(Red Oak, Iowa) – A chain-reaction accident in Red Oak early Tuesday afternoon involving four vehicles, resulted in six people, including three juveniles, being transported to the Montgomery County Hospital, in Red Oak for treatment of minor injuries. According to the Red Oak Police Department, a 2005 GMC Yukon SUV driven by a 16-year-old Red Oak female, was traveling south on 8th Street a little after 12-p.m., Tuesday. The vehicle was stopped, waiting to cross Highway 34. When the teen driver pulled away from the stop sign, she entered the path of a 2012 GMC Sierra pickup that westbound on Highway 34 pulling a trailer, and was driven by 51-year-old Barry J. Martinson, of Lincoln, NE.

The Sierra struck the SUV in the front fender, causing the pickup to cross the center line of the road before striking a 1997 Ford F-250 pickup that was stopped eastbound, waiting to turn north. The Ford was driven by 31-year-old Nathan John Hossle, of Emerson. His pickup then struck a 2022 Ford panel van that was eastbound and driven by 45-year-old Dustin Meader, of Fremont, NE.

The Sierra and Ford pickup’s ended-up in the south ditch. The SUV ended-up in the north ditch. The van stopped on the road. The driver of the SUV and two juvenile passengers were transported by private vehicle to the Montgomery County Hospital. Martinson and his passenger, Pamela Wheeler, along with Nathan Hossle, were transported to the hospital by Red Oak Rescue. Dustin Meader was not injured in the crash.

The driver of the SUV was cited for Failure to Yield upon entering a through highway. Red Oak Police were assisted at the scene by Red Oak Rescue, the Red Oak Fire Dept., the Montgomery County EMA, Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies, the City of Red Oak Street Dept., and Montgomery County Communications.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — A central Iowa man faces a felony charge of possession of child pornography after he walked into a police station to confess to the crime. KCCI reports 18-year-old Jack R. Conner, of Altoona, is charged with one count of purchase/possess depiction of a minor in a sex act, first offense, a Class D felony.

According to court records, on Monday evening, Conner walked into the Altoona Police Department and told them he wanted to confess to criminal activity. Conner was interviewed by a detective and admitted that he had been purchasing “child sexual abuse material” on a smartphone app for several years.

The court records say Conner consented to a search of his phone during the interview, where a photo of genitals belonging to a 15-year-old girl was found. Conner allegedly told the investigator that he knew the girl in the photo was 15 and he knew her through the app. He said he spent approximately $600-$700 on child pornography since he started seeking it.

In an unrelated incident, Police in Indianola said they arrested two suspects after an investigation into a report of attempted sexual abuse of a minor. A search warrant was executed at a residence in the 1600 block of West 3rd Avenue early Tuesday morning. As a result, 41-year-old Jason Witzke, of Indianola, was arrested and taken to the Warren County Jail. Police say 39-year-old Valerie Cross, of Creston, was also charged after being taken into custody in Greenfield Tuesday morning. She was also booked into the Warren County Jail.

Authorities allege Witzke and Cross attempted to entice a minor for sexual contact in Indianola. Witzke faces several charges, including conspiracy to commit forcible felony and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Cross is charged with enticing a minor, child endangerment and conspiracy to commit forcible felony, along with other charges.

(Burlington, Iowa) – A strong storm that swept through parts of southeast Iowa late Tuesday caused significant tree damage and power outages. The National Weather Service office in the Quad Cities issued a Special Weather Statement at around 10-p.m., warning about storms that extended from near West Branch into parts of far western Illinois. The storms were sad to pack winds of up to 50-mph, but social media reports seemed to indicate they were much stronger.

Burlington (IA) Police took to social media to ask residents to be patient tonight with first responders, Alliant Energy and Street Department crews, as there were “multiple trees down, lines down, roads flooded and alarms going off due to the storm.”

Some residents reported the storm appeared without warning, and toppled trees, a flag pole, and power lines down across vehicles parked on the street. The NWS said at around 10:30-p.m., Tuesday, that “Clusters of thunderstorms will continue into the late night, especially along and south of Interstate 80.” They said also, “some of the stronger storms were capable of producing gusty winds, small hail, frequent lightning, and heavy rainfall. Ponding of water and urban flooding may be possible into the early morning hours.”

As of early this (Wednesday) morning, there was no official word on any damage from the Weather Service.

(Radio Iowa) – State Auditor Rob Sand says his office will conduct an audit of the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. Sand says the audit comes at the request of State Representative Sue Cahill, a Democrat from Marshalltown. Cahill tells Sand the audit is needed after the unexpected layoffs in July of eleven full-time staff.

She says these cuts were made without input from the Legislature and occurred despite the home receiving an additional one million dollars in state funding during the budget process.

Cahill says in her letter to Sand that the cuts are in direct conflict of their mission to “provide a continuum of care to Iowa’s veterans and their spouses in an environment focusing on individualized services to enhance their quality of life.”

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Utilities Commission held a hearing today (Tuesday) to review potential changes to the state’s renewable energy rules. Environmental groups claim the rules, written in 2017, are outdated and have been used by utilities to mislead Iowans about their renewable energy usage. They want them rescinded and new rules put in place.

Environmental Law and Policy Center attorney Josh Mandelbaum says they believe the rules are actively causing harm to the public by facilitating, legitimizing and failing to hold an account deceptive utility practices All sides will submit their concerns about the rules to the commission next month for further review and discussion.

(Red Oak, Iowa) — A man and a woman were arrested this (Tuesday) afternoon in Red Oak, on numerous charges. According to the Red Oak Police Department, 34-year-old Dylan Thomas Griffeth, and 26-year-old Abigail Jean Kates, both of Red Oak, were taken into custody at around 12:15-p.m., at a residence on E. Market Street.

Griffeth was arrested on five Iowa warrants that include two counts of probation violation — each carries a $10,000 cash-only bond; Domestic Abuse Assault/3rd offense ($5,000 cash-only bond); Harassment in the 3rd degree; and a warrant for violation of a no contact order (with bonds at $300 each). Griffeth was also charged with interference with official acts ($300 bond).

Abigail Kates was arrested for Violation of a no-contact order, Interference with official acts, and being an Accessory after the fact. Her bond was set at $300.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Fourth Judicial District parole officer also assisted in the arrest of both subjects.