Iowa Radio News

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – A unidentified teenager was seriously injured after they ran in front of a vehicle in Davenport. KWQC-TV reports the accident happened Tuesday morning.The vehicle involved was traveling eastbound when the 14-year-old ran into the street and was hit. The teen was transported to Iowa City Hospital by helicopter with life threatening injuries. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) -Two men are in custody after police say they were involved with drug activity inside a Cedar Rapids Taco Bell.  KGAN-TV reports police were called to the Taco Bell early Tuesday morning for suspicious activity.  When police went inside they found remnants of a meth lab. No names have been released and company officials say the restaurant will be sanitized before it reopens. JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – A student has accidentally shot herself in the leg during a drill at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in Johnston, according to the Des Moines Register. The shooting occurred Monday. Academy Director Judy Bradshaw says that the student shot herself in the thigh when drawing her gun during a drill. The bullet went through the thigh and didn’t hit any bones. LINCOLN, NE (IRN) – A 49-year-old Iowa man has been charged for the western Iowa crash death of a University of Nebraska soccer coach.  KCCI-TV reports Paul Marshall, of Modale, is charged with vehicular homicide while operating under the influence.The fatal collision occurred on May 16, when Marshall drove west on a ramp and entered the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80. Marshall’s vehicle then struck one driven by Peter Underwood, who died at the scene. MAXWELL, IA (IRN) – Story County officials are searching for a woman who reportedly shot her uncle with a shotgun on Monday in Maxwell.  WHO-TV reports 66-year-old Dwight Carpenter Jr. was shot in the ankle by his niece, 33-year-old Candace Mosley of Ames. Mosely fled the scene on a motorcycle with the license plate “MOMGRL.” INDIANOLA, IA (IRN) – Authorities are investigating an alleged sexual abuse incident that took place between two camp employees. KCCI-TV reports the alleged incident happened at Camp Wesley Woods south of Indianola on July 31. The victim is an 18-year-old woman and the suspect is an adult man who were both employees. The camp is a retreat center that is part of the United Methodist Church. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An afternoon fire damaged two homes in Cedar Rapids Monday. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports crews found flames on two sides of one home, damaging interior rooms and a porch. The siding on a neighboring house melted from the heat. Two people were home at the time of the fire, and fled after a warning by a neighbor. Two dogs also escaped, but a cat perished in the fire. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Despite ongoing efforts to curb high-risk drinking and the reputation it brings to campus, the University of Iowa remains runner-up on the Princeton Review’s annual list of top party schools. This is Iowa’s fifth straight year in the top five. The nation’s top party school? The University of Illinois.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The National Park Service has shelved a blistering internal report that details a “decade of dysfunction” as the agency allowed dozens of illegal construction projects to cause damage to an ancient burial ground in Iowa that tribes consider sacred. KCCI-TV reports the document blasts the Park Service’s stewardship of the Effigy Mounds National Monument. ESTHERVILLE, IA (IRN) – The Estherville man charged with first-degree murder in the death of Thomas Bortvit has pled not guilty. KTIV-TV reports 18-year-old Lee Samuel Christensen filed the plea Monday morning. The family of 19-year old Thomas Bortvit reported him missing on June 6th and his body was found the next day in rural Emmet County. WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A 14-year-old Carlisle boy who was reported missing while tubing in West Des Moines on Sunday evening has been found. The boy was with his friend and his friend’s parents on the Raccoon River when storms popped up. Lightning scared the boy and he left the group. West Des Moines fire and police had a boat, jet skis, a helicopter and walking crews searching the river. Meanwhile, the boy had hitchhiked home, and is safe. COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA (IRN) – A 68-year-old Arkansas man died in a motorcycle crash on Interstate 29 in western Iowa. KCCI-TV reports Richard Gardial of Hot Springs, Arkansas, was pronounced dead Sunday morning after striking a guardrail in Council Bluffs. Gardial failed to negotiate a curve while riding with other motorcyclists. ADAMS COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Clean up continues in much of southern Iowa after severe weather moved through the area Sunday.  WHO-TV reports a tornado touched down in Adams County in southwest Iowa around 6:30 p.m. A barn, outbuildings, and silos were destroyed, and farm equipment was flipped into the air. There were no reports of injuries. POLK COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Three deputies were injured Sunday morning while making an arrest at a gas station in rural Polk County.  Deputies responded to two intoxicated males harassing a clerk. One of the suspects, 22-year-old Matthew Hinton of Richton, Mississippi resisted arrest. A taser was deployed twice, but Hinton pulled the probes out both times. He was detained, but not before breaking one deputy’s arm, while the other deputies suffered abrasions. CASS COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Two people were injured in a motorcycle accident Sunday afternoon on I-80 near Atlantic. Their motorcycle suffered a flat tire. 37-year-old Dominic R. Napoli of Butler, New Jersey and his passenger Jennifer A. Napoli, 37, also of Butler were thrown from the motorcycle. Both sustained incapacitating injuries, but are expected to recover. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Davenport police responded to a fatal shooting at an apartment complex early Sunday morning, according to WQAD-TV. One person was transported to the hospital, and later died. Officers blocked off an intersection all morning, and were seen carrying bags out of an apartment. The name of the person killed has not been released.  

