A western Iowa teenager died, while another teen escaped injury, during a crash Wednesday evening, in Guthrie County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 17-year old Zachary Meacham, of Guthrie Center died at the scene of the crash that happened at around 7:10-p.m. , north of Guthrie Center. The teen was not wearing a seat belt.

The Patrol says Meacham was traveling north on Oak Avenue in a 1997 Chevy pickup truck, when for reasons unknown, he crashed the vehicle through a barricade set up in 2014 because a bridge over Brushy Creek had been removed.

The pickup plunged over the edge of the missing bridge and crashed nose first into the creek below before coming to rest on its top, submerged in the water. A passenger in the pickup was able to escape and run for help. When the pickup was turned over, Meacham’s body was found inside.

Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright says the bridge was removed last year after it collapsed when a tractor traveled over it. The crash remains under investigation.

The Cass County Health System Foundation recently awarded three Louie and Elsie Hansen Scholarships. The recipients are Emma Mathisen, Samantha Freund, and Courtney Jensen.

Emma Mathisen is a student at Mercy College of Health Sciences in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Samantha Freund will begin her studies at Mercy, while Courtney Jensen will begin at Iowa Western Community College, both with the goal of obtaining a BSN. All are graduates of Atlantic High School and each received a $5,000 award for the 2015-16 academic year.

Kent Gade, CCHS Foundation President, said “This is the second year the board has awarded three scholarships.” The awards are based on the applications received each year.

The Louie and Elsie Hansen Scholarship was established through the generosity and careful planning of the two life-long Cass County residents. The Hansens believed in higher education, so much so that over 70% of their estate was bequeathed for that purpose, including a gift to the CCHS Foundation.  Under the supervision and guidance of the CCHS Foundation, scholarship opportunities are provided yearly.

Scholarship candidates must have graduated from a Cass County high school and be enrolled in and accepted to an accredited nursing or medical school pursuing a degree as an LPN, RN or MD.

Police in Creston report four people were arrested Wednesday, and one burglary was under investigation. Authorities say 31-year old Thomas Dollen (for whom no address is available), was arrested Wednesday morning at 207 N. Oak Street, on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear on two-counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense. Dollen was being held in the Union County Jail on $5,000 bond.

17-year old Jacob Blackburn, 13-year old Chaz Miller, and 12-year old Christopher Selvy, all of Creston, were arrested Wednesday morning, on a 5th Degree Theft charge. The boys were referred to Juvenile authorities and then released to the custody of their parents.

And, Wednesday afternoon, a Creston resident reported to police someone had stolen two children’s tablets, five porcelain dolls, an Apple IPad, laptop computer and jewelry from her home. The theft occurred sometime between 10:30-a.m. and 1-p.m., Wednesday. The loss was estimated at $1,350.