Iowa Radio News

CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Despite a Blizzard Warning, Cerro Gordo County deputies found themselves in a pursuit of a stolen vehicle that fled authorities at speeds of 100 miles per hour Thursday night. KIMT-TV reports the vehicle was reported stolen from rural Clear Lake, and the vehicle fled through Clear Lake. Due to the poor road conditions, the driver lost control and crashed. The passenger was caught after a short foot pursuit, and the driver was found hiding in a garage. Both face numerous charges. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – A newly released video shows a man pointed what was later determined to be a BB gun at Ankeny police moments before he was fatally shot by an officer last fall. The Des Moines Register reports Ankeny police officer Todd Webb shot and killed 31-year-old Christopher Lee Leonard, of Springfield, Missouri, on Sept. 11. Leonard committed a robbery minutes before the shooting. A Polk County grand jury has ruled that Webb would not be indicted. JANESVILLE, IA (IRN) – A crash near Janesville has killed a 19-year-old from Illinois. The Iowa State Patrol says Julia Walters of Morrison, Illinois was driving her 2007 Ford Fusion on Highway 218 Friday when she lost control and rolled her vehicle into the median. She flew from the vehicle and died later at a Waverly hospital. She was not wearing a seatbelt. A 21-year-old female passenger in Walter’s vehicle was injured and also went to the hospital. There is no word on her condition. She was wearing a seatbelt. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Legislature is considering a bill which would make all cell phone use while driving illegal, unless it is hands-free. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 3,500 people were killed in 2016 in crashes involving distracted driving. U.S.A. (IRN) – President Donald Trump and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds are honoring the longest-serving member of Congress in United States history by ordering flags to fly at half-staff on Monday, February 11. U.S. Representative John David Dingell, Jr. served Michigan on Capitol Hill from 1955 through 2014. A Democrat, Dingell died at his home on Thursday at the age of 92.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man is behind bars after police say he assaulted his pregnant girlfriend and wouldn’t let her leave their home Thursday. KCCI-TV reports 27-year-old Mathew Levine is accused of confining his pregnant girlfriend to a bathroom during an argument and physically keeping her from leaving several times. The woman was able to get out of the bathroom and ran from the home, but Levine chased her, grabbing her phone and throwing it as she tried to call 911. She was able to get the phone back and locked herself in her car and called police. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a robbery at a Cedar Rapids hotel. KCRG-TV reports early this morning a man in a mask displayed a handgun and demanded money from the front desk at a Hometown Inn and Suites. The suspect left with an unknown amount of cash, and no arrests have been made. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – An SUV crashed into a home in Waterloo last night, according to KWWL-TV. Half of the vehicle penetrated an exterior wall. Police are investigating. AMES, IA (IRN) – A Minnesota-based contractor might have to pay more than $800,000 in fines for a major construction error and subsequent delays in one of the state’s largest and most expensive bridge projects. KCCI-TV reports that the $23 million flyover bridge at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Highway 30 in Ames has been delayed and had to be rebuilt after it was discovered that a math error led to the six piers and each of the ramps being built incorrectly. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Ayana, the female black rhino at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, is pregnant again. The zoo estimates the calf’s due date is February 25th. The black rhino is a critically endangered mammal, hunted nearly to extinction for its ivory horns. There are only a few hundred of them left living in the wild and a few hundred more at zoos across the globe. The zoo will hold a contest to name the baby.

