Category: State News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Safety says a laboratory criminalist is no longer employed with the department after making public comments on a social media site. KCCI-TV reports Amy Pollpeter’s employment ended on Tuesday. She was employed by the department for just over 10 years. They are not saying what she posted that cost her her job.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Firefighters rescued two dogs from a house fire in Davenport according to WQAD-TV. The homeowner had reportedly left just minutes before the fire. There was extensive damage to the home, but no one was injured.

MARION, IA (IRN) – Many 9-1-1 calls came in to the city of Marion’s dispatch center about a white substance on cars and houses. KWWL-TV reports the Linn County Hazardous Materials Team was called in to investigate, and found the substance to be a broadleaf herbicide that may have come from a crop-dusting aircraft. Officials say there is little risk to the public.

MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – The Muscatine Police Department is investigating a drive-by shooting, according to WQAD-TV. 17 shots struck the side of a house while three adults and one baby were inside. No one was injured. Twelve shell casings from two different guns were found at the scene.

LECLAIRE, IA (IRN) – A man from the eastern Iowa town of LeClaire has been charged with child endangerment after hospital staff discovered his 2-month-old daughter has multiple broken bones. 33-year-old Jonathan Rose brought his daughter to a Davenport hospital where she was found to have a broken leg and at least three broken ribs. He says he couldn’t get her to stop crying, grew frustrated, and squeezed her.

HARTFORD, IA (IRN) – Multiple agencies searched overnight for two tubers stranded on the Des Moines River between Pleasant Hill and Hartford, according to KCCI-TV. The two called 911 to report they had hit a branch, and their tube had deflated. Shortly after making the call for help, the tubers’ cell phone died. They were found about 1:30 a.m., and are OK.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Army Corps of Engineers has signed off on granting the final permits that were standing in the way of the Dakota Access interstate crude oil pipeline, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. The approval by the Corps now means the controversial Bakken oil pipeline is greenlighted.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Kansas City couple who crashed into a deer near Osceola are praising the Iowa State Patrol, according to KCCI-TV. Anna and Juan Molina say when state troopers Cody Frank and Robert Deskin showed up, the officers called a tow truck, transferred their luggage to a squad car, drove them 45 miles to Des Moines to get a rental car and dropped them off at a hotel. The troopers appreciate the praise, but say it’s just the kind of thing they do every day.

PACKWOOD, IA (IRN) – Two deaths in Packwood Monday were the result of a husband shooting his wife and then himself. 79-year-old Franklin Neff called 911 and said he’d shot his wife, 75-year-old Enola Neff, and was going to kill himself. Officers found Franklin Neff suffering from a gunshot wound to the head with a handgun next to him and Enola Neff dead from a gunshot wound to the head. A note written by Franklin Neff said he and his wife were suffering from health issues and didn’t want to be a burden on the family.

ST. LOUIS, IA (IRN) – Authorities say a body pulled from the Mississippi River at St. Louis is a 29-year-old kayaker who went missing last week after hitting towlines between two barges. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the body recovered Saturday is that of Dalton Bast of Humboldt, Iowa. He disappeared two days earlier after falling from the kayak and failing to resurface.

NORTH AURORA, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines child was killed in a traffic accident in a suburb of Chicago Monday. WHO-TV reports 6-year-old Jouseppe Castillo died after a crash Tuesday evening. Castillo was in an SUV driven by 32-year-old Paula Martinez when the vehicle collided with another SUV, causing both vehicles to roll. Officials believe one of the SUV’s was trying to change lanes at the time of the crash but have not determined which one.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A judge has suspended the criminal case against a man charged with sexually assaulting numerous women on the University of Iowa campus, according to KWWL-TV. The judge found probable cause that Adam Weinstein is suffering from mental illness and ordered the 33-year-old to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Weinstein’s accused of sexually assaulting, groping and harassing at least eight women during a 15-hour spree in November.

LECLAIRE, IA (IRN) – A man and a woman have both died after their motorcycle went off the road in the eastern Iowa town of LeClaire Saturday, according to the Iowa State Patrol. 28-year-old Michael Dann and passenger 25-year-old Trista Nath were both thrown from the motorcycle when Dann lost control around a curve. They weren’t wearing helmets.

SHENANDOAH, IA (IRN) – Police have charged a pickup truck driver with hitting and seriously injuring a Florida bicyclist who was camping after riding in RAGBRAI. The Des Moines Register reports the pickup driven by 55-year-old Danny Cardin, of Homer, Louisiana, struck a tent, dragging 67-year-old James Foley, who was inside.The injury followed the death of another rider Sunday morning on the first day of the statewide biking event.

CLARION, IA (IRN) – Wright County officials approved a zoning change that will allow Prestage Farms to build a $240 million hog processing plant near Eagle Grove. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports the plant will create about 900 jobs initially and hundreds more after completion of a second phase. Prestage opted for Eagle Grove after the plant was rejected in Mason City.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Congressman Rod Blum’s campaign is using a unique way to reach potential voters, according to KCRG-TV. Washington Park in Dubuque is a hot-spot for players of Pokemon Go. Blum’s staffers took advantage, and spoke with players Monday afternoon. Congressman Blum faces Democratic challenger Monica Vernon in Iowa’s First Congressional District.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Three robberies in five days has Iowa City Police urging businesses to be on high alert. KCRG-TV reports the man approaches the victims, brandishes a weapon, and then makes his demands. In each case the suspect was dressed in all black and used a handgun.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 78-year-old Missouri woman who went missing Saturday apparently has used her debit card in Ames, according to KMBC-TV. Donna Linton left her home in Independence, Missouri, around noon Saturday. The Independence Police Department issued a Silver Alert for Linton, who has a history of dementia.

