A Northwood, N.D., rancher pleaded not guilty Monday to three misdemeanor charges of letting his cattle run at large last month.
Lloyd Thorsgard, 76, who keeps cattle on land alongside state Highway 15, was previously accused of allowing his animals to get loose six times in 2009. In some cases, authorities said, the cattle walked onto the highway.
Thorsgard pleaded not guilty to those allegations as well, and in February 2010, he reached an agreement with prosecutors known as a pretrial diversion. The agreement required that he abide the law for a year, and achieving that, the charges would be dismissed.
However, in light of the new charges, prosecutors say they could move forward with the 2009 charges but have not decided if they will do so.
Each cattle-at-large charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