DES MOINES (IRN) – An 11-year-old Des Moines boy was injured after a bullet grazed his head, nearly hitting his left eye.  KCCI-TV reports the boy was playing in his backyard with family and friends Friday afternoon. His mother heard a loud bang and saw her son fall to the ground. He was unconscious and bleeding. A neighbor boy admitted to firing his mom’s .22. The wounded boy was taken to the hospital and later released. BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – A Burlington man has died in a lawn mowing accident. KHQA-TV reports deputies were called to the scene of an unconscious man under a lawn mower on Friday. James Elder, 84, was pronounced dead at the scene. His lawn mower had tipped over while he was mowing. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – An Illinois man has died after a wood chipper accident last week in Davenport. Byron Mayeux, 28 of Milan was pronounced dead at the scene. Police do not suspect foul play. FORT MADISON, IA (IRN) – More than 500 Iowa inmates have been moved to a new maximum security prison in Fort Madison, according to KGAN-TV. The transfer took about five hours on Saturday. The new $166 million prison was supposed to open in March 2014, but it had sat empty for more than a year while officials worked to solve a number of problems related to construction.  

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa Department of Public Safety employee who helped draft a proposal to buy handguns for officers tipped off Smith & Wesson about the timing of the bidding process and was exploring a job with the gun company at the same time, according to the Des Moines Register. The employee, Ken Paradise, went to work for Smith & Wesson after retiring. An investigation is ongoing to see if state law has been violated. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Racing at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids came to an early end Friday night after a last-lap accident sent one racer to the hospital with critical injuries. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports cars were coming to the checkered flag when a car driven by Sammy Smith spun and stalled. Fellow racer Joan Feller hit him head-on. Feller was found unresponsive. Her condition is unknown. ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – A 12-mile chase at speeds over 100mph on Interstate 80 near Altoona has resulted in an arrest. KCCI-TV reports Altoona police arrested Hank Lee Benson, 27, Friday morning.  Officers first responded to a car accident where Benson had crashed into a ditch, when he took off.  He faces multiple charges, including driving while barred. The state has taken away his driver’s license nine times. DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Money is missing from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.  WQAD-TV reports that “irregularities” were found in some accounts that were tended to by a former employee. The Davenport Police Department and an auditing firm are investigating. DES MOINES (IRN) – The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is warning of a scam targeting Iowans by misrepresenting the Department. Iowans have been receiving threatening phone calls from scammers posing to be employees of the Department.  The scammers claim there are active arrest warrants issued and demand money to avoid being arrested.  The DCI says if you receive such a call, contact law enforcement, and do not send money.

CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – A Coralville man has been arrested for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a pizza restaurant he managed. The Iowa City Press Citizen reports Samuel Rainey, 32, has been charged with first-degree theft for pocketing deposit money from the restaurant. Rainey was a night manager at Domino’s Pizza, and is accused of stealing over $20,000 in cash. DECORAH, IA (IRN) – Two Minnesota motorcyclists were injured Thursday in a northeast Iowa accident. KIMT-TV reports 55-year-old Dale Christopherson and 60-year-old James Nelson, both of Ostrander, MN, were northbound on Highway 150, north of Festina, when a sedan in front of them started to make a turn. Both slowed to avoid a crash, but lost control. Their motorcycles collided and the drivers were thrown. Both were hospitalized. HARRISON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – More information has been released about a fatal hit and run that happened July 4th in the western Iowa town of Logan. Austin Arndt, 25, is charged with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident. Dead is 50-year-old Charlotte Anderson, of Logan, who was discovered on the side of the road. WHO-TV reports Arndt has admitted to drinking 14 to 16 beers while at a bar prior to the accident. He says he “wasn’t 100% sure what he hit but his gut told him he hit a person.” JASPER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – One person has been killed and two others injured after a crash in Jasper County east of Colfax Thursday afternoon. The Iowa State Patrol reports 32-year-old Mandy Matlock of Prairie City was driving eastbound when she crossed the center line and struck an oncoming car. The other driver, 83-year-old Joanne Hunter of Newton, died at the scene. WORTH COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The parents of a man who died in 2013 shortly after Worth County deputies tased him 15 times has filed a lawsuit for “punitively and sadistically” using excessive force. The Des Moines Register reports deputies were attempting to subdue Michael Zubrod, 39, of Northwood. Deputies say the force was necessary. Zubrod suffered from mental illness, was on meth, and was striking his girlfriend in the head with a hammer when they arrived on scene. NEVADA, IA (IRN) – A missing 12-year-old boy from Nevada has been found safe, and returned to his parents. KCCI-TV reports Sebastian Akers was traveling with 18-year-old Zachary Hollenbeck, and the two were headed to Colorado. No additional information has been released. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Three people were shot overnight in Cedar Rapids in two separate incidents about an hour apart, according to KWWL-TV. No one was injured seriously. Police don’t know if the incidents are related, or if the persons shot were the intended targets. No arrests have been made. CEDAR RAPIDS — For the fourth year in a row, Iowa lottery sales totaled nearly $325 million, according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette.  Over $74 million of those proceeds went to state causes such as the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund and Vision Iowa.  Des Moines topped sales with $49 million, followed by Cedar Rapids with $26 Million.  The biggest selling outlet? A Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids.