Iowa Radio News

POSTVILLE, IA (IRN) – Emergency responders had to airlift a 38-year-old man to the hospital after he crashed his semi near Postville Sunday, according to KCCI-TV. Michael Duffield of Postville was driving north when he crossed the centerline and went into the ditch. They say that’s when he hit a driveway and the semi rolled. A passenger in the semi, 55-year-old Claude Jones of Waukon, suffered injuries. CENTRAL CITY, IA (IRN) – Two people were killed in a Linn County collision on Saturday according to KCCI-TV. A truck collided with a car in Central City, killing the car driver and a passenger in the truck. The truck driver and a 1-year-old child in the car were hospitalized. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids man is facing theft and fraud charges after he tried to cash a fraudulent check last week. The Iowa City Press Citizen reports 27-year-old Eric Clark Jr., tried to cash the $17,000 check at a credit union location in Iowa City. The business owner from North Liberty said he did not write the check to Clark, although it is made out to him. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Bail has been set at $1 million for a 20-year-old Davenport man accused of fatally shooting his parents in their home. The Quad-City Times reports Sean Michael Freese is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of 58-year-old Kevin Freese and 57-year-old Donna Freese. Police say he planned the killings, but have not discussed a motive. AURORA, IA (IRN) – A 55-year-old man from the northeastern Iowa town of Aurora faces multiple charges after he fired shots toward law enforcement officers during a two-hour standoff. KCRG-TV reports Dennis Chamberlain was threatening a woman with a weapon when officers arrived, and he shot at them. A negotiator was brought in, and Chamberlain was taken into custody two hours later. No one was hurt. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Four juveniles were injured and the driver charged in a car crash in Davenport, according to WQAD-TV. 25-year-old Trevor Henderson’s car fishtailed on a gravel road, went into the ditch and became airborne before finally landing in a corn field. Henderson was driving recklessly at high speed. He faces multiple charges, including child endangerment. URBANDALE, IA (IRN) – A Dowling Catholic High School senior is hoping to sway the opinions of Urbandale city leaders to allow bee-keeping within city limits. WHO-TV reports Clare Heinrich is a beekeeper, and she was informed by the city of Urbandale bees were “livestock,” and she couldn’t have them in the city limits. Heinrich says bees are going extinct, and we need to help them. Seven species of bees were placed on the endangered species list last week.

BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A Burlington man has been found dead in a home and police say the death is suspicious, according to WQAD-TV. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa DCI Crime Lab have been called in to help Burlington detectives with the investigation. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City man has been found guilty of attempted murder in the shooting of a police officer. The Sioux City Journal reports a jury found 19-year-old Isaiah Mothershed guilty Friday of two counts of attempted murder and four counts of first-degree robbery. Mothershed pulled a gun from a couch while his hands were handcuffed behind his back and shot Officer Ryan Moritz in a leg while being arrested. OTTUMWA, IA (IRN) – Ottumwa Police have arrested three men after a robbery on Wednesday. KTVO-TV reports an 18-year-old man from the state of Washington who had only been in Ottumwa for a week was robbed. His items have been recovered. The three arrested are from Ottumwa. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Republican leaders in Iowa say they are still supporting GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump after Friday’s release of a 2005 recording of his vulgar remarks about women. KCCI-TV reports at the 2016 Reagan Dinner Saturday night, Gov. Terry Branstad said it was wrong of Trump to say what he did but he still supports the Republican ticket top to bottom. The most recent polling has Trump leading Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton by four points in Iowa.

MUSCATINE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The National Weather Service reports that the storm that blew through Muscatine County Thursday was likely an EF-1 tornado. The tornado was 30 yards wide and traveled a 9.5 mile path just after 10 p.m. It lasted from 10:07 p.m. until 10:18 p.m., starting four miles northwest of Muscatine and ending four miles south-southwest of Durant. The tornado caused damage mostly to crops and trees. One hog farm had two outbuildings destroyed. UNION COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A 22-month-old child died this week in an accident involving a skid loader that was being driven by his father, according to KCCI-TV. The Union County Sheriff’s Department said Calab Brammar Jr. was sitting on his father’s lap on the skid loader and either fell or jumped to the ground. He died at the scene. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A fire broke out at an ethanol plant in Council Bluffs yesterday, according to KETV. Reports are the fire started when a tanker on a semi-truck was either loading or unloading. One person was life-flighted from the scene. The plant, Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, plant produces 110 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol every year. It also produces distiller’s grain and corn oil. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – There’s been an increase in the number of panhandlers and complaints about them in Cedar Rapids. KCRG-TV reports the city council is working on an ordinance that would limit locations where panhandling will be allowed. The ordinance would ban panhandling at intersections with stoplights, exits off of interstates, ATM machines, public buses and in parking ramps. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Two Urbandale police officers were honored in Washington D.C. Thursday. WHO-TV reports officers Curt Vajgrt and Andrew Dobbins were among the recipients of Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s Awards for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. The men were recognized for implementing a program for students. The “Culture of Integrity” program focuses on bullying, social media, personal safety, and achieving success.

