Two people from southeast Iowa were injured during a single-vehicle crash Sunday morning, in Henry County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 19-year old Wyatt R. Barbison, of Brighton, was flown by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, after he failed to negotiate a right turn at the intersection of Ash Avenue and 120th Street. The SUV went off the west side of the road and struck a tree. The accident happened at around 7:35-a.m.

A passenger in the vehicle, 19-year old Nathaniel B. Reynolds, of Mt. Pleasant, was also injured. No report on their conditions was immediately available. The Patrol says neither man was wearing a seat belt. The accident remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say an investigation into animal treatment at an Iowa state lawmaker’s hog farm found no evidence that animals were being abused despite video that a group posted that appeared to show otherwise. Two people with California-based Direct Action Everywhere entered a hog farm last spring owned by Republican Iowa state Sen. Ken Rozenboom.

Mahaska County Sheriff Russell Van Renterghem says an investigation didn’t find any abuse. Rozenboom said he decided in December to lease the hog building to a different farmer. He has said veterinary records show the herd was being treated for a respiratory infection that contributed to the problems Direct Action Everywhere documented.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Democratic Party has a new chairman. “We’ve endured enough negatives. We must now focus on what is positive and what we can do to make life better for Iowans.” State Representative Mark Smith of Marshalltown was elected by the Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee on Saturday. He takes over from Troy Price, who resigned as chairman after blow back over the party’s inability to provide timely results from the Iowa Caucuses. “I made the decision to step down so that we don’t get constantly stuck in constant recriminations about what happened on Caucus Day, but rather that we can turn the page and keep our focus on what matters most, which is winning in November,” Price said. “That is the goal of this party.”

Price got a standing ovation from the party leaders after his brief remarks. Smith acknowledged the difficulties of the past two weeks and he promised to restore trust in the party. “I know how to work. I how to recruit. I know how to fund raise. I know how to organize,” Smith said. “I know how to win.” Smith and three other men from Des Moines were nominated to be the next chairman. Bob Krause has run unsuccessfully for party chairman before. Gabriel de la Cerda is a factory worker and candidate for congress in 2014. “We have the wind at our back because there is a Trump in the White House, but we cannot play prevent defense,” de la Cerda said. “We have to go on the attack.” Joe Henry is a long-time activist in the League of United Latin American Citizens.

“Young, old, rural, urban, people of color and diverse communities — we hear you,” Henry says. “…The party must become your voice.” Smith spoke with reporters Saturday afternoon. He said his first priority will be to travel around the state to hear the concerns of party activists. “We had thousands of volunteers across this state who did their jobs incredibly well and a number of people talked about the positive experience they had with the caucus in this wonderful unique method of democracy that we have here in this state,” Smith says.”We had things that went wrong…This review will give us some answers in that regard, but let’s keep in mind that most things very well.” Before Smith took the helm, party leaders arranged for a former federal prosecutor and a former state attorney general to investigate what caused the Caucus counting chaos.

Smith is now a member of the Democratic NATIONAL Committee and will be engaged in the debate over whether Iowa’s Democratic Party Caucuses should be first in 2024. “We, in Iowa, are committed to this process,” Smith said. “We study the candidates very well. We give the candidates the opportunity to travel across this state and to meet with people and to hone their message as well and so I will make a strong argument that we should keep the caucuses here.” Smith says he’ll work to ensure the safety of Iowa Democratic Party staff who’ve gotten threats after the Caucus results were delayed. Smith announced last fall that he would not seek reelection to an 11th term in the Iowa House. Smith says as a sixth generation Iowan, it’s important to him that the state have a strong Democratic Party and that’s why he’s put off retirement to tackle this job.

A traffic stop at around 3-a.m. today (Sunday), in Red Oak, resulted in an arrest. 37-year old Matthew William Goranson, of Red Oak, was taken into custody for OWI/1st offense. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

A woman died and another woman was injured during a single-vehicle rollover accident Saturday morning in southeastern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports 28-year-old Mallory Kate Johnston, of Fremont, lost control of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee she was driving on a snow-covered curve on southbound Highway 23, in Keokuk County. The SUV went off the road near 310th Street just before 9 a.m. Saturday, and flipped onto its top.

Mallory Johnston died at the scene. Her passenger, 21-year-old Madelynn Johnston, of Oskaloosa, was injured and taken to a hospital. Neither women were wearing their seat belt. The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the crash.

