARRESTED, AND POLICE CONFISCATED A HANDGUN.

MCLAUGHLIN'S BLOOD-ALCOHOL CONTENT WAS 0.17 AT THE TIME OF HIS ARREST.
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A 14-YEAR-OLD WYOMING STUDENT HAS DIED AFTER AN INCIDENT IN THE PARKING LOT OF STAR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
RYDER HADERLIE, WHO WAS IN NINTH GRADE, WAS INJURED WEDNESAY EVENING AND WAS LIFE-FLIGHTED TO EASTERN IDAHO MEDICAL CENTER IN IDAHO FALLS. HE PASSED AWAY THURSDAY MORNING.

THE INCIDENT ITSELF REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION, ACCORDING TO CHIEF JASON ROMBERG OF THE AFTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THAT INVESTIGATION, HE DECLINED TO DESCRIBE THE NATURE OF THE INCIDENT.

THERE IS NO DANGER TO THE PUBLIC IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH, ROMBERG SAID. HE ALSO TOLD K2 RADIO NEWS THAT IT WILL LIKELY BE MONDAY BEFORE FURTHER DETAILS ARE RELEASED.

MATT ERICKSON, SUPERINTENDENT OF LINCOLN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2, CALLED WEDNESDAY'S INCIDENT AN UNFORUNATE ACCIDENT, AND SAID NO ONE IS AT FAULT.

ROMBERG SAID THAT SCHOOL OPERATIONS WERE SET TO CONTINUE AS NORMAL ON THURSDAY. ERICKSON SAID THAT COUNSELORS WERE ON HAND AT FOUR SCHOOLS.
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AS HURRICANE FLORENCE CHURNS ITS WAY ASHORE, SOME ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE EFFECTS ON GAS AVAILABILITY AND PRICES.

PATRICK DEHAAN OF GASBUDDY DOT COM SAYS, THE IMPACT WILL BE VIRTUALLY NILL.

THOUGH THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE HARVEY LAST YEAR WERE SIGNIFICANT, THERE IS REALLY NO COMPARISON.

THE ONLY CRUCIAL PIECE OF FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE STORM PATH IS THE COLONIAL PIPELINE THAT SUPPLIES THE ENTIRE EASTERN SEABOARD.

BUT IT IS UNDERGROUND AND SHOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE STORM.
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LARAMIE, WYO. (AP) - TUITION FOR MOST UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING STUDENTS WILL INCREASE BY 4 PERCENT IN THE 2019-20 ACADEMIC YEAR.

THE UW BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON THURSDAY APPROVED THE TUITION INCREASE IN KEEPING WITH A MULTIYEAR TUITION POLICY ADOPTED IN 2014.

WYOMING RESIDENT UNDERGRADUATES WILL SEE THEIR TUITION INCREASE FROM $134 TO $139 PER CREDIT HOUR, WHILE NONRESIDENT UNDERGRADUATE TUITION WILL GO FROM $537 TO $558 PER CREDIT HOUR. MOST OTHER GRADUATE PROGRAMS ALSO WILL SEE A 4 PERCENT INCREASE.

THE UNIVERSITY SAYS EVEN WITH THE INCREASE, UW'S TUITION AND FEES FOR RESIDENT UNDERGRADUATES WILL REMAIN THE LOWEST AMONG THE NATION'S DOCTORAL DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTIONS.

THE BOARD ALSO APPROVED CUTTING TUITION FOR SEVERAL ONLINE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE SEEN DECLINING ENROLLMENT BECAUSE OF THE TUITION AND FEES UW CHARGED WERE HIGHER THAN ITS PEERS.