POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines sex trafficking victim who admitted to killing her alleged rapist when she was 15 pleaded not guilty to escape charges Monday. Police say 18-year-old Pieper Lewis cut off her tracking monitor and fled the Fresh Start Women’s Center, where she was serving her probation, in early November. Lewis is on probation for killing 37-year-old Zachary Brooks in 2020. She claims she had been trafficked to Brooks, and he raped her multiple times in the weeks leading up to his death.

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – The Marshalltown Fire Department was called to a house fire early Tuesday morning. They found a building on fire and were able to quickly put it out after the cold temperatures caused a fire hydrant failure. No one was injured, and the cause of the fire was an improperly used wood-burning stove.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A winter storm warning is in effect through Friday. Predictions anticipate an accumulation of at least 3 inches of snow in most parts of the state by Saturday.
Snow and wind will start to pick up by tonight and will lead to treacherous conditions for travel through Saturday morning. By Thursday afternoon, there will be potential wind gusts of 40 to 45 mph. The strong winds continue into Saturday morning, with blizzard conditions likely.

AMES, IA (IRN) – The major winter storm has Iowa State University canceling basketball games out of concern for the safety of student-athletes. Tonight’s men’s basketball game against Omaha and the Thursday women’s game against Drake have been called off and will not be made up.