Police in Harlan say the driver of a vehicle that struck a legally parked car last weekend, was cited for Leaving the scene of an accident, Failure to Maintain control and Violating a One-way traffic designation. Officials say Scott Debord, of Harlan, was traveling southbound on 6th Street which is a one-way northbound road, when the 2013 Dodge he was driving hit the front of a legally parked 1999 Ford registered to Douglas Kloewer, of Harlan, which was located on the east side of the 1400 block of 6th.

The initial impact caused Kloewer’s vehicle to be pushed into the front of a 1997 Chevy, also owned by Kloewer. After the accident, Debord left the scene. His vehicle was later located at his residence. Damage from the collisions amounted to $11,500.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department, Friday afternoon, released a report on their most recent arrests and incidents. Authorities said on Wed. (Jan 21st), 35-year old Nicholas Gaer, of Harlan, was arrested on two active Shelby County warrants for Failure to Appear. Taken into custody Tuesday (Jan. 20th), was 22-year old Jeremiah Bowers, of Harlan, who was charged with Driving While Suspended.

On Sunday (Jan. 18th), Harlan Police cited two individuals following a traffic stop. 19-year old Elijah Williams, of Harlan, was cited for being a Minor In Possession of alcohol, as a passenger. The driver, 20-year old Ethan Williams, of Harlan, was cited for Speeding. Both were cited and released.

On Jan. 16th, officers in Harlan arrested 42-year old Bradley Fink, of Harlan, following an investigation into a report of a large amount of copper stolen from the Nishnabotna Valley REC (Rural Electric Cooperative). Fink was charged with Theft in the 3rd Degree, given a court date, and then released. On Jan. 14th, assault charges were filed against 29-year old Charlene Brown, of Harlan, and 29-year old Eric Wilds, of Shelby, after a complaint was filed by Tina Heller of Westphalia. The complaint alleges the pair threw chewing tobacco at, and kicked, Heller’s car.

On Jan. 13th, 27-year old Jackie Thielen, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Crawford County warrant and taken to the Shelby County Jail before being transported to Crawford County. That same day, 35-year old Eric Allan Sorensen, of Walnut, was arrested after officers were called to an unknown person knocking on a door. Sorenson was found in a running car at the rear of the residence. He was taken to the Shelby County Jail and charged with OWI and arrested on an active warrant for Theft in the 5th degree.

In an update to our earlier report, Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer, Friday afternoon, provided a few more details on a tragic event that took place Thursday evening. The Sheriff said 7-year old Malaki Mildward, of College Springs, had been mauled by his family’s two six-month old dogs. The incident happened at around 4:50-p.m., Thursday, at 709 Glen Avenue, in College Springs. The breed of dogs involved in the attack were not disclosed.

When Deputies arrived EMS from Clarinda and College Springs were administering CPR to the child, who was then rushed to the Clarinda Regional Health Center. He boy was pronounced dead at 5:50 PM.

Legislative forums are set to take place Saturday in Mt. Pleasant, Shenandoah and Clarinda, with regard to the proposed closing of the Mt. Pleasant and Clarinda Mental Health Institutions (MHI). In southwest Iowa, one of the forums will be held at 8-a.m. in Shenandoah at the Safety Center. The second takes place at 10-a.m. in Clarinda, at the Lied Public Library. The announcement of the additional meetings in Shenandoah and Clarinda were only made public Friday morning on the “Save Iowa’s Mental Health Institute’s” Facebook page.

Last week, in an announcement that startled leaders of both legislative parties, Governor Terry Branstad  proposed closing two of the state’s four institutes for people with mental illnesses. The idea of closing at least one of the institutes has been debated off and on for decades, as their populations dwindled and costs soared.

At least report, there were just 24 residents at the Clarinda facility and 47 at the Mount Pleasant facility. A consultant hired by the state in 2009 recommended closing the institutes in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant. A separate state task force disagreed, saying that none of the institutions should be closed until suitable alternatives in the community were set up and running.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County report an Indianola man, 39-year old Christopher John Eckrich, was arrested Thursday evening at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. Eckrich was taken into custody on a Union County Warrant for 1st degree harassment. He was being held Friday in the Union County Jail, while awaiting an appearance before the Magistrate.