The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, November 17, 1992, Image 1
I f— ., ■ I 'T 1 It t Huskers in Tk y JL/CULly Cuban opener Nebraskan Michelle Paulman/DN Lancaster County Sheriff's Deputy Joe Lefler examines a body found Monday morning near Neiden Iron and Metal Co. Inc., 525 N St. Body of woman, in 30 s,found by tracks By Susie Arth Senior Reporter The body of a woman was found lying face down in a pool of water Monday morn ing iivwest Lincoln, police said. Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey said an autopsy performed on the body late Monday afternoon indicated that the body was that of a white female about 30 years old. Although Lacey said he was un able to identify the body, he was Autopsy shows drowning is cause of death certain it was not canuice narins, a UNL student who has been miss ing for almost two months. Lacey said the woman had died from drowning, and he rejected the possibility that the woman was hit by a train. The body was found near train tracks. The death did not appear to be a homicide, Lacey said, but he would not yet rule out the possibility. i nc autopsy muicaieu tnat uie body had been in the pool of water for at least two days, Lacey said. “We real 1 y don ’ t know too m uc h right now,” he said. ( Sgt. Ann Heermann of the Lin coln Police Department said the body was found directly south of Nciden Iron and Metal Co. Inc., 525 N St. The property is owned by the railroad, she said. Mike Bcran, special agent of the railroad police, said a railroad em ployee on his way to work found the body at about 7:45 a.m. Mon day. Police arrived on the scene at about 9 a.m. to examine and re move the body from the shallow pool. They searched the surround ing area for clues to the cause of death. Lacey said he would continue investigating the case. Spanier aims to protect education By Chuck Green Senior Reporter With the possibility of across the-board budget cuts loom ing for the University of Nebraska, UNL Chancellor Graham Spanier said he would remain com mitted to preserving the quality of higher education in Nebraska. BUDGET swered questions from the media Monday in his conference room I after the first day of budget plan ning meetings among him and members of his cabi net. Although he declined to predict how much would be cut from the university’s budget, Spanier said the See BUDGET on 3 Admission standards go public By Shelley Biggs Senior Reporter Public hearings to discuss pro posed changes in admissions standards for three University or Nebraska campuses will start Wednesday in Omaha, an official said. Joe Rowson, director of public af fairs for N U, said the hearings were an opportunity for NU President Martin Massengale to receive input on the proposal to tighten admissions stan dards at the University of Ncbraska Lincoln, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nc See ADMISSIONS on 3 Nebraska drivers face stiffer DWI penalties Attorney warns motorists of laws By Susie Arth Senior Reporter Nebraska drivers will have a long road of penalties ahead of them if they gel pulled over for driving under the influence of alcohol in 1993, a lawyer said. Shelley Stall, director of Student Legal Services at the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln, said a new DWI law that would take effect Jan. 1 was much than the old law. “We’re really concerned about notifying people of the new law,” she said. One major change is that drivers’ licenses will be taken away immedi ately if drivers fail breath, blood or urine tests, she said. Temporary li censes, valid for 30 days, will be issued to the drivers, she said. All this, she said, will be done before drivers’ guilt or innocence is determined in court. A driver then has 10 days to re quest a hearing before the Nebraska State Department of Motor Vehicles on the revocation of the license, Stall said. This administrative hearing must be.scheduled within 20days, she said. If drivers fail in presenting thcii cases at the hearings, she said, the temporary licenses will become in valid, and the permanent licenses will be revoked for 90 days. Drivers can appeal the decision tc a district court, she said. Stall said the administrative hear ing was different from a court hearing because a driver only had to be found guilty of DWI by a preponderance ol the evidence, whereas in court hear ings, guilt must be proved beyond 2 reasonable doubt. “It’s safe to say that you’ll prob ably lose the hearing,” she said. Stall said similar laws were found to be constitutional in other states. She said she was uncertain if Nebraska’s law would stand the tes of time. At the same time as the administra live hearings, the drivers will be go ing through the standard county cour procedure, she said. Stall said the punishments for the offense would be more severe. The old law had a maximum pen alty of seven to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine and a 6-month revocation of the driver’s license for a first offense, she said. The new law’s maximum jail sen tence is 60 days for a first-time of fender. Stall said the terms of probation also would be checked on a more regular basis under the new law. Another new part of the law, she said, includes terms for a fourth of fense, for which the maximum pen alty is 5 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. Stall said she doubted the new law would deter many drivers from driv ing under the influence of alcohol. “The new law may make a differ ence in a few individuals,” she said. ‘‘I think what people need is alcohol L education.” Stall said it also was important for drivers to remember their rights if they were pulled over by police offic See DWI on 3 ^ 19 The new DWI few wil take effect fen. 1. Om major chance to that driven* licenses wil be taken away immediately if driven fafl breath, Mood or ariM teats and temporary licenses, vald for 30 days, wK be issaed to the driven. 1992 Maximum 7*30 Hays )aH $500 fine 6 mo. rev. Heense ./ Minimum 7 days lad $200 fine 0 mo. Wt Heense I 30 days fall $500 flue 1 yr. susp. Heense Maximum 60mo.JaH $500 line _15 yr. susp. license Source: Student Legal Services _/J_