(Radio Iowa) — Authorities are investigating a weekend accident that left a bicyclist dead in Waterloo. Police say 45-year-old Gerrick Stotser, of Waterloo, died from injuries suffered in the accident, which happened in the 1800 block of Greenhill Road shortly after 12:30 a.m. Sunday. According to police, officers and fire rescue personnel found Stotser’s body when they arrived at the scene. Authorities say Stotser had been struck by a motor vehicle. Investigators are seeking information about the accident. They’re asking anyone who knows anything about the mishap to contact Waterloo police.

(Radio Iowa) — A Farm Bureau report says Iowa saw 27 farms file for bankruptcy during 2019. That’s up from just 14 farm bankruptcies the previous year. Chad Hart, an agricultural economist at Iowa State University, says there may be more bankruptcy filings in coming years as the federal government ends trade mitigation payments that supplement farm income. Hart says, “Given that, we might see a step back here in farm incomes and that should lead to, again, continued pressure where we could see this bankruptcy trend continue to rise slowly higher.”

Hart says the overall numbers are relatively small, but it shows there’s mounting financial trouble from dairy states like Wisconsin to grain states like Iowa.  “It shows that it’s not just centered on one sector like dairy,” Hart says, “that this is spread more broadly across production agriculture.” Iowa and six neighboring states each marked decade-high numbers of farm bankruptcies in 2019.

Hart says farm income has actually been on the rise, buoyed by 28-billion dollars in federal payments to make up for trade disruptions. He says those payments are not expected to continue, but the financial pressure on Midwestern farmers likely will.

(Reporting by Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) – A man has been imprisoned for robbing a bank in eastern Iowa. The Clinton Herald reports that 57-year-old Raymond Reves was sentenced Thursday to five to 10 years. He’d pleaded guilty to robbery after prosecutors lowered the charge. He also was ordered to pay $700.83 in restitution to Clinton National Bank. Reves was arrested Nov. 7 after an officer spotted him about two blocks from the bank. Police say he matched the description of the robber. He later acknowledged robbing the bank and provided details about his plan for doing so.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County arrested a man on an OWI charge, Friday. 59-year old Jeffrey Allan Davidshofer, of Coin, was arrested at 1st and Main in Coin, for OWI/1st offense. Davidshofer was transported to the Page County Sheriff’s Office where he later posted a $1,000 bond.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has released additional details about a pursuit that began early Sunday morning. Chief Deputy Sheriff Rob Ambrose told KJAN News a deputy was dispatched at around 12:26-a.m. to a location in Avoca, with regard to a hit-and-run accident.

(He said upon arrival they made contact with Kelli Plagmann, who told deputies her husband, David, was responsible for hitting her 2016 Nissan Maxima. The couple is in the process of going through a divorce.)

David Plagmann, who is 31 and from Harlan, left the area in his 2012 Chevy Silverado pickup, but was pulled over a short time later in Avoca, near Highway 59 and I-80.

(He said after a brief talk with deputies, David Plagmann took off and was engaged in a pursuit.)

The vehicle traveled onto York Road and into a field and through a barbed-wire fence, before circling around and returning to York Road and back to Highway 59, where he turned north and entered Shelby County.

(A Shelby County Deputy deployed stop sticks, causing the driver’s left front tire to deflate. The vehicle continued on into Crawford and Carroll Counties on Highway 141, before ending near Bagley, in Guthrie County.)

The chase ended at around 1:50-a.m. Before it over, the left front tire on the pickup shredded and by the time the chase ended, the vehicle’s fenderwell was almost on the ground, because the wheel and brake system had been destroyed.

Photo credit: Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office

Speeds during the chase reached nearly 110-mph. During the pursuit, a Shelby County Sheriff’s vehicle ran over a set of stop-sticks, causing the vehicle to become temporarily disabled.

David Robert Plagman was transported to the Pott. County Jail, where he was charged with Eluding while exceeding the speed limit by 25-miles per hour or more, and Hit and Run – Vehicle damage only. The Sheriff’s report said alcohol was believed to have been a contributing factor in the incident.

No injuries were reported. Among the agencies that participated in the effort to pickup, was: The Pottawattamie, Shelby, Guthrie, Crawford and Carroll County Sheriff’s Departments, the Iowa State Patrol, Harlan and Panora Police, and others.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest today (Monday), of an Atlantic man. 30-year old James Michael Howard, was arrested on a Felony 2nd Degree Theft charge, along with  Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree (a Simple misdemeanor). Howard was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond. In an update to our earlier posted and on-air reports, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies responded at around 2:45-a.m. Sunday, to a report of a single-vehicle accident on Tucson Road. A 1998 Chevy K1500 owned and driven by 18-year old Kaitlin Janet Polzin, of Elliott, was eastbound on Tucson when the woman lost control of the vehicle. The pickup entered the south ditch, where it hit a fence and a tree before coming to rest. Polzin was transported by Cumberland Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. Damage to the vehicle was estimated to be $3,500. The incident remains under investigation.

