Roger Cox told the Bulletin there was a lot less to his “wild ride” down I-80 than it seemed at first blush.

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Cox and his wife Kelly were cited Saturday, Oct. 3 for disturbing the peace at the Sutherland rest area. Kelly also received a citation for indecent exposure.

The Nebraska State Patrol received a report from Keith County Authorities that the driver of a red Pontiac was drinking a Bud Light and that his female passenger was topless.

Shortly after that the patrol was notified that the car had pulled into the rest area. A trooper arrived and issued the citations.

Roger Cox contacted the Bulletin after the story ran. He flatly denied having been drinking beer at any point. Kelly’s health complications prohibit her from consuming alcohol, and Roger said that he never drinks either.

The beverage he had been consuming was Rockstar Energy drink. He said he did not know how Rockstar’s distinctive black and gold can could be mistaken for Bud Light.

According to Cox, he and his wife were out on the Interstate taking their recently purchased car for a test drive.

Roger said that the plan had originally been to go to Paxton and return, but they decided on the fly to continue to Ogallala.

Kelly suffers from both diabetes and multiple sclerosis, Roger said, but she felt good on the drive west. She is very sensitive to heat, however, and on the drive home she became uncomfortable and started to feel ill.

She decided to pull her top down to cool off, Roger reported. He said that several truckers made comments over CB radio, such as, “Nice view,” and “You have a pretty wife.”

Roger said he responded to the comments with “Thanks,” and, “Yes, she is.”

One female trucker, however, took extreme umbrage to Kelly going topless. Roger said he never interacted with the angry driver, but that her truck followed their car to the rest area.

After parking at the rest area, Kelly went to the restroom as she felt like she might get sick. At no time was she partially undressed at the rest area, Roger said.

Roger went to the bathroom himself. Upon his return the female trucker was standing at his car, shouting at Kelly. He could not make out what words were being exchanged, however.

Around that time, the state trooper arrived. He questioned Roger and Kelly several times about alcohol in the car. The trooper inspected the energy drink cans to make sure there was no alcohol in them.

Roger said he even offered to let the trooper search the vehicle for alcohol.

“I’m not calling the state patrol liars by any means, because they go by what is reported to them,” he stated. “If he thought we were under the influence we would have been in jail.”

The trooper issued the citations and sent the Cox couple on their way. Roger expressed regret that things had turned out the way they did.

“The trip was not meant to offend anybody.”