Iowa Radio News

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City man is accused of threatening a woman with a machete Sunday morning. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports Iowa City police were called to a residence for a domestic incident. Officers learned that the suspect, 24-year-old Jorge Maldonado, was inside with a knife and a one-year-old child. The female victim was outside the residence. Maldonado allegedly forced the woman against a bed, held the machete against her throat and said he was going to kill her. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City McDonald’s was robbed Monday morning. KWWL-TV reports an employee was approached by a male suspect as they prepared to open for business. The suspect asked the employee to give him money, and then fled the scene. No one was injured. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Workforce Development announced Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continued to drop in November, falling to 3.4 percent from 3.5 percent in October. The state’s jobless rate was nearly one full percentage point below one year ago, with an additional 8,400 nonfarm jobs added. The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 5.0 percent. HASTINGS, IA (IRN) – A father and son were rescued from icy water Sunday while deer hunting in Mills County. 49-year-old Terry Garvey and his 13-year-old son Montana Garvey of Macedonia were wading across a creek while deer hunting, breaking through thin ice as they walked. The water became progressively deeper until it was about waist deep, causing the two to experience cramping and to call for help. They were pulled to shore with ropes. SPENCER, IA (IRN) – A Spencer High School wrestler has died after collapsing at a weekend wrestling tournament. KCCI-TV reports Austin Roberts died Saturday night. Roberts wrestled at the 220-pound weight class, and he was ranked sixth in the state in Class 3A. The 6-foot-4 Roberts also played on the offensive and defensive line for the Spencer High football team. The cause of death is unknown. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids firefighters found a woman dead at the scene of a mobile home fire Sunday evening. KCRG-TV reports when firefighters arrived they found the back half of the home in flames. During a search-and-rescue operation, crews found a woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police in Des Moines continue to look for the person they say shot a private investigator this weekend. WHO-TV reports Michael Narin of Ankeny says he was following an individual into Prospect Park late Friday night. He says as he got out of his car to break up a fight someone shot him in the stomach. He says the shooter then took off in a vehicle. ANKENY, IA (IRN) – Perfection is possible, especially for Ankeny senior Matthew Brucker, who scored perfect scores on both the ACT and SAT according to KCCI-TV. Fewer than 1 percent of test takers score a perfect score on either test. He hasn’t picked a college yet, but he plans to study computer engineering. Brucker said he never expected perfect scores and that he’s “just another student.”

APPANOOSE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An early Saturday morning accident resulted in the death of a man in rural Appanoose County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 22-year-old Lucas Buban of Centerville lost control of his vehicle and failed to make a turn. The vehicle entered the ditch, flipped several times, and Buban was ejected. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Attorneys for a Dubuque man accused of fatally shooting his daughter say he was not fit to waive his Miranda rights when he was interviewed by authorities. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports 62-year-old Robert Stern is charged with first-degree murder after he repeatedly shot his 27-year-old daughter. Stern’s attorneys argue he wasn’t fit to waive his rights because of his physical, mental and emotional condition. . DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Police in Des Moines are investigating a Friday night shooting, according to WHO-TV. Officers were called to an auto body shop, but weren’t sure where the shooting took place exactly. The victim was shot in the abdomen but is expected to survive. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City bookstore employee is getting a holiday surprise from best-selling author James Patterson. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that Paul Ingram is one of 87 independent booksellers to receive an honorary holiday bonus from the novelist. Ingram works at Prairie Lights, a popular independent bookstore in downtown Iowa City. Patterson is known for his Alex Cross book series. He’s sold more than 300 million books worldwide.

FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – A southeastern Iowa woman is among 95 federal prisoners whose sentences for nonviolent crimes were shortened by President Obama on Friday. The Des Moines Register reports Gloria Louise James, formerly a Fort Madison resident, will finish her prison sentence in April, more than seven months ahead of schedule. James was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison on meth charges. The move is part of an effort to free prisoners who were sentenced under mandatory minimum guidelines that many now argue were too harsh for nonviolent drug offenses. NORWAY, IA (IRN) – A car was hit by a train in Norway in Benton County Friday. KGAN-TV reports the driver tried to get around cars waiting for a train to pass. When he thought the coast was clear, he began driving around the warning gates, and was hit by another train that was travelling in the opposite direction. The suspect fled the scene with his 2-year-old but later came back. Officials have not released the suspect’s name but do say he will face charges. No one was hurt. EDDYVILLE, IA (IRN) – Hazmat crews from the Ottumwa Fire Department were called to Eddyville Thursday night after a dangerous hydrochloric acid spill. KTVO-TV reports it happened at the Harris and Ford Chlor-Alkali plant at the Cargill site. The spill happened while transporting the acid, which is corrosive to the eyes and skin. The DNR and EPA are investigating. No one was injured, and cleanup is ongoing. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – One week before Christmas, one of the biggest employers in the Des Moines metro is cutting jobs. KCCI-TV reports with farm income declining, DuPont Pioneer in Johnston is tightening its belt. The company announced a $700 million restructuring plan that will impact 10 percent of the global workforce. Pioneer employs about 3,400 Iowans, mostly in the Des Moines metro. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A Cedar Rapids man is being credited with potentially saving the life of a homeless man who caught fire Thursday night. KCRG-TV reports 38-year-old Corey Smock is facing life-threatening injuries after his sleeping bag and clothing caught fire. Authorities say that if it wasn’t for the intervention of 40-year-old Matthew Geraghty, Smock would already be dead. Geraghty was driving by, saw the flames, and stopped to help.

VERSAILLES, MI (IRN) – A Missouri State Trooper has been charged in the death of an Iowa man who drowned while in custody at Lake of the Ozarks. KCRG-TV reports Trooper Anthony Piercy faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 20-year-old Brandon Ellingson. Ellingson drowned after being arrested for allegedly boating while intoxicated. Ellingson fell out of Piercy’s boat while he was handcuffed. A life jacket Piercy placed on Ellingson was put on wrong. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – A Sioux City high school band director who resigned last week has been arrested and charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee. The Sioux City Journal reports 34-year-old Lucas Sursely texted a 15-year-old female student in one of his classes about having sex with her and sent the girl a picture of himself in his underwear. DES MOINES (IRN) – Two people who received speeding violations from automated traffic enforcement cameras on Interstate 235 have filed a lawsuit against the city of Des Moines according to KCCI-TV. The men allege their equal protection rights were violated because not every speeder receives a citation. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A company has agreed to pay $1.1 million to settle claims that it improperly billed Medicare for treating patients who were ineligible to receive hospice benefits. KCRG-TV reports the government alleged that Iowa Hospice knowingly billed Medicare for 34 patients between 2007 and 2013 who were ineligible for the benefit. Iowa Hospice doesn’t admit wrongdoing in the settlement. GRANGER, IA (IRN) – A body found Thursday in a pond between Granger and Grimes is that of a missing Des Moines teenager. WHO-TV reports 17-year old Sam Kemp was last seen at a party that had between 150 and 200 people in attendance. When police busted the party, Kemp fled. The cause of death hasn’t been determined. BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man was arrested after deputies responded to a burglary in progress at a home in Dunkerton Thursday morning, according to KWWL-TV. The suspect got into a vehicle and sped off as deputies arrived. 43-year-old Chad James Clark of Waterloo was apprehended and charged with Burglary in the Third Degree, Possession of Burglary Tools, Carrying Weapons and Possession of Methamphetamine. He’s in jail. CHARLES CITY, IA (IRN) – A Charles City student has been expelled for striking an assistant wrestling coach. The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports the incident occurred in late November. The student hasn’t been identified, and charges won’t be filed. DES MOINES COUNTY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa sheriff shot himself accidentally. WQAD-TV reports Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone sustained a gunshot wound to his left hand as he cleaned his handgun Wednesday. Johnstone was taken to a local emergency room and later transferred to another facility for treatment by a surgeon who specializes in hand injuries. The injury isn’t life-threatening.

DES MOINES (IRN) – A man stabbed his roommate after an argument about dirty dishes, according to the Des Moines Register. Police arrived at an apartment near downtown Des Moines and found a 48-year-old man with a stab wound in his back. 55-year-old William Nixon, the alleged stabber and the victim’s roommate, was sitting in a chair with a bloodied blade next to him. The roommate, who was cutting cheese in bed before the fight, said he used the cheese knife to defend himself. DES MOINES (IRN) – A Des Moines teenager accused of killing his grandmother is scheduled to be back in court Thursday, according to WHO-TV. Seventeen-year-old Noah Laprei has pled not guilty to first degree murder. Police say he beat his grandmother to death in the home they shared in October. Laprei’s family says he was on drugs at the time. His trial will begin next month. CLARKE COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A Creston man was killed Wednesday in a grain bin accident in Clarke County. KCCI-TV reports 39-year-old Eric Reasland was pulled out of the bin after being buried inside soybeans for more than three hours. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A Des Moines man was injured Tuesday after four masked men with a gun broke into his home near Drake University, according to the Des Moines Register. The 20-year-old victim told police one of the men pointed the handgun at him and told him to get on the floor. He resisted, and was struck in the back of the head with the gun. The men took electronics and ran. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has found a Waterloo police officer’s actions in a shooting justified. In November, Waterloo police were conducting a meth investigation involving Brandon Seeley. After a chase, Seeley ignored the officer’s commands to stop and drove his vehicle directly at the officer, who fired four shots at Seeley. Seely was hit, but survived. He’s been charged with possession and intent to deliver, eluding, and assault on a peace officer. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – They call them “porch pirates;” thieves who steal packages delivered to homes when their owners aren’t there. WQAD-TV reports people like Mark Riedesel of Davenport are catching them in the act with cameras hidden at their front doors. After having delivered packages stolen, he set up a camera and placed an empty box out as bait. Within hours, the camera caught a woman taking the box. She has been identified, and police are investigating.