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By Times staff | Saturday, May 19, 2007 1:18 AM CDT | () comments

Rock Island man guilty of harboring runaway girl

Verdell Sheard, 38, of 706 4th Ave., pleaded guilty this week in Rock Island County Circuit Court to harboring a runaway. A felony count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse was dismissed.

Sheard was given 180 days in jail but received credit for time served.

DeWitt man injured in tractor rolloverDeWITT, Iowa — A rural DeWitt man was injured Friday morning when the tractor he was riding rolled over in a ditch, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department said.

Marvin Hartmann, 68, of 2298 290th Ave., was attempting to use the tractor to pull a cable out of the ground on his property about 10:45 a.m. today when the tractor rolled over on top of him, Sgt. Roger Phelps said.

He was taken by ambulance to Genesis Medical Center-DeWitt, then transferred to another hospital, most likely University Hospitals in Iowa City, Genesis spokesman Craig Cooper said. His condition was not available.

Business fined for pipeline blastBellevue, Iowa — J.J. Scheckel Corp., located on Iowa 62 southwest of Bellevue, has been fined $5,000 for failing to call the statewide One Call notification center before excavating.

The excavation took place behind the company’s building. The bulldozer hit an underground gas pipeline and caused an explosion, critically injuring the owner of the company, Josh Scheckel, who was driving the bulldozer, and knocking out service to about 1,300 natural gas customers.

District Court Judge Mary E. Howes ordered the company to pay the penalty.

Excavators are required to call One Call at (800) 292-8989 at least 48 hours before they dig to learn where underground utilities are located.

A Rock Island man who was arrested earlier this year for allegedly harboring a runaway 15-year-old girl and having sex with her has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge and received two years probation.