Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884

Rapid City man sentenced for drunk driving

A Rapid City man has been sentenced to up to four years in jail for a felony count of driving under the influence, fifth offense, after he was observed driving erratically on the interstate near Moorcroft.

On August 8, 2020 at around 5:15 p.m., a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper was dispatched to a report of drunk driving. The report stated that a vehicle was traveling westbound on I-19 towards Moorcroft and was all over the road.

The trooper observed a vehicle matching the description drift across the center line and then all the way back to touch the fog line. The trooper initiated a traffic stop and, as he approached the vehicle, the driver was allegedly getting out of it and appeared to be “wobbly on his feet”.

The driver was identified as Vincent Newrobe, who allegedly admitted he had had “a little bit” to drink.

According to the trooper, Newrobe’s eyes were red and watery and his speech was slow and slurred, and several beer bottles were visible on the passenger floor board.

When asked to perform a sobriety test, Newrobe allegedly had a hard time with the instructions and said, “Take me to jail because I am drunk”. He was placed under arrest and escorted to Crook County Detention Center; two breath test samples returned results of .190% and .188% blood alcohol level.

Newrobe has four prior known convictions in Pennington County, SD, from 2018 and 2019. He was sentenced by Judge Stuart S. Healy III to between two and four years in a state penal institution and a fine of $750.