WEST UNION, IA (IRN) – A West Union man who was convicted in Fayette County for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl, and didn’t show up to start his prison time in June, now faces 10 years in federal prison. 31-year-old Thomas Cannon also pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition Monday in U.S. District Court. On the day he was to turn himself into Fayette County authorities, he instead assaulted his girlfriend and cut off his ankle monitor.
DES MOINES (IRN) – Smoke in the cockpit of a plane bound for New York City caused an evacuation and rescheduling of flights from Des Moines on Wednesday. The Des Moines Register reports the plane was still at the gate and passengers were able to return to the terminal without any injury. It’s unclear what caused the smoke.
IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A Coralville man accused of abducting his 10-year-old stepdaughter has taken a plea deal and returned to prison. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that 49-year-old Kenneth Johns has been convicted on two counts of child endangerment and sentenced to time served while awaiting prosecution. Prosecutors dropped kidnapping and other charges. Johns violated parole when he took the girl from a Solon home. He did so because the girl was being abused by her mother, Shelly Johns. Shelly Johns pled guilty to child endangerment in April.
MARENGO, IA (IRN) – Straight-line winds damaged several buildings in Iowa County during the overnight hours, according to KCRG-TV. People woke up Wednesday to find damage at the Brooklyn Elevator, Marengo Outdoor Power Company, and in a city park. Marengo police said the damage came from a strong gust of wind around 2 a.m. which lasted for about 20 seconds. The gust caused power to blink, and ripped the roof off the Marengo Outdoor Power Company.
NEWTON, IA (IRN) – A 30-year-old woman and her 13-year-old daughter were killed in a crash on Interstate 80 near Newton Tuesday afternoon. The Iowa State Patrol reports the woman’s two other children were injured. Killed was Sabrina Watkins and daughter Natasha Watkins. The woman’s 14-year-old daughter who was driving the vehicle was injured, as was her 11-year-old sister. The crash marks the fifth fatality in 14 hours in central Iowa.
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – A felon with ties to a white supremacist group has been charged with a hate crime in the brutal beating of a black man at an Iowa bar. KWWL-TV reports 40-year-old Randy Joe Metcalf was arrested Tuesday. Metcalf repeatedly kicked and stomped on the face and head of a now 31-year-old black man during a fight in January at a Dubuque bar. Metcalf used racial slurs repeatedly toward the victim before and after the beating. Metcalf has has one tattoo of a swastika and another featuring the name of a prison gang known for white supremacist ties.
DAYTON, IA (IRN) – Vandals damaged dozens of Christmas decorations in the Dayton City Park Sunday, according to WHO-TV. Plastic candy canes, wooden Christmas figures, and many lights were smashed or knocked over by vandals. The town is planning a meeting Monday to come up with a plan for the holidays. The Dayton Christmas lights were not displayed last year, as no volunteer could find the time to coordinate the work.
DES MOINES (IRN) – A crew worked Monday afternoon to pull a vehicle out of Easter Lake in Des Moines, according to KCCI-TV. The car was discovered as the lake is being partially drained. The vehicle was stolen over 20 years ago. This isn’t the first vehicle discovered in the lake. In 2014 divers found a 1993 Jeep Cherokee that was reported stolen in 1998.