CENTERVILLE, IA (IRN) – A man reported missing from Centerville three years ago was recently found when he was pulled over by a police officer in Arizona. The Daily Iowegian Reports 43-year-old Shannon Michael Nail was reported missing in late 2013. He was pulled over by police in Show Low, Arizona in September. He told family he was going to a temporary job in New Mexico, but he never came back or contacted them. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police were called to an armed robbery at a Star gas station in Des Moines this morning, according to KCCI-TV. The robber, who was armed with a handgun, demanded cash, put the money in his pocket, and fled. FORT MADISON, IA (IRN – The Fort Madison police chief has resigned, two days after he began his job. The Burlington Hawk Eye reports Kenneth Rosa resigned late Tuesday, saying he had to deal with a family situation and must quit his job to return to East Hartford, Connecticut, where his wife and two children live. Rosa had been sworn in as police chief Monday morning. City Manager David Varley called Rosa’s decision “quite a shock” but wished him well. ST. LUCAS, IA (IRN) – The remains of a Navy chaplain have been returned to his home in Iowa nearly 75 years after he died during the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports Chaplain Aloysius Schmitt from the northeastern Iowa town of St. Lucas was aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma when the attack happened. The Navy announced in September that Schmitt’s remains had been identified. He’ll be buried in Dubuque Saturday. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids Police say be careful the next time you use an ATM. KCRG-TV reports numerous area banks and credit unions have seen a recent rise in fraud cases from ATM skimmers. The devices are often placed on top of the card reader at ATMs or other places that take cards. Police suggest looking for any unusual or loose attachments, or better yet, use cash. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Four Iowa men will serve shorter prison sentences after President Barack Obama granted them clemency Thursday. Nationwide, 102 offenders were given reduced sentences. Most had committed nonviolent drug crimes. Obama has commuted 774 inmate sentences, more than the previous 11 presidents put together. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowans and former Iowans are in the path of Hurricane Matthew in Florida. KCCI-TV reports Joy Hein moved from West Des Moines to Daytona six months ago because she couldn’t stand Iowa winters. Hein admits blizzards are nothing compared to a hurricane. She says, “Blizzards are a lot less scary. You know you’re going to be OK. You don’t know this with a hurricane.”

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Early voting is underway in Iowa, and some have already mailed their ballots in — but they can’t be counted. KWWL-TV reports both Dubuque and Black Hawk Counties say some people who are mailing in their absentee ballots are missing an important step. They’re forgetting to sign the back of the envelope. Both counties plan to contact the voters that did not properly sign their return envelope. FOREST CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa farm worker died earlier this week after falling roughly 30 feet inside a silo. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports the fatal fall happened Monday morning at Branstad Farms near Forest City. 46-year-old Julian Martinez died at the farm after the fall. The sheriff’s office says the death appears to have been an accident. The farm is owned by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s brother, “Monte” Branstad. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Investigators are searching for clues in the shooting deaths of a Davenport couple early Wednesday. WQAD-TV reports police found the bodies of 58-year-old Kevin Freese and his wife, 57-year-old Donna Freese inside their house. 20-year-old Sean Freese has been arrested and charged with two counts of first degree murder. His relationship to the deceased has not been released by authorities. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A former Iowa State Patrol trooper accused of stealing drugs has pled guilty. KIMT-TV reports 32-year-old Michael Haugen of Forest City removed prescription medication from evidence bags and then altered the label on the bags to cover up the theft. AMES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Board of Regents will review whether Iowa State University President Steven Leath and other employees have been following policies that bar the use of equipment and official travel for personal business. According to the Associated Press, Leath acknowledged that he flew one of the planes himself on four trips that mixed personal and official business. While returning home from one vacation last year, he suffered a hard landing that caused damage to the plane. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – For Des Moines police, the creepy clown scares started Tuesday with an online round of threats targeting Harding Middle School. KCCI-TV reports police quickly identified the student who sent it and determined there was no real threat. The incident sparked copycats and officers looked into at least six similar cases Wednesday. Police say they are wasting a lot of resources investigating.