Worthington man pleads insanity in high-speed chase

FAIRFAX, S.D. - Two people pleaded not guilty earlier this week to charges stemming from a high-speed chase involving gunfire last month in Gregory County.
Nicholas Speckmeier, 29, of Worthington, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to 12 charges from the Aug. 22 incident, according to court documents. Samantha Lane, 29, of Sioux Falls, pleaded not guilty to 11 charges.
Speckmeier and Lane, 29 were arrested following an hour-long car chase that began at 12:30 a.m. and ended in Fairfax. Speckmeier and Lane allegedly eluded police and fired shots at sheriff’s deputies with stolen guns.
Speckmeier also allegedly stole a vehicle in Fairfax before being arrested in Fairfax. Two brothers, Kyle and Matt Moos, of Fairfax, were credited by law enforcement in helping with the apprehension.
The state also alleges that Speckmeier and Lane are habitual offenders, since both have previously been convicted of a felony, Gregory County State’s Attorney Amy Bartling said Thursday. If they plead guilty or are found guilty of the current charges, they will have the right to another trial for the habitual offender charges. If they are found not guilty of the current charges, the habitual offender allegations will be dropped.
According to South Dakota law, “If a defendant has been convicted of one or two prior felonies ... the sentence for the principal felony shall be enhanced by changing the class of the principal felony to the next class which is more severe.”
If Speckmeier and Lane are convicted as habitual offenders, the sentence for every charge will be increased by one stage, Bartling said. For example, the attempted murder charges would be classified as class 1 felonies, punishable by 50 years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine.
Speckmeier has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon against a law enforcement officer and commission of a felony while in possession of a firearm, class 2 felonies each punishable upon conviction by 25 years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine; aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, a class 3 felony punishable upon conviction by 15 years in prison and up to a $30,000 fine; possession and ingestion of a controlled substance, class 5 felonies each punishable upon conviction by five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine; and aggravated eluding, possession of stolen property and grand theft, class 6 felonies each punishable upon conviction by two years in prison and up to a $4,000 fine.
Lane was charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon against a law enforcement officer and commission of a felony while in possession of a firearm, class 2 felonies each punishable upon conviction by 25 years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine; possession and ingestion of a controlled substance, class 5 felonies each punishable upon conviction by five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of stolen property, class 6 felonies each punishable upon conviction by two years in prison and up to a $4,000 fine.