On January 31st, as a result of a report of a traffic hazard on I-80 westbound, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 31-year old Andre Alexander Shupe, of Council Bluffs. He was taken into custody on charges of Providing False ID Information and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. And 31-year old Heather Lynn Charles, of Omaha, was arrested for Possession Drug Paraphernalia. Both parties were taken to the Cass County Jail. Shupe was also held on a detainer for Nebraska authorities, for Probation Revocation. Shupe remains held awaiting transfer to Nebraska authorities. Heather Charles pled guilty the following day and was released.

At around 10:08-a.m. January 26th, deputies in Cass County responded to a report of a single-vehicle accident on Boston Road. Authorities say a 2009 Toyota Camry owned and driven by 23-year old Peiyang Li, of Ames, was westbound on Boston Road when he lost control of the vehicle on the icy road surface. The car entered the south ditch and struck a power pole. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $7,000.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 18-year old Wynter Grace Knight was arrested at around 8:40-p.m. Saturday, following a traffic stop. Authorities say Knight showed signs of being impaired by drugs, and was detained for further testing. She was subsequently arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. An OWI/1st offense charge was pending.

At around 6:30-p.m. Saturday, 61-year old Stephen James Ronk was arrested following a traffic stop for speeding, in Pott. County. Ronk was charged with OWI/1st offense, and cited for speeding 70 in a 55 mph zone.

As previously reported, a pursuit Saturday afternoon in Pottawattamie County, ended with the arrest of a man wanted on a sex offender warrant out of Douglas County, Nebraska. 34-year old Nicholas Harms was taken into custody after a Pott. County Sheriff’s Deputy performed a PIT maneuver at the corner of Pioneer Trail and Traceview Loop. The pursuit began when Harms refused to pull over for a traffic violation. During the chase, speeds reached in excess of 100-miles per hour, with some speeds in the rural southeast Council Bluffs area he was finally stopped at, ranging up to 115-mph. No injuries were reported. Harms was being held Saturday in the Pottawattamie County jail. He faces eluding while exceeding the speed limit by 25 mph or more, and Possession of drug paraphernalia, in addition to being wanted on the NE warrant.

At around 11-p.m. Friday, 38-year old Alex Eugene Hargens was arrested following an investigation into a vehicle stopped in the traveled portion of the road at the Avoca City Park. Hargens was found to be impaired have had an open container of alcoholic beverage in his possession. There were also numerous prisoner transfers to the Pott. County Jail from other facilities, this past week. Among them was 37-year old Maurice Antonio Lyons, of Denison, who was picked up from Crawford County. Lyons was wanted on valid Pott. County warrants for Child Endangerment w/substantial risk, Domestic Abuse Assault w/a dangerous weapon/1st offense, False Imprisonment, and Obstruction of E-911 communications.

(9-a.m. News)

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – Dubuque officials are considering sharing the cost of building a $1.8 million dock that would let river cruise ships stop to let passengers explore the city. A 20-year agreement between the city and Viking Cruises calls for them to split the cost of constructing the dock on the Mississippi River near Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark. Once Viking launches its Mississippi River cruises, the company would have exclusive rights to the dock for its boats. But other vessels would be able to use the dock when Viking boats are not. The dock would be removed from the water and stored in the winter.

The Creston Police Department reports four recent arrests. A little after 1-a.m. Sunday, 38-year old David Kopp, of Creston, was arrested for Public Intoxication. He was later released on a $300 bond. Saturday afternoon, 22-year old Kendrick Davis, of Creston, was arrested at the Greater Regional Health Center, for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. He was cited and released from the scene on a Promise to Appear in court. Friday night, 19-year old Seph Fox, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, for Theft in the 4th Degree. He was later released on $1,000 bond. And, a little after 1-a.m. Friday, 31-year old Scott Johnston, of Essex, was arrested in Creston for Driving While Suspended and Carrying Weapons (a Knife over 5 inches). He was released from the Union County Jail on a $1,300 bond.

Creston Police said also, officials with the Fareway Store in Creston reported Friday morning, that at around 3:30-p.m. Jan. 28th, an unknown male subject entered the store and took a bottle of liquor without paying for it. The loss was estimated at $40. A man living the 600 block of N. Elm Street in Creston, reported Friday morning, that sometime between 3:50 am – 7:10 am Friday, someone apparently attempted to steal his 1998 GMC Yukon, while it was parked in the alley behind his residence. The person or persons caused damage to the vehicles’ ignition system. The total amount of damage was estimated at $250.