Iowa Radio News

AMES, IA (IRN) – A 21-year-old Iowa State University student suffered serious injuries when he jumped off the roof of the Delta Delta Delta sorority house in Ames, according to KCCI-TV. Officers were called out to the house on a report of a man on the roof. When they went up the fire escape, they heard a noise and it was the man hitting the ground. Matthew Beth of Ames, was taken by air ambulance to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines and is in critical condition. Police believe he was drunk. KEOTA, IA (IRN) – The roof of the Keota High School gymnasium caught fire on the fourth of July, according to KCII-Radio. The fire created a 15 by 20 foot hole in the rubber roof of the gymnasium. The cause of the fire in under investigation. AMES, IA (IRN) – Ames police say there has been a run of vehicle vandalism in their city. KCCI-TV reports 18 vehicles parked on the street or in driveways were hit. Residents woke up Monday to their cars damaged. Most of the vehicles had tires slashed but broken mirrors and keyed cars were also reported. NORTH ENGLISH, IA (IRN) – A fire destroyed a building in North English Monday and caused heavy smoke damage to the pharmacy next door. KCRG-TV reports the building was engulfed when firefighters arrived. The cause is under investigation. No one was hurt, but some pets were lost. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa DNR reports that more than 700 vessels containing more than 2,200 boaters were contacted as part of Operation Dry Water last weekend. The operation was part of a drunken boating crackdown. 227 citations or warnings were issued, with most of the citations for not having the proper safety equipment onboard. 10 boating while intoxicated arrests were made. One-third of all boating fatalities nationally involve alcohol. TRUMPLANDIA, EARTH (IRN) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is reportedly being considered as a potential running mate to Donald Trump. Trump tweeted that he is meeting with her today. It’s unclear if Ernst is interested in the position. PLANET JUPITER (IRN) – A little piece of Iowa landed on Jupiter yesterday, according to KCCI-TV. The solar-powered Juno spacecraft is on the final leg of a five-year, 1.8 billion-mile trip to the largest planet in our solar system. An instrument onboard the probe was designed and built at the University of Iowa. The “Waves” instrument will analyze Jupiter’s auroras, which are about 1,000 times more intense than Earth’s Northern Lights.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – One man is in the hospital after an early morning shooting in Davenport, according to WQAD-TV. Investigators determined the man had been in an argument prior to the shooting. Shell casings were recovered at the scene. No arrests have been made. MT. VERNON, IA (IRN) – A 21-year-old Mt. Vernon man is in the hospital with serious injuries after an ATV crash. KCRG-TV reports John Philipp lost control of the ATV, hit a fence, causing it to roll over and pin him to the ground. First responders took him by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. PLEASANT HILL, IA (IRN) – Police are investigating a string of 13 car burglaries that happened overnight in Pleasant Hill Thursday, according to WOI-TV. In every case the cars were left unlocked. Individuals are walking through the community, and trying car doors and if the car is found to be open, then they rummage through the vehicle. Police say lock your car, and don’t leave anything valuable in it. GREELEY, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa woman is dead after an incident with a homemade cannon Saturday night in Greeley, according to KGAN-TV. The victim, 55-year-old Lori Heims, of Edgewood, was with friends in the backyard of a home, when they loaded and fired a homemade cannon. When the cannon fired, the rear portion of the barrel blew out, sending fragments flying. One of the fragments hit Heims in the head, causing the deadly injury. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – One person was killed Sunday in a single-vehicle crash just after 2:30 a.m. in Des Moines. KCCI-TV reports 24-year-old Dawood Nega and 23-year-old Bill Saywonson crashed into a traffic signal pole after Nega lost control. They were pulled from the car by witnesses just before it caught fire. Nega was hospitalized and Saywonson died on the scene. Coincidentally, one of the men who pulled them from the fiery crash was a friend. CERRO GORDO CO., IA (IRN) – One person was taken to the hospital after an ATV rollover in Cerro Gordo County. KIMT-TV reports 40-year-old Brian Fessler was driving the ATV with two passengers, ages 9 and 12. The Polaris rolled while going up a steep hill. The two minors were not hurt, but Fessler was hospitalized. MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – A World War II Navy veteran celebrated his 95th birthday in Marshalltown yesterday, according to WHO-TV. Joe Simms was born just hours before the fourth of July in 1921. Simms is still active. At his party he danced and sang — things his family says he’s done his entire life. His words of wisdom for us? “The most important thing is love. If you’ve never had love, you’ve missed everything,” he said. “Life is too hard not to love each other.”

FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Safety has released the identity of the man shot and killed by police during a Wednesday bank robbery. The individual killed in the bank robbery at the Fort Madison Bank and Trust Co. has been identified as 37-year-old Lafayette Evans of Nashville, Tennessee. Evans died from a single gunshot wound to the chest. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – Authorities are offering a $250 reward for the return of two guns stolen from a Mason City police vehicle late last month. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that Crime Stoppers of North Central Iowa announced the reward Friday. The department seeks the return of a semi-automatic M16 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun. Police have fingerprint evidence that may be related to the theft. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A boating crash Friday night caused a vessel to sink to the bottom of the Missouri River near Council Bluffs, according to KETV. Two people were rescued from the water by people in a third boat. Those rescued were not wearing life jackets, and alcohol was not a factor in the collision. The DNR is investigating. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police have arrested a Des Moines man suspected of robbing of a taxi driver. The Des Moines Register reports that 34-year-old Landon Paul Dawson is charged with second-degree robbery. The cab driver says he picked up Dawson from a casino around 3:30 a.m. Friday, who said he had “hit it big” and wanted change for a $100 bill for a tip. The driver says when he pulled out $50, Dawson grabbed the money and ran, leaving his ID behind.

