URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – A car crash victim is finally awake after 28 days in a coma, according to KCCI-TV. Amber Martinez says she’s tired and sore and in a lot of pain. She suffered a broken neck, broken arm and a shattered wrist and ankle after Scott Grimes, a fugitive on the run from the FBI for assault on a peace officer, burglary, and possession of controlled substance, slammed into her car in Urbandale during a police chase. OELWEIN, IA (IRN) – An Oelwein man charged with two counts of 3rd degree sexual abuse has been arrested in Florida. KCRG-TV reports 35-year-old Randy Eschen had been granted pretrial release with a GPS monitor. Eschen deactivated the device, and fled. U.S. Marshals captured him in Cocoa, Florida. SABULA, IA (IRN) – A treacherous bridge across the Mississippi River is getting replaced, according to the Des Moines Register. The Illinois Department of Transportation will debut an $80 million replacement in 2018. The new bridge is being constructed 100 feet downriver from the old one, and connects Savanna, Illinois with the island community of Sabula, Iowa. As of last week, crews had several of the piers up. The old bridge was built during the Great Depression. IOWA (IRN) – Northwestern scored 21 straight points in the second half to win at Kinnick Stadium 38-31 yesterday. The Hawkeyes had won nine straight games in Big Ten play and were facing a team with a 1-3 record. In Ames, Iowa State lost when No. 13 Baylor rallied from 14 down in the the fourth quarter to win 45-42. And the University of Northern Iowa crushed Southern Illinois 42-21 for Homecoming.

LOCKRIDGE, IA (IRN) – Approximately 50 head of cattle were on the loose near Lockridge in Jefferson County early Friday, causing six separate accidents. KTVO-TV reports none of the drivers were injured, but about 10 cattle weren’t so lucky, including several that were hit by a train. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old man has died after a stabbing in Cedar Rapids, according to KGAN-TV. Police are working to figure out what led up to the stabbing. Officers took several people in for questioning but so far have not announced any arrests. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – One of three men charged in the stabbing and beating death of 29-year-old Romane Nunn Sr., this summer in Davenport has pled not guilty. The Quad-City Times reports 45-year-old Terrell Bloch entered the plea Thursday. Nunn was in LeClaire Park where scores of people were playing Pokémon Go when he was stabbed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Stanford University is doing what it can to bring people to the middle of the country, by offering to pay students to attend its graduate business school if they agree to work in the Midwest. WHO-TV reports Stanford’s USA MBA fellowship will pay for approximately $160,000 in tuition over two years. LISBON, IA (IRN) – Candace Jeffrey and other cheerleaders at Lisbon High were told that a celebrity was waiting inside the mascot at Friday night’s homecoming game. KCRG-TV reports the cheerleaders were imagining who they would soon meet. But when the announcer said “our guest Leo the Lion has been played by Staff Sgt. Joe Jeffrey…” Candace was overjoyed. Staff Sgt. Jeffrey took off the mascot head as Candace and her sister Elise ran to hug their father. It’s the first time they’ve seen him since Christmas. He’s been stationed in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – The President yesterday signed a disaster declaration for the State of Iowa and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of August 23-27. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A Burlington teen fired a gun at people before he was taken into custody on Thursday. He reached into a bag he was carrying and fired at a man who was getting out of his vehicle. He then fired on a group of bystanders. No one was hit, and everyone fled. Two houses in the area were struck. Police chased the suspect through a heavily wooded area before taking the 17-year-old into custody. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Police have arrested the mother of a Waterloo girl who died after being found unconscious in 2015. 31-year-old Kristi Buss is facing a charge of child endangerment resulting in death. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports Buss is the mother of 4-year-old Gracie Buss who died four days after officers found her unresponsive. An autopsy found blunt force injuries to her head caused her death. Kristi Buss faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A high-speed chase in Des Moines ended when the suspect accidentally shot out his own tires. KCCI-TV reports police tried to stop 24-year-old Taylor Parker for a traffic violation. He took off and led police on a short pursuit. While still driving, he threw a shotgun out of the car, and the gun fired off a round, shooting out the tires of the car he was driving. He tried to flee on foot, but was caught holding a significant quantity of meth. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A semi driver from Florida was hospitalized with minor injuries after a rollover crash south of Dubuque Thursday. KDTH-radio reports 46-year-old Phillippe Nembhard was going too fast on a curve, and he lost control of the big rig. The semi tipped and rolled over and down a hill before coming to rest upside down in a ditch. AMES, IA (IRN) – The Ames Public Library closed on Wednesday after fleas were found inside the building. WHO-TV reports exterminators came in Wednesday evening, and the library was open Thursday. An ISU entomologist told city officials that he’d never heard of a library being infected with fleas.