Iowa Radio News

CAMBRIDGE, IA (IRN) – Two women were sent to the hospital after their car was hit by a train Saturday in Story County. KCCI-TV reports it’s unclear what caused the crash, but the train struck the car, sending it 30 feet onto its top, destroying it. The driver had to be extricated. The women, ages 26 and 30, were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. SHUEYVILLE, IA (IRN) – The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report of shots fired near Shueyville, according to KGAN-TV. They responded to a report of two people shooting at each other. It was actually one man who was shooting at an embankment, who then left. The man left his gun behind, and officers recovered it. The investigation is ongoing. MUSCATINE, IA (IRN) – A Muscatine Police officer was transported to the hospital after being involved in a car crash early Saturday. The collision was between a Muscatine Police squad car and a tractor/trailer. The officer faces non-life threatening injuries. AMES, IA (IRN) – Freshman Cameron Lard scored 18 points and Iowa State cruised past No. 8 Texas Tech 70-52 on Saturday, its first win over a ranked opponent this season. The Cyclones are 2-5 in the Big 12, and 11-7 overall.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – New data show Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds raised more money last year than all her gubernatorial challengers. The Republican governor collected more than $3.7 million in 2017. Fred Hubbell, a businessman seeking the Democratic nomination alongside six others, raised over $3 million in the same period. Ron Corbett, a former Cedar Rapids mayor challenging Reynolds in the Republican primary, raised more than $844,000. NEWTON, IA (IRN) – An Ankeny man has been found guilty of kidnapping and sexually abusing a girl in Jasper County. The Courier reports that a jury on Friday found 57-year-old Jeff Lee Altmayer guilty. Altmayer was arrested after approaching a 12-year-old girl and her friend in Colfax in 2016. He offered them $100 to come to his home in Des Moines and do yard work. The 12-year-old got into his car, where Altmayer assaulted her. Altmayer is also awaiting charges for similar incidents in other cities. He faces life in prison. SACRAMENTO, CA (IRN) – The governor of California has blocked parole for Leslie Van Houten, the youngest follower of Charles Manson. KWWL-TV reports Houten was from Waterloo. She’s behind bars for murder and conspiracy tied to the crimes orchestrated by Manson in 1969. STORY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa legislator was released from jail Friday after police arrested him on suspicion of drunken driving and possessing a firearm while under the influence. Republican State Rep. Francis “Chip” Baltimore was arrested around 3:30 a.m. Friday in Ames after police say he was going 25 mph under the speed limit and weaving between lanes. The 51-year-old lawmaker recorded a blood alcohol level of nearly twice the legal limit. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The University of Iowa Dance Marathon announced a $2 million gift commitment to establish the University of Iowa Dance Marathon Chair in Pediatric Oncology. KGAN-TV reports the gift marks the first student-funded chair in the history of the University of Iowa and will fund a faculty position to lead the pediatric cancer research program.

OMAHA, NE (IRN) – A woman who worked for the Child Saving Institute in Omaha has been accused of having sex with a 17-year-old boy who was staying at the institute’s shelter. KETV reports 23-year-old Hanna Dickerson of Neola has been charged with sexual abuse of a dependent. FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – An inmate attacked a guard at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison Thursday, inflicting scratches and bruises. The assault occurred when the guard was searching the inmate’s cell. The guard and a colleague quickly gained control of the situation. The inmate was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City for treatment. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – A Johnston man is facing a charge of attempted murder for an incident that happened Wednesday night at a bar in Urbandale. WHO-TV reports 48-year-old Rodney Henricksen allegedly severely injured another man. The victim is in the hospital, and Henricksen is in jail. BETTENDORF, IA (IRN) – Two Bettendorf police officers have been charged with OWI while they were off duty. KWQC-TV reports on October 15th, Ryan Thompson crashed a pickup into a power pole. He admitted he had been drinking and fell asleep. In a separate case, Bettendorf Sgt. Doug Scott was charged with OWI in Overland Park, Kansas. He was in a Bettendorf city vehicle. Both men are still employed as police officers. INDIANOLA, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Corrections has ordered the Warren County Jail to close its doors by Feb. 2. They cite a multitude of issues including mold, inmates escaping, a major bed shortage and security problems in their decision. In 2016, voters in Warren County rejected a $35 million dollar bond referendum to build a new justice center and jail. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A student group is asking a judge to force the University of Iowa to allow them back on campus. KCRG-TV reports the group, Business Leaders in Christ, say the university unfairly kicked them out because they didn’t let a gay man be a group leader. The University of Iowa says groups can’t discriminate, as it’s a public institution. Business Leaders in Christ says that aspect of university rules stifles their religious freedom, which the constitution guarantees.

