Sunday, January 26, 2020

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – One person is dead and another injured after a shooting in Cedar Rapids Friday night, according WHO-TV. Officers discovered two persons with gunshot wounds. One of the victims, 18-year-old Andrew Dontae Gaston, died Saturday morning after being taken to a local hospital. The other victim, a 16-year old male, sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (IRN) – A federal jury deliberated for less than thirty minutes before returning a guilty verdict Wednesday afternoon against Timothy Brandon Fredrickson, 30, of Davenport, for sexual exploitation of a child. Fredrickson had been communicating with a sixteen year-old girl over the internet. Fredrickson faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison.

JASPER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A standoff in Colfax ended shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday, according to KCCI-TV. Paul Deaton, 55, had barricaded himself in his own home. There were family members in the home when the standoff started, but they were able to leave quickly. Authorities said they used tear gas in an attempt to remove Deaton from the barricaded home. The subject left the home without gunfire being involved.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Register’s editorial board has announced its endorsement Saturday for the Democratic presidential nominee. The editorial board has chosen to endorse Sen. Elizabeth Warren after meetings with nine of the Democratic presidential candidates. Warren is currently polling at 17% with Iowans. This puts her in second place behind Sen. Bernie Sanders at 20%.

Saturday, January 25, 2020

JASPER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol is assisting the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office with a standoff situation Saturday afternoon. The ISP has sent a crisis negotiator to assist in a lone barricaded subject in Colfax. There is no hostage.

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – A former Marshalltown college athlete has been charged with involvement in an Indiana murder. KCCI-TV reports Hannah Knapke, 18, was a volleyball player at Marshalltown Community College. Her scholarship has been revoked and she is no longer enrolled. She was charged in connection with the death of Shea Briar in Indiana earlier this month. Knapke allegedly helped a friend in the murder of Briar because of a child custody dispute.

MAUOKETA, IOWA (IRN) – A Maquoketa family says police used too much force when they arrested and tased 22-year-old Drew Edwards. WQAD-TV reports the family’s attorney released police body camera footage from that night. Edwards was tased six times in five minutes as he resisted arrest, and died. The toxicology report found that Edwards was under the influence of meth, ecstasy and marijuana at the time of his death.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man let out of prison nearly three years ago in Iowa is back in custody, accused of a robbery and murder in Arkansas. KCRG-TV reports Jacovan Bush is in the Linn County Jail on capital murder and aggravated robbery charges. US Marshals arrested the 31-year-old after a traffic stop yesterday near Lindale Mall. Bush is accused of a robbery and murder in Little Rock Arkansas in 2018.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health says it is now seeing widespread flu activity across the state.The predominant strain being reported in Iowa right now is influenza B, and 17 people have died from the virus this year. Health officials say the best way to protect yourself is to get a flu shot, and it is never too late to get one.

Friday, January 24, 2020

ADEL, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol says a California man has been arrested after a traffic stop along Interstate 80 southwest of Des Moines turned up more than 430 pounds of marijuana. A trooper stopped a sport utility vehicle for a traffic violation Wednesday night and searched the SUV after smelling marijuana. The search uncovered three large duffle bags containing 258 pounds of THC edibles and five large duffle bags containing about 173 pounds of high-grade marijuana. The 32-year-old driver from Los Angeles was arrested.

OSKALOOSA, IA (IRN) – An Oskaloosa man broke off the blade of a knife in a woman’s head, according to KCCI-TV. Robert Powell, 44, was with two women Thursday when he allegedly took out a knife and stabbed one of the women in the neck. She ran and he stabbed her a second time, breaking off the blade in her head. He then strangled her until she was unconscious. The other woman ran away, and Powell told her he would kill her if she called police. While investigating the stabbing, officers responded to another call, and found a man with a serious stab wound to the neck. Police believe the stabbings are related.

DES MOINES, I (IRN) – A bill calling for an amendment to the Iowa Constitution to remove the right to an abortion advanced at the State Capitol on Thursday. The resolution calls for an amendment to the Constitution that would specify “the State of Iowa does not secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – State lawmakers advanced legislation Thursday that would allow gun owners to bring firearms to work or on school property. Opponents say it is dangerous, and would undermine property rights.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what caused a University of Iowa research drone to crash in a mobile home park in December. It came down next to one of the homes, strewing shattered parts but striking no one. The 100-pound aircraft became unresponsive before crashing.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

GLENWOOD, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds said she is determined to see change and improvement at the Glenwood Resource Center. Reynolds toured the facility Wednesday as federal investigators look into extraordinary allegations; they include human experimentation, “incidents causing needless physical injury” and inadequate medical care for residents with severe intellectual disabilities.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – A man killed a woman at an Iowa home about an hour after officers went there to check on a domestic dispute, but left without making an arrest. KGAN-TV reports Mark Russell, 28, of Fort Dodge, is accused of using a golf club to beat 45-year-old Angela McLeod to death.

INDEPENDENCE, IA (IRN) – A man who was accused of attempting to kill his wife and her uncle by setting a house on fire has been convicted by a jury. KCRG-TV reports Shane Allen Heins, 45, of Independence, was found guilty of first-degree arson and two counts of attempted murder.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two Iowa state senators introduced a bipartisan bill to allow college athletes to profit off their image. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Nate Boulton, a Des Moines Democrat, and Brad Zaun, an Urbandale Republican, and would allow college athletes in Iowa to benefit in the form of a trust fund. The funds would not be accessible until the athletes run out of eligibility.