MEMPHIS, TN (IRN) – Authorities in Memphis, Tennessee, say they have arrested and obtained murder indictments for two men suspected in the January shooting death of an Iowa man traveling through the city. KCRG-TV reports 48-year-old Lonnie Ludvigson of Edgewood was driving a truck for a shipping company when he stopped in Memphis on Jan. 9. Four masked men approached his truck, robbed him and shot him. An 18-year-old and 19-year-old are in custody. CASEY, IA (IRN) – A woman and two dogs died in a house fire in Casey Friday, according to Raccoon Valley Radio. A male occupant of the house attempted to rescue the female, but was unsuccessful and suffered significant burns. A concrete crew pouring a patio at the back of the house also attempted a rescue, but failed. Names haven’t been released. The cause of the fire had not been determined. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – A former Ankeny High School teacher is facing sexual exploitation charges for an alleged relationship with a former student, according to WHO-TV. 27-year-old Amanda Dreier turned herself in Friday. Responding to an unrelated call, police found Dreier and an 18-year-old male in a vehicle in a parking lot. Officers questioned them and discovered Dreier and the male, a recent student of hers, were involved in an ongoing sexual relationship. She resigned June 13. NORTH LIBERTY, IA (IRN) – An eastern Iowa man is on a terrorists “kill list.” KGAN-TV reports Kevin Watts of North Liberty was notified by the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the North Liberty Police Department at the request of the FBI. Some lists apparently target random civilians. CLAYTON, IA (IRN) – A semi crashed into the Mississippi river Friday in the town of Clayton after the driver took a wrong turn and lost control. KWWL-TV reports 46-year-old Dean Hinton, of Wellsburg lost control of the semi, jumped the railroad tracks, and crashed the semi into the river, where it quickly submerged. Hinton freed himself, and yelled for help, saying he couldn’t swim. He was pulled out of the river by two residents of Clayton. He’s OK. FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Rick Friday, a newspaper cartoonist fired after a company pulled their ads over a cartoon slamming big business in farming, is back drawing cartoons for the very newspaper that fired him. KCCI-TV reports Friday was fired two months ago when his editor at Farm News said he was cutting off their 21-year relationship after a seed company, offended by Friday’s cartoon, pulled their ads. Farm News has now apologized for the firing.

KANSAS CITY, MO (IRN) – A civil lawsuit is proceeding against a suspended Missouri State Highway Patrol officer who was transporting a handcuffed Iowa suspect when he fell out of a boat and drowned, according to KCCI-TV. Trooper Anthony Piercy’s patrol boat hit speeds of around 40 mph in 2014 while he transported Brandon Ellingson for a breath test. Ellingson tumbled into the Lake of the Ozarks wearing an improperly secured life vest. The vest slipped off, and Piercy was unable to save Ellingson. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A Council Bluffs couple faces child neglect charges after their three children tested positive for methamphetamine. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Craig and Crystal McConnell face multiple charges. The children’s hair follicles tested positive for meth. The children have been removed from the home and are safe. The parents are in jail. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A new state law has tougher penalties for littering or illegally dumping waste or garbage. WHO-TV reports starting today, people dumping items weighing more than 10 pounds or larger than 15 cubic feet could face a fine beginning at $1,000 for the first offense, $2,000 for a second violation and $3,000 for a third or subsequent offense. IOWA COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Three people, including two children, died in a crash in Iowa County yesterday. KWWL-TV reports the crash happened near Marengo. Authorities say an SUV Renee Jones was driving went off the shoulder and over corrected, crossing the centerline. An SUV driven by Kimberly Stevenson collided with Jones’ SUV. Both drivers were injured, as was a 9-year-old passenger, Lana Coon. 42-year old Marilyn Coon died. So did 14-year-old Hailey Cruise and 11-year-old Cherokee Niemann. All three are from Williamsburg. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The actions of Des Moines police officers likely saved the life of a man who was stabbed overnight, according to WHO-TV. Police were called to the YMCA Supportive Housing Campus around midnight on a report of a stabbing. Two residents were arguing when one man stabbed another with a pair of scissors. The man suffered a stab wound to his arm so serious, it severed an artery. 27-year-old Cory Hogan was charged in the stabbing. AMES, IA (IRN) – Some Ames residents are outraged after they claimed a racist display was imprudently placed at a well-attended public event. KCCI-TV reports a vendor displayed the Confederate flag during Ames Main Street Bike Night last week, sparking controversy. The Main Street Cultural District apologized for the display and said they’re reviewing their policies. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A range of bills signed into law this year by Gov. Terry Branstad are taking effect today. KCRG-TV reports measures set to take effect include laws aimed at criminal justice reform. One law will make most juvenile delinquency records in Iowa confidential unless otherwise ordered by a judge. Another law will allow certain non-violent drug offenders in Iowa to be eligible for parole after they serve at least half of their mandatory minimum sentence.