BUCHANAN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A northern Iowa driver is dead after a collision Tuesday. The Iowa State Patrol says Bailey N. Devries, 22 of Hardy, was driving a car east on Highway 20 in Buchanan County, lost control, slid through the median, and was hit by a westbound semi. He died at the scene. LE MARS, IA (IRN) – A woman charged in the death of her baby that was found dead in a maggot infested diaper in his baby swing has been found guilty of murder. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 21-year-old Cheyanne Harris was convicted on first-degree murder and child endangerment on Wednesday. An autopsy revealed the boy died of malnutrition, dehydration and an E. coli infection. KEOKUK, IA (IRN) – A Keokuk man has been charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a woman. WQAD-TV reports officers found the stabbing victim, 27-year-old Carlove Sackman, and took her to a nearby hospital where she died from her injuries. 24-year-old Adam Golden McCain was charged in her death. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – Authorities have arrested a central Iowa man after they said he tried to entice a 14-year-old girl to have sex with him. KCCI-TV reports Joseph Itani, 20, of Urbandale, has been charged with enticing a minor under 16 for a sexual purpose, a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison. He committed the crime on Facebook. SHELDON, IA (IRN) – A rapidly growing business in the northwestern Iowa town of Sheldon is adding a manufacturing facility. It marks the third major expansion for Maintainer in the past four years. Maintainer produces truck bodies and employs nearly 220 people between its Sheldon and Rock Rapids locations.

POLK CITY, IA (IRN) – A city administrator in central Iowa has been accused of domestic abuse, according to KCCI-TV. 65-year-old Gary Mahannah is charged with domestic abuse assault, first offense. Mahannah is city administrator for Polk City. A police officer says Mahannah acknowledged slapping his wife twice during a physical confrontation in their garage after they argued about destruction of something his children had given him. The officer also says Mahannah’s wife was upset, crying and appeared intoxicated. ELDORA, IA (IRN) – An Ackley woman accused of confining her boyfriend’s 8-year-old son under a basement staircase without light, food or bedding recorded evidence of torture on video. The Des Moines Register reports the video is part of the state’s case against Traci Lynn Tyler. Tyler, 40, and her boyfriend, Alex Craig Shadlow, 30, were charged with first-degree kidnapping after the boy was “intentionally subjected to physical and mental torture” in the basement of the couple’s home. BUCHANAN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A crash involving a car and a semi truck left one person dead in Buchanan County, according to the Iowa State Patrol. A 2006 Chevy Impala was traveling eastbound on Highway 20 when it lost control and crossed the median into the westbound lanes. It collided with a semi that was traveling westbound. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – On Tuesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds spoke out in support of a proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would add language that says that nothing in the constitution secures or protects the right to an abortion. The proposal will be discussed today by a legislative subcommittee. If the amendment passes, it would give legislators the ability to ban or restrict abortions. IOWA (IRN) – Much of central and southeastern Iowa is in the grip of an ice storm. Officials urge caution while travelling, and wind chills may cause frostbite in minutes. There is also the possibility of power outages, as freezing drizzle may bring down power lines.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa agreed Monday to pay $4.1 million to settle claims from two women who say they were repeatedly sexually harassed by a former state director. The two accused former Finance Authority Director Dave Jamison of lewd and offensive behavior. CORRECTIONVILLE, IA (IRN) – Fire departments in and around the northwest Iowa town of Correctionville battled flames in extremely cold weather at a body shop overnight. Flames were visible when first responders arrived. At least seven different fire departments helped fight the blaze. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City Democrat is proposing that the state legalize and regulate marijuana the same way it does beer or liquor. Sen. Joe Bolkcom says “It’s time for Iowa to end marijuana prohibition.” Bolkcom admits that the measure has “about zero” chance of passing the Republican-controlled Legislature. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa lawmakers are considering a new bill that could increase penalties for hurting or killing animals in the state, especially eagles. The current penalty for harming an eagle is $50. If passed, it would raise that penalty to $2,500. The bill also increases the fine for hurting or killing elk, antelope, buffalo, or moose to $2,500. IOWA (IRN) – Iowa and Iowa State men’s basketball teams moved up in both major polls released Monday. The Cyclones moved up four spots to 16th in the USA TODAY Coaches’ Poll and up three slots to No. 17 in the Associated Press rankings after home wins over West Virginia and Texas. Iowa took advantage of its thumping of then-No. 5 Michigan 74-59 on Friday. The result was a move up to No. 20 in both polls.