Iowa Radio News

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A Dubuque man is facing multiple charges after police say he assaulted three officers. KCRG-TV reports 42-year-old Andrew Walker became violent Tuesday night when officers responded to a report of domestic abuse at his home. Walker allegedly resisted arrest and punched an officer in the head. Walker was pepper-sprayed and arrested. During the struggle, a second officer sustained a shoulder injury. Later on at the jail he head-butted a third officer in the face. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A man robbed a Wells Fargo bank in Des Moines on Thursday, according to KCCI-TV. He passed the teller a note that said, “I am going to rob Wells Fargo. Please cooperate put all money in a bag. I am armed, so please cooperate.” It was signed, “a loyal customer.” The money was placed on the counter and the man grabbed it and ran out the front entrance, leaving a wooden steak knife, a yellow notepad, and black pen behind. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa authorities have charged a Minnesota woman with counterfeiting prescriptions. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that 27-year-old Jenna Fuhrmann, of Webster, Minnesota, faces three felony counts of prohibited acts. Court documents say Fuhrmann illegally filled a total of 22 counterfeit prescriptions in Mason City from August 2014 through this month. The documents say the prescriptions used the name of a Minnesota doctor. KALONA, IA (IRN) – Washington County authorities have issued an Amber Alert for a missing 17-year-old girl. Police are searching for Dominique Nicole Lloyd of Kalona. The alleged abductor is believed to be 24-year-old Micheal Brad Knuth. Lloyd was reported missing Saturday and was recently spotted in Georgia. Knuth is a registered sex offender, and has apparently violated a no-contact order with the victim. The two are believed to be in Georgia or Florida. FAYETTE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A teenager is in the hospital after the driver of an ATV he was a passenger in crashed and rolled the vehicle into a ditch in rural Fayette County. KCRG-TV reports the two juveniles involved were ages 13 and 14 and are from Hawkeye. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Texas man accused of helping a lottery computer manager in Iowa collect jackpots from rigged lottery games has given up an extradition fight to face charges in Iowa. KCCI-TV reports Robert Rhodes, of Sugar Land, Texas, reported to the Polk County jail Thursday to face lottery fraud charges. Rhodes was booked and released on bond. He’s a friend of former Multi-State Lottery Association technology manager Eddie Tipton, convicted last year for manipulating Iowa Hot Lotto computers. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in Johnston has provided centralized training for city police, county deputies, and more since 1967. And nearly 50 years later, it needs an upgrade, according to director Judy Bradshaw. WHO-TV reports the building has black mold, leaks, and is too small. Bradshaw says it should be demolished and rebuilt. LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One adult and two children were hospitalized after a crash led to a car fire in rural Linn County yesterday. KWWL-TV reports a semi driven by 52-year-old Randal Vanamburg, of Monticello, pulled out from a stop sign and was struck by a car driven by 22-year-old Kourtney Isaac, of Cedar Rapids. Isaac’s car started on fire as a result, but was quickly put out. All are expected to recover.

AMES, IA (IRN) – An armed robbery occurred at an apartment in the Campustown area of Ames Wednesday. KCCI-TV reports four people entered an unlocked door while holding a rifle and handguns. The robbers forced open several locked bedroom doors and took electronic devices and a wallet before running out. One of the men was wearing a red bandana over his face while the other males were wearing ski masks and hoodies. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A man convicted of murder in an August 2014 shooting wants a new trial because he did not have an interpreter to explain testimony in Spanish. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports a Black Hawk County jury convicted 38-year-old Rodolfo Gonzalez of first-degree murder for shooting and killing Celio Posada outside El Senor Tequila Nightclub in Waterloo. CRESTON, IA (IRN) – Severe weather hit western Iowa yesterday. A confirmed tornado was seen near Creston just before 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Funnel clouds were reported near Clarinda and Riverton, and touchdowns were seen near Hepburn and Stanton. No injuries have been reported, and damage is being assessed. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police are investigating a homicide that happened in a Des Moines alley late Wednesday afternoon. WHO-TV reports several callers told police they heard multiple gunshots and saw a person on the ground. A 17-year-old victim was shot in the torso. He later died. Police believe there could have been as many as three shooters involved. Neighbors heard about nine gunshots. No arrests have been made. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines police have charged a high school student for carrying a concealed weapon at school, according to KCCI-TV. 18-year-old Malik Mandujano was arrested after authorities discovered he had the gun concealed while attending Scavo High School downtown. Police said they don’t believe students were in danger but consider it a serious offense. Mandujano is charged with possession of a firearm on school property. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A 9-year-old boy is alive and well after his mother allegedly attempted to take his life and hers, thanks to a Waterloo Police Officer. KWWL-TV reports officer Tim Everett came upon the struggle near the edge of the Cedar River just in time to save both their lives. The boy told police that his mom told him that ‘they were going down to river and then they were going to heaven.’ As the boy was being dragged to the river bank, he cried for help, and Everett heard him. Everett says he was just at the right place at the right time. To the family and the community, he’s a hero.

DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – A Dubuque man gave an underage girl marijuana, then sexually assaulted her, according to KDTH-TV. 44-year-old Alfred Lucius has been charged with Distributing Drugs to an Underage Person and Third Degree Sexual Abuse. A woman called police after her 14-year-old daughter told her about an encounter with Lucius, who the girl knew as “Big Al.” The girl told police that Lucius invited her into his apartment to smoke marijuana, and then allegedly sexually assaulted her. He stopped when another person came to the door. WILLIAMSBURG, IA (IRN) – Williamsburg High School was under a lockdown Wednesday morning after the school’s principal received threats. The Iowa City Press-citizen reports the school received a call from a student saying that “he wanted to shoot up the school and cause a bus to crash.” The student was picked up and charged with threat of terrorism. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids man has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for strangling his wife, according to KWWL-TV. 45-year-old Shawn Crowley pled guilty after prosecutors lowered the charges. He was sentenced for voluntary manslaughter, kidnapping, stalking, and for being a felon with a firearm. Authorities say he and 39-year-old Chantele Crowley got into an argument and he used his bare hands to kill her in their Cedar Rapids mobile home. OSAGE, IA (IRN) – A June trial has been scheduled for a man accused of kidnapping and injuring a woman last month. KCCI-TV reports 23-year-old Nicholas Lenz from the northern Iowa town of Mitchell has pled not guilty to charges of kidnapping, willful injury, theft and other crimes. His trial is set to begin June 22 in Osage. Authorities say Lenz confined the woman at a residence, using zip ties and packaging tape, and punched her several times. OSAGE, IA (IRN) – An Osage teen convicted of killing his mother will be sentenced later this year, according to KIMT-TV. Noah Crooks was found guilty of second-degree murder for the 2012 death of his mother. Crooks shot his mother 22 times. Because he was 14 years old when convicted, Crooks was not sentenced and was instead sent to the Eldora State Training School for Boys until he turned 18. That will happen this year. His attorneys say they will ask for his release. The DA wants Crooks to be treated as an adult and be given 50 years behind bars. JESUP, IA (IRN) – Jesup police say they received a report of an attempted child abduction Monday night. KCRG-TV reports a man tried to abduct a small girl, who was at a playground near the soccer complex. The suspect was driving a red “sporty-type” car with a yellow stripe. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man showed up for a job interview to be a taxicab driver drunk, according to KCCI-TV. Ryan Dickson hoped to leave Trans Iowa with a new job Monday. Instead, Dickson left in handcuffs. He arrived, struck two vehicles with his car, and when dispatchers called police, he blew a .273, more than three times the legal limit. Dickson drank a fifth of vodka prior to his interview. MURRAY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa man may be the world’s longest living heart transplant recipient, according to WHO-TV. Ted Nowakowski of Murray didn’t think he’d see his 67th birthday, living about 33 years after receiving a heart transplant. After receiving it, Ted went on to work at the Murray high school for 30 years. He coached football, and taught art. After the transplant, he and his wife had two more children, and now have five grandchildren.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – A Waterloo man has been charged in a home burglary after police say they found his DNA inside gloves left at the scene. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports 40-year-old Robbie Siemens is charged with first-degree theft and third-degree burglary. Siemens broke into the home in May and stole jewelry, gold coin and over $40,000 in cash. He left two gloves behind at the scene. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Army National Guard is mobilizing a Johnston-based supply outfit for an Afghanistan support mission. Approximately 60 soldiers in the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion will be on active duty for about a year. They’ll spend some time training at Fort Hood, Texas, before flying overseas. AMES, IA (IRN) – An Ames man fell five stories off the top of the parking garage at Mary Greeley Medical Center on Monday, according to the Ames Tribune.The 37-year-old man’s identity has not yet been released. The man was taken by air ambulance to a Des Moines hospital for extensive injuries. The incident remains under investigation. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Two University of Iowa students went to the hospital in Missouri after falling from a balcony over the weekend, according to the Daily Iowan. The incident happened Saturday at the Lake of the Ozarks. The Delta Chi fraternity was holding a spring formal when a balcony holding a number of people collapsed. Both students are expected to be OK. STORY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Alexander Kozak has been found guilty of first degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Andrea Farrington at the Coral Ridge Mall on June 12, according to KCRG-TV. Kozak’s attorney attempted to argue during the two week trial that he suffered from a “mental defect” at the time of the shooting. The jury took just 90 minutes to deliberate the case. Kozak faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. He did not react when the verdict was read. NASHUA, IA (IRN) – One person was killed in a fatal crash near Nashua Monday. The Iowa State Patrol reports 21-year old Zachary Gueller of Mason City was driving a minivan on Highway 218 when the van got a flat tire. Gueller pulled onto the shoulder and got out of the van to fix the tire. A truck driven by 28-year-old Loren Musch of Clinton went onto the shoulder, hitting Gueller and the van. Gueller died. Three others in the minivan were hospitalized. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines skyline is about to change, according to KCCI-TV. A $100 million, 32-story building will replace the parking garage on 5th and Walnut streets downtown. Once it’s built, it will be the fourth-tallest building in Iowa. Plans for the building include high-rise residential units, more than 500 parking spaces, retail space and a nine-screen movie theater. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The actions of two Des Moines police officers received special recognition Monday at City Hall. Officers Michael DeMoss and Gretchen Rosendahl are credited with saving a man’s life after he was involved in a crash on his motorcycle. Matthew Brooks’ motorcycle collided with a car, and his leg was amputated in the crash. The two officers saved Brooks’ life by applying a tourniquet and treating his injuries until an ambulance arrived.

MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – The Marshalltown Fire Department is asking for the public’s help with a series of arson cases, according to KCCI-TV. Authorities say they have responded to six fires that were intentionally set. All the homes were abandoned or unoccupied at the time of the fires. GLIDDEN, IA (IRN) – A bicyclist has died after being struck by a pickup truck in western Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports that 60-year-old Joleen Stork was mountain biking Friday on a county road just north of Glidden when a pickup truck drove up behind her and struck the bicycle. Stork was thrown into a ditch and pronounced dead at the scene. Officials say the driver did not see Stork on her bike. AMES, IA (IRN) – The Navy’s newest Virginia Class attack submarine will be named the USS Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports this continues a military custom of having American warships with ties to Iowa, its communities and its military heroes. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus plans to visit Ames Wednesday to make the announcement official at a news briefing at Iowa State University. He will be joined by Gov. Terry Branstad and ISU President Steven Leath. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is envisioning a different look for Des Moines’ main waterways, according to WHO-TV. The proposal is seeking to remove downtown dams on the Des Moines River, which would make the river safe for kayakers and tubers. The plan also calls for the addition of natural boulders to allow for a whitewater course. FAYETTE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An Oelwein man was killed while turkey hunting Saturday. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports the shooting happened in Fayette County just north of Maynard. Dead is 63-year old Michael Adams. Someone in his hunting party fired a 12-gauge shotgun hitting Adams in the face and chest. The Iowa DNR is investigating. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A 19-year-old man accused of stabbing a Bettendorf High School classmate last April has pled guilty to a reduced assault charge in the case. The Quad-City Times reports Drew Romkey pled guilty on Friday to assault causing serious injury. Romkey stabbed 18-year-old Jacob Woodard four times in the stomach. Woodward survived. AMES, IA (IRN) – The Ames Police Department has taken 34 reports of car windows being shot out with BB guns in a spree of vandalism, according to WHO-TV. Police believe two juvenile suspects may be responsible but haven’t announced any arrests. MAQUOKETA, IA (IRN) – A program that offers new dentists help paying off their student loans is helping attract dentists to small towns in Iowa, according to KIMT-TV. Since the program started in 2002, 28 of the 31 dentists who received grants through the program have remained in Iowa. Delta Dental provides most of the grant money while the state and local communities add to the total. The state has designated 65 of Iowa’s 99 counties as being short on dentists.