GERING, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped all charges against one of the three Nebraska car dealership executives accused in the disappearance of more than 80 vehicles from a Scottsbluff, Nebraska car lot.Earlier this week, Deputy Scotts Bluff County Attorney John Childress dismissed the 76 counts of attempted theft and 10 counts of theft 53-year-old Rick Covello faced. Covello’s trial was to begin next week.Childress says he wants to prosecute the other executives, Rachel Fait and Allen Patch, first because he believes they are primarily responsible for the thefts. Their trials are scheduled for October.The three were arrested in March on suspicion of theft after the missing cars and trucks, worth more than $2.5 million, were found in Utah, Wyoming, Las Vegas and Scottsbluff.Patch had ties to the Cache Valley area for a number of years. Patch owned the Alan Patch Auto Mall located at 3131 North Main in Logan from 2003 to 2005. The business changed names when Patch became a co-owner with Kirk Bengtzen to form the Legacy Auto franchise in July, 2005. The Legacy Auto facility was then sold to Murdock Hyundai in the spring of 2006.
All charges dropped against one Neb. auto executive, charges still pending for Patch
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