SIBLEY, IA (IRN) – A 39-year-old former football coach and teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child in northwest Iowa has been convicted of a similar crime in Nebraska. KGAN-TV reports Kyle Ewinger was found guilty Tuesday of sexual assault in Omaha. Prosecutors say he assaulted the 9-year-old son of a woman he was dating. The former Sibley-Ocheyedan coach was fired after the district superintendent found Ewinger sleeping in his classroom next to a 10-year-old in 2015. BREMER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An officer involved shooting has resulted in the death of a man in Bremer County. Officers responded to a report of a person with a gun pointed at his head in Floyd at Love’s Truck Stop. The man left, and was stopped in Nashua for speeding 104 mph. He got out of his car, and pointed a gun at his head. Officers negotiated with the man, he got back in his car, and a shot was fired. The man wasn’t hurt, and officers tried to take him into custody. He resisted, and drove forward, hitting an officer. Two officers fired shots and hit the suspect. He was pronounced dead at the scene. HANCOCK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Hancock County man is facing four counts of felony sexual abuse for incidents spanning from 2011 until August of 2017. KIMT-TV reports Damien Kyhl, of Britt, is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail without bond. Kyhl is accused of committing sex acts on persons under the age of 12. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man convicted of running a cockfighting operation out of his Des Moines home was handed a five-year suspended sentence, which animal advocates say is a slap on the wrist. KCCI-TV reports police raided Mariano Martinez Ramirez’s home in July and found 85 chickens and roosters believed to be used in cockfighting. DUBUQUE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A house in Dubuque County sustained about $200,000 damage in a fire Wednesday night. Four different fire departments fought the blaze. No people were injured, but the family dog perished in the fire. OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – ESPN will cover a professional eating contest in Ottumwa this summer. Competitors will line up to eat the loose meat sandwich called a “Canteen” from Ottumwa’s Canteen Alley restaurant. Contestants will have 10 minutes to down as many Canteens as they can for a $2,000 first place cash prize. Organizers are hoping to attract at least one celebrity to the eating contest, and are targeting Ottumwa’s own Tom Arnold or Iowa native Ashton Kutcher.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man was stabbed during a home invasion early this morning, according to the Des Moines Register. 21-year-old Julio Molina was stabbed in his home at a trailer park. A skinny white man wearing a black sweatshirt and bandana over his face forced himself inside Molina’s home, demanded money, and then stabbed him before leaving. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A Mason City man is facing a felony burglary charge after he was caught on a stolen bike wearing a stolen pink backpack. KIMT-TV reports police saw 22-year-old Joshuah Hockenson riding the stolen fat tire bike and wearing a pink backpack that was stolen from a vehicle. Hockenson had steel knuckles in his back pocket. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A suspicious death in Cedar Rapids is being treated as a homicide. KGAN-TV reports 18-year-old AnnaElise Edgeton died of a gunshot wound. Police found her inside her apartment where they were sent to check on her after she didn’t show up for work. WOODWARD, IA (IRN) – A Woodward woman is in jail on felony child endangerment charges. KCCI-TV reports 32-year-old Tracy Bess-Thacker injured her 10-year-old and infant. Thacker’s husband called 911 to say his wife was drunk and threatening them. Earlier, she punched a hole in the wall, and held her 10-year-old son down in a bathtub of cold water, and threatened to kill him if he told his dad. VINTON, IA (IRN) – Four children were living in the house in Vinton where the Cedar Valley Humane Society has removed about 1,000 animals. KCRG-TV reports there were rabbits, rats, mice, hedgehogs, chinchillas, turtles, fish, birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and a python. Many of the animals were malnourished, dehydrated, and living in overcrowded conditions in fecal matter. The children are with DHS. Neighbors say they didn’t notice anything unusual. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Tom and Janet Lloyd of Des Moines went to Hawaii to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary, according to WHO-TV. On one of the days during the trip there was a false ballistic missile threat. The couple found shelter and started texting family members as fast as they could, as phone lines were jammed. Relief set in when another alert came 38 minutes later; the original notification was a false alarm. Tom says, “it seemed like a day, it was the longest 38 minutes, but if it’s your time to go, there are a lot of worse places.”