Kan. soldier sentenced for deadly chase

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Fort Riley soldier has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for a deadly wrong-way chase on Interstate 70.

KMAN-AM reports (http://bit.ly/1hGgvMS ) 22-year-old Spc. Gary Nelson was sentenced Tuesday in Geary County District Court. He pleaded no contest in August to second-degree murder and reckless driving.

Authorities said Nelson intentionally drove the wrong way on I-70 the night of April 3. A vehicle that tried to avoid a head-on collision went off the highway and rolled over, killing 53-year-old passenger Jake Black of Manhattan.

A Highway Patrol trooper continued chasing Nelson at speeds of up to 100 mph before the soldier surrendered after several miles.

Investigators said Nelson told them and others he had planned to commit suicide by hitting a tractor-trailer but lost his nerve.

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Information from: KMAN-AM.