Former Nye County Sheriff Wade Lieseke was ticketed for speeding near Beatty earlier this week.

He is considered a leading candidate for sheriff in the Tuesday primary. Lieseke hopes to wrest the Sheriff's Office from the man who took it from him, incumbent Sheriff Tony DeMeo.

Lieseke was stopped driving at 80 mph in a 70 mph zone several miles north of Beatty on Highway 95 Tuesday morning, according to Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Trooper Rocky Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said no arrest was made. Lieseke was cited without incident and sent on his way.

Lieseke, contacted yesterday by telephone, said he apologizes for the incident. "I had my mind on other things and got a ticket," he said. "I regret it and I apologize."

He was fined $154 and, he said, quickly made contact with Beatty Justice of the Peace Gus Sullivan, "and I did not ask him for a break or anything. I made arrangements to pay it just like everyone else."

Asked how his citation stands in view of his criticisms of DeMeo regarding ticketing traffic offenders along Highway 160 in Pahrump, Lieseke said, "That's not the issue -- I said the Nevada Highway Patrol wrote all the tickets."

He said he was impressed with the trooper's behavior during his stop. "I commend the Highway Patrol for doing their job," Lieseke said.