ATLANTIC, IA (IRN) – Two children and an adult were injured Sunday night when a carnival ride malfunctioned in Atlantic. KETV reports a mechanical failure caused the arms of the octopus ride to slam to the ground. The ride is currently shut down.

GLENWOOD, IA (IRN) – A cyclist participating in RAGBRAI was killed after being hit by a pickup truck Sunday morning. WHO-TV reports the incident happened near the town of Glenwood, the starting place of the race. 72-year-old Wayne Ezell of Jacksonville, Florida, was struck from behind by the truck. Both Ezell and the truck were traveling westbound. Ezell’s death marks the ninth cyclist killed on Iowa roads this year.

CLINTON, IA (IRN) – An ADM employee was killed in an accident at the railroad switch yard in Clinton on Saturday. KWQC-TV reports officials are working to determine the cause of the fatality.

AMES, IA (IRN) – A car was totaled Sunday when it ran into a house in Ames, according to KCCI-TV. 25-year-old James Hunt panicked when the accelerator stuck. The car crashed into the house, totaling the vehicle, though the house appeared to be minimally damaged. Hunt was unhurt, but a female passenger suffered a leg injury.

KEYSTONE, IA (IRN) – There’s a new kind of farming in Iowa, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette–one that involves crickets. Becky and Jason Herman have opened Iowa’s first farm designed to raise insects for food. At Iowa Cricket Farmer, the “livestock” reside in blue barrels in a carefully controlled environment and eventually sold to Utah-based Chapul, a company that uses cricket flour to make granola bars and protein powder.

GRIMES, IA (IRN) – A boy was found dead and his mother unresponsive in Grimes Friday, although details surrounding the incident remain unclear, according to KCCI-TV. The deceased boy has been identified as 2-year-old Mason Wyckoff. The injured woman is 33-year-old Stephanie Erickson, the mother of Mason. Neighbors say Erickson appeared troubled at times, and that she would “sit outside and smoke and cry.” She remains in serious condition.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A passenger at the Dubuque Regional Airport tried to take a handgun through security Friday morning, according to KCRG-TV. The TSA says it found an unloaded .22 caliber firearm inside a carry-on bag. Agents took possession of the gun and let the passenger board a later flight. The TSA says it’s legal to have a gun on a plane as long as it’s unloaded, declared to the airline and properly packed inside a locked hard-sided container.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police have identified the man killed Thursday in a shooting on Des Moines’ east side. WHO-TV reports the victim in the shooting is 41-year-old James Patton of Des Moines. Police were called to a location near the East Gate Coin Laundromat. Police found Patton in the parking lot there, suffering from several gunshot wounds in the chest and groin that he later died from.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids teacher has admitted she is in a relationship with a high school boy. 24-year-old Mary Beth Haglin has been fired, and is facing charges of sexual exploitation. Haglin’s relationship is with a 17-year-old student. She claims the school found out about her relationship, and told her to keep the situation quiet.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Davenport is considering allowing vendors to serve customers on public property downtown. The Quad-City Times reports current ordinances prohibit food trucks, trailers and pushcarts from operating on public property. Under the proposed program, food trucks would be required to pay fees, operate in specific zones and set up at least 100 feet from any open brick-and-mortar restaurants.

HUXLEY, IA (IRN) – Story County authorities have released the name of the man who was killed in a fall while working on a wind turbine. KIMT-TV reports the accident occurred Thursday near Huxley. The man was working inside a wind turbine that’s under construction. He fell about 40 feet and was pronounced dead at the scene. He’s been identified as 31-year-old Christopher Thompson of Manly.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City man is facing a felony charge for a two-year-old robbery case. KCRG-TV reports 37-year-old Larry Hook is charged with second-degree robbery for robbing the adult entertainment store Romantix in April 2014. Hook took about $61 and fled, leaving an item of clothing behind. Hook’s DNA matches DNA found on the clothing.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police are expected to release more information today in a shooting that killed one person on Des Moines’ east side Thursday. WHO-TV reports a man was found in the parking lot of the East Gate Coin Laundromat suffering from several gunshot wounds in the chest and groin. He died shortly after being transported to a local hospital.

DURANGO, IA (IRN) – A woman from the northeast Iowa town of Durango has been charged with theft and elder abuse, and is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an aunt who had Alzheimer’s. KWWL-TV reports 44-year-old Molly Bodish wrote checks to herself or for her personal use from her aunt’s account totaling more than $365,000 over several years.

HUXLEY, IA (IRN) – One person died after falling Thursday afternoon in a construction accident near Huxley, according to KCCI-TV. A 31-year-old man fell approximately 30 feet inside a wind turbine that was under construction. It’s unclear what caused the fall.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A Center Point man died after a crash at the interchange of Interstates 80 and 380 near Iowa City Wednesday. KCRG-TV reports 36-year-old Justin Witter went into the curve too fast and his vehicle vaulted over a gorge and slammed into a bridge footing.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A Rock Island man is behind bars after assaulting a woman in a Davenport parking lot Wednesday, according to WQAD-TV. 33-year-old Charles Spicer came up behind a woman as she was getting out of her vehicle in a parking lot of a retail store and raped her. A sexual assault kit was performed at the hospital and DNA was found that matched Spicer. He’s in jail.

MITCHELLVILLE, IA (IRN) – A transgender man who is an employee of the Iowa Department of Corrections has filed a civil rights complaint against his employer. WHO-TV reports 34-year-old Jesse Vroegh works as a nurse at the Mitchellville Women’s Prison. He alleges that despite over a year’s notice that he would be transitioning at work, no transgender policy would be written for employees because transgender issues were “too controversial.”