An emotional and lengthy court hearing was held Tuesday afternoon in Phelps County District Court in the sentencing of 36-year-old Brock Schneider of Axtell. Schneider had been convicted in the deaths of 67-year-old Wallace Martin of Holdrege, 36-year-old Randall Franklin of Funk and 34-year-old Justin Mason of Arapahoe. As well as inflicting serious bodily injury on 35-year-old Alyssa Kahle of Minden as the result of a multi-vehicle accident on the west edge of Funk on August 15, 2025. The District Courtroom was packed with standing room only for family and friends.
Phelps County Attorney Corey O’Brien asked Phelps County District Judge Morgan Farquhar to impose the maximum possible sentence on Schneider, arguing the facts of the 2025 crash that killed three people and seriously injured another were “egregious” and far beyond an ordinary vehicular homicide case. O’Brien said the state is seeking lengthy prison terms because of the devastating loss suffered by victims’ families and the need to deter others from driving while intoxicated. “The egregious facts deserve an extraordinary sentence,” O’Brien told the court.
O’Brien said evidence showed Schneider was driving about 94 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone with a blood-alcohol content of .285 before the crash. He also questioned whether Schneider’s recent lifestyle changes provide sufficient assurance that a similar incident would never happen again. O’Brien told the court the case is not about punishing someone for drinking, but for the decision to combine alcohol with reckless driving.
Defense Attorney Highlights Remorse, Rehabilitation During Schneider Sentencing
Defense attorney Brian Davis urged Judge Farquhar to consider Schneider’s efforts toward rehabilitation and accountability when determining a sentence for the crash. During sentencing arguments, Davis acknowledged the devastating losses suffered by the victims’ families, saying no sentence could restore what had been taken from them.
Davis argued Schneider has accepted responsibility for his actions, entered a plea rather than forcing families through a trial, maintained more than 450 days of sobriety, sought counseling and faith-based support, and expressed remorse through apology letters. While not seeking probation, Davis asked the court to consider mitigating factors including Schneider’s limited criminal history, his cooperation with investigators, and expert opinions that described him as remorseful and capable of rehabilitation. Davis also asked the court to consider concurrent sentences, arguing all of the offenses arose from a single incident and that Schneider will carry the consequences of the crash for the rest of his life.
Three victim impact statements were read into the record by Brittany Franklin, wife of Randall Franklin; Alyssa Kahle the woman sustaining serious bodily injuries in the accident and Jenny Smiley, daughter of Wallace Martin.
Judge Says Fatal DUI Crash Was Result of a Habit, Not a One-Time Mistake
Judge Morgan Farquhar said Schneider’s fatal DUI crash was the result of a longstanding pattern of drinking and driving rather than an isolated mistake as he handed down sentence Tuesday in Phelps County District Court. During his remarks, Farquhar told Schneider the evidence showed his behavior was habitual, pointing to Snapchat records and Schneider’s prior criminal history. The judge said the case was not the product of youthful inexperience, poor judgment, or mental health issues, but instead reflected a repeated pattern of impaired driving that ultimately led to a fatal outcome. Judge Farquhar pointed to evidence that Schneider sent SnapChats that day of beer cans, including two in the vehicle console that appeared cold, one opened.
Judge Farquhar then imposed a total sentence of 59 years and 10 months to 63 years imprisonment. It included 19 to 20 years of imprisonment on the Motor Vehicle Homicide count; 19 to 20 years of imprisonment on each of the two Manslaughter counts; and to 34 to 36 months imprisonment on the DUI-Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury count. All sentences were ordered to be served consecutively. He was given credit for two days already served and also revoked Schneider’s driver’s license for a total of 30 years with 15 of those years to be served following his release from incarceration.
Schneider, who been out on bond, was taken into custody by a Phelps County Sheriff’s Office deputy and escorted from the Courtroom to begin his sentence.
