(Red Oak, Iowa) — An investigation into an incident Saturday evening in Red Oak, resulted in an arrest. Red Oak Police say officers were called to the 2400 block of North 8th Street around 5:10 p.m. Following an investigation, officers arrested 22-year-old Zachary Lee Miller, of Shenandoah, on a charge of domestic abuse assault/1st offense.

Miller was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail, pending an initial appearance before the magistrate.

Sioux City – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports 29-year-old Briar Richard Merrick, who was convicted of Theft 1st Degree and other charges in Woodbury County, failed to report back to the Sioux City Residential Treatment Facility as required, Friday.

Merrick is a Native American male, height 5’9″, and weighs 284 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on February 11, 2022.

Briar Merrick

Persons with information on Merrick’s whereabouts should contact local police.

(Mills County, Iowa) – Midwest Regional Dive Team members and other rescue personnel responded at around 10-a.m. today (Saturday) to a report of a body in the Missouri River, about 20-yards from shore, near the Bellevue Toll Bridge on the Mills County side of the river.

The scene is at 16000 Bunge Ave.  No other details are currently available.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The pursuit of a vehicle allegedly stolen from the area of 10th and Linn Streets, ended in a collision and an arrest Saturday morning.

According to Atlantic Police, one person was taken Into custody in front of 406 Linn Street, when a silver Dodge Caliber they were driving, collided with another vehicle near the curb at that location. The Caliber had Woodbury County plates.

Photo by KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

The pursuit, we’re told, began at around 8-a.m., and ended a little after 9-a.m. with a male subject taken into custody. The suspect had minor injuries.

The incident remains under investigation. Additional details are not available at this time.

The Red Oak Police Department reports an arrest early Saturday morning. Officers were dispatched to the 2000 block of Eastern Avenue at 12:19 a.m. Saturday for an assault that had occurred. After investigation Officers arrested 36-year-old Samantha Ann Cox of Red Oak for Domestic Abuse Assault 1st Offense. Cox was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond.

The Red Oak Police Department was assisted by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County 911 Dispatch Center.

(Durant, Iowa) – The driver of a straight truck is dead after the vehicle they were driving was struck by a train Friday morning, in eastern Iowa’s Cedar County. The Iowa State Patrol says a 1994 International truck was southbound on Vail Avenue, south of 200th Avenue, when it was struck by a locomotive at around 7:25-a.m. The driver of the truck was ejected during the impact.

Names of the driver was being withheld, pending notification of family. The name of the train engineer was not immediately known. The crash remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Durant Fire/EMS/Police, Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement, and the Scott County Medical Examiner.

Council Bluffs, Iowa – A western Iowa man was sentenced Thursday to spend 3 1/2 years (42 months) in prison, for Possession of Child Pornography. According to court records, 34-year-old Andrew Russell White, of Council Bluffs, must also serve five-years of supervised release once his term is served, and he will be required to register as a sex offender. White pleaded guilty to the charge on January 5, 2022.

In March of 2019, a cybertip was sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child pornography being uploaded to a Google account. The email address was traced to White and law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for White’s Gmail account and his residence in Council Bluffs. White admitted to law enforcement he downloaded images of child pornography onto his phone from the Internet. He was arrested and indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2021.

The case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Court records show two Council Bluffs men were sentenced to prison in U-S District court, for being a prohibited person in Possession of a firearm. 30-year-old Dalton Theodore Holland was sentenced Tuesday, May 10th, to 4 1/2 years (51 months). His co-defendant, 26-year-old Joshua Michael Holmes was sentenced to 5 1/4 years (63 months). Each man will also serve three-years of supervised release.

Holland plead guilty to the charge Nov. 18, 2021. Holmes plead guilty on April 15, 2021 and was sentenced in Aug. 2021.

In November of 2020, officers observed Holland and Holmes arrive at a home in Council Bluffs driving stolen vehicles. As officers attempted to approach Holland and Holmes, they attempted to flee in one of the stolen trucks but the truck got stuck. Officers boxed the truck in and apprehended Holmes. Holland ran from the bed of the truck and was stopped a short distance away by a police dog. Holland and Holms were found in possession of stolen items and firearms.

Officers located a firearm on Holmes in a hip holster and another in his coveralls pocket. Two firearms were also located in the stolen Silverado that Holland drove to the home.

The Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa report 20-year-old Cole Jacob Bergantzel, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced Thursday, May 12, 2022, to 48 months in federal prison for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. His term of imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, Bergantzel pleaded guilty to the charge on January 5, 2022.

In March of 2021, Bergantzel attempted to sell firearms on Snapchat and in September of 2021, Bergantzel was arrested after he discharged a firearm in a residential area. Bergantzel was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as he is a drug user and addicted to a controlled substance.

The Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – A sixth-grade math and science teacher at South Hardin Middle School in Eldora has resigned after allegedly spouting his personal political views in the classroom. Paul Miller had been on administrative leave since April from the school. During a special meeting, the Hubbard Radcliffe Community School Board and Miller mutually agreed to the resignation agreement.

The Iowa Standard website is reporting that Miller was caught on camera telling his students he cannot understand how anyone supported President Donald Trump. The revelation comes less than a week after undercover interviews were released with a handful of educators in central Iowa about efforts to violate the law when it comes to teaching Critical Race Theory in the state. 

The board will begin advertising for a new sixth grade teacher at South Hardin. The substitute teacher who has been serving the students for the last three weeks will continue serving the students for the final few weeks of the current school year.