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The city of Cedar Rapids has a plan in place to return life to a pre-flood normal. KCRG-TV reports Mayor Ron Corbett called it a “welcome home” message to those who heeded the call to evacuate and helped the city manage the second-highest crest ever on the Cedar River. At 7:00 a.m. Friday morning, the curfew restrictions in place will be lifted, and the recovery can begin. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating after the body of a woman was discovered inside a van parked at Broadlawns Medical Center. KCCI-TV reports the body was discovered after security staff were alerted to a van parked in the south lot of the clinic for at least 48 hours. Because it is suspicious, detectives are investigating as if it is a “worst case scenario.” DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An 18-year-old bicyclist was hospitalized in critical condition following an accident involving a garbage truck in Des Moines this morning. WHO-TV reports the bicyclist was run over by the rear tires of the truck. Police aren’t sure whether the bicyclist didn’t see the truck, or may have had a mechanical error that prevented him from stopping. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Three people have been charged, including 2 juveniles, in connection with the deadly shooting of a 13-year-old girl in Cedar Rapids. KGAN-TV reports 13-year-old Ireshia Parks was shot and killed Tuesday by a 13-year-old boy. Police say they believe the shooting was accidental, and that the youth stole weapons from unlocked vehicles. Police say people being irresponsible and not securing their weapons is a serious problem in the city. BOZEMAN, MT (IRN) – Authorities searching for a missing Iowa hunter in south-central Montana say they have found a man’s body. KCCI-TV reports authorities are not yet able to identify the body and an autopsy is scheduled for today. The body was found at the bottom of a cliff during the search for Mark Rollins of Decorah. Rollins’ wife reported him overdue from a hunting trip. NEWTON, IA (IRN) – A detective helping with an arrest in Newton accidentally shot himself. The Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force reports officers approached 25-year-old Chad Coady in a restaurant parking lot Monday. Coady drove toward the officers’ vehicles, causing two crashes. The handgun of one of the officers went off as he was putting it back into its holster, with the bullet striking him in the leg. The detective was hospitalized and then released. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Former Iowa Hawkeye football star, and Des Moines attorney, Randy Duncan has passed away at the age of 79. WHO-TV reports he had been battling brain cancer. Duncan led the Hawkeyes to their last Rose Bowl title in 1959. He finished second in Heisman Trophy voting and was the first pick in the NFL Draft.

CLIVE, IA (IRN) – Clive police provided new information Wednesday in a double homicide at the 7 Flags Event Center three weeks ago. KCCI-TV reports police say the investigation into the shooting has been difficult due to a lack of cooperation from witnesses at the scene. Police said preliminary results of the investigation indicate that the victims, 29-year-old Johnny Lee Ollie Jackson and 45-year-old Kevin Lee Hall, shot and killed each other. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Dubuque Police are alerting the public about a skimmer device found on an ATM, according to KWWL-TV. Skimmers are placed over or in card readers on ATMs, gas pump card readers and card readers at stores or restaurants. A small camera is usually attached on or near the keypad so the PIN can be obtained. Police are encouraging users of ATMs, gas pumps and point-of-sale card readers to cover the keypad when entering PINs. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines pastor is behind bars after being sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for third-degree sexual abuse and harboring a runaway. KCCI-TV reports 37-year-old Damion Rutues had sexual relations with a 15-year-old runaway girl he hid in a small sleeping area inside the Learning of the Lord Revival Center. And this isn’t the first time. In 2004, Rutues was arrested for sexually abusing a 12-year-old and an 8-year-old he met at the church. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Des Moines last night, according to WHO-TV. The preliminary investigation shows that excessive speed may have played a role in the crash. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Cedar River has crested in Cedar Rapids and much of eastern Iowa, according to KGAN-TV. Almost all of the 2008 flood records for area rivers are still in place, with one exception. That was in Shell Rock on the Shell Rock River. The river crested at 21.51 feet, over a foot higher than in 2008. BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – Mary Orr is one of the oldest people living in Iowa. WQAD-TV reports the former telephone operator celebrated her 109th birthday Monday at the Bettendorf Health Care Center. Orr was born in Missouri in 1907 and lived in the Burlington area until 1994 when she moved to Bettendorf to be with her daughter. Orr’s family has thrown her a party every year since her 100th birthday.