A separate crash Friday evening, resulted in life threatening injuries to a truck driver from eastern Iowa. The Patrol says 49-year old Darin Kruse, of Lone Rock, was flown by MercyOne helicopter to the hospital, after the 2014 semi he was driving rear-ended a semi on westbound  Highway 20 in Grundy County. The accident happened at around 5:30-p.m., Friday, near mile marker 186.

The driver of the other semi, who was from Texas, was not injured.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A student is suing Drake University in Des Moines, along with a fraternity at the school and several fellow students for an unspecified amount after he said he nearly died from a hazing incident. Court documents filed Feb. 7 show Marcus Shields is suing the school, Theta Chi fraternity, its Drake chapter and others. The lawsuit says Shields was a 19-year-old freshman last year and a Theta Chi pledge when the fraternity engaged in hazing, included coercing and forcing him to drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Shields says he pleaded with his fraternity brothers that “he didn’t want to die,” and had to be taken by ambulance to a hospital for acute alcohol poisoning.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Democratic Party has selected a new interim chairman to replace Troy Price, who resigned this week following a meltdown in the state’s lead-off presidential caucuses. The Des Moines Register reports that the party’s State Central Committee voted Saturday to install Iowa state Rep. Mark Smith, of Marshalltown, as interim chairman. The vote came a day after party officials agreed to hire two high-profile lawyers to investigate the factors leading to the problems that hamstrung the Feb. 3 Iowa Caucus, when problems with a mobile app and other issues prevented it from releasing results.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — Officials say two people suffered minor injuries in a fire that destroyed a Fort Dodge towing and auto business. Television station KCCI reports that the fire broke out Friday afternoon in Mid Iowa Towing. Firefighters arrived to find a large fire in the company’s shop area, with flames reaching the roof. The building is not served by the city and did not have fire hydrants, requiring the firefighters to use 500-gallon water tanks. Officials say the lack of water and presence of a large amount of flammable liquids, coupled with high winds, caused the fire to grow and spread quickly. Two of the business’ employees were treated for burns on their hands.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state court judge has heard arguments on whether to dismiss a lawsuit challenging a state law passed last year that would block Planned Parenthood of the Heartland from receiving federal grant money for sex education courses. Judge Paul Scott is considering whether to dismiss the lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa for Planned Parenthood. It challenges the law passed on the last day of the 2019 session as a violation of free speech, due process and equal protection rights. A judge last May halted enforcement of the law until the court decides whether it’s constitutional.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A student is suing Drake University in Des Moines, along with a fraternity at the school and several fellow students for an unspecified amount after he said he nearly died from a hazing incident. Court documents filed Feb. 7 show Marcus Shields is suing the school, Theta Chi fraternity, its Drake chapter and others.

The lawsuit says Shields was a 19-year-old freshman last year and a Theta Chi pledge when the fraternity engaged in hazing, included coercing and forcing him to drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Shields says he pleaded with his fraternity brothers that “he didn’t want to die,” and had to be taken by ambulance to a hospital for acute alcohol poisoning.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (KCCI-TV) — Officials say two people suffered minor injuries in a fire that destroyed a Fort Dodge towing and auto business. Television station KCCI reports that the fire broke out Friday afternoon in Mid Iowa Towing. Firefighters arrived to find a large fire in the company’s shop area, with flames reaching the roof. The building is not served by the city and did not have fire hydrants, requiring the firefighters to use 500-gallon water tanks.

Officials say the lack of water and presence of a large amount of flammable liquids, coupled with high winds, caused the fire to grow and spread quickly. Two of the business’ employees were treated for burns on their hands.

The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency reports Villisca Fire and Rescue was paged out to the scene of a house fire in Villisca at around 8:15-p.m., Friday.  After they arrived on the scene at 3269 260th Street,  crews attempted to make an aggressive interior fire attack to stop or slow the spread of fire in the home, however crews were forced to back out and took up a defensive firefighting operation, due to many issues they were faced with, including heat, smoke conditions and ice. Firefighters were on scene for roughly 3.5 hours before the fire was extinguished.

All photos via the Montgomery County EMA Facebook page.

ANAMOSA – Officials with the Iowa Department of Correction say a correctional officer was assaulted by an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary at approximately 7:40-p.m., Friday. The officer was observing the distribution of medications to inmates on a mental health unit when an inmate refused to comply with taking a required prescription.

After being verbally directed to take his medication, the inmate refused and unexpectedly struck the officer in the face with a closed-fist strike. The officer that was attacked, as well as additional officers that responded to the incident were able to place the inmate in restraints without further incident.

The officer was taken by State vehicle to the Jones Regional Medical Center to be evaluated and was found to have suffered injuries to his face and hand. The inmate did not suffer any major injuries. The incident remains under investigation.