The Nebraska man authorities blamed in the deaths of four motorcyclists was sentenced today in western Iowa’s Harrison County District Court. Twenty-two-year-old Andrew Schlichtemeier of Murray, Nebraska, was sentenced to 50 years in prison after killing four motorcyclists back in August 2010 on Interstate 29.
The motorcyclists were 49-year-old Dale Aspedon of Glenwood, 62-year-old Steven Benscoter of Pacific Junction, 62-year-old Dennis Chaney of Glenwood and 48-year-old Jay Bock of Omaha. The four men were on their way back from a bike rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, when Schlichtemeier crossed the center lane in a construction zone on Interstate 29 near the Little Sioux exit and hit them.
Before the accident, a 9-1-1 call was made describing Schlichtemeier at a gas station purchasing alcohol in Missouri Valley. The Iowa State Patrol said he had a blood alcohol level four times the legal limit when the crash occurred.
By Joel McCall, KNOD, Harlan