Casey Welcher

The Creston Police Department reports a traffic stop in the 600 block of Sheldon at around 10-p.m. Wednesday, resulted in a man being arrested on assault and other charges. Authorities say 28-year old Casey Welcher, of Afton, was arrested on charges that include Interference with Official Acts, Assault on a Police Officer without injury, Criminal Mischief 5th degree and Driving While Barred. Welcher was being held in the Union County Jail on a $3,600 bond.

And, at around 3-a.m. today (Thursday), 20-year old Joel William Blazek, of Creston, was arrested at Fremont and New York Streets. Blazek was charged with Driving While Suspended. He was taken to Union County Jail, and soon thereafter released on bond.

Red Oak Police, Wednesday night, executed a search warrant at 904 N. Boundary Street. During their investigation, Officers arrested 27-year old Ozzy Ray Hunter, of Red Oak, on charges that include:

• Unlawful Possession of Prescription drug(s)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana/3rd offense
• Possession of a Controlled Substance – 3rd or great offense
• Gathering for use of Marijuana
• and three counts of Child Endangerment.

Hunter was taken into custody at around 10:50-p.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $2,000 bond. Authorities say additional charges are pending.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office posted on social media, Wednesday, a statement that read “Our local DOT Officer was very lucky to survive today as she was hit while directing traffic on Interstate 29 assisting DOT workers.”

According to the Iowa State Patrol, at around 2:45-p.m., a Volvo semi registered to a company out of Denver, CO., was traveling in the right-hand lane of I-29 southbound near the Exit 1 overpass. A 2015 Chevy Tahoe was also in the right-hand lane, traveling south, with its driver, 56-year old Theresa Ann Fox, of Ankeny, providing traffic control for a DOT Highway repair crew conducting pavement patching.

Photos via Fremont County Sheriff’s Office & Officer Fox.

The Tahoe was traveling slowly with its rear emergency lights activated and arrow stick directing traffic to merge left, upon approach. The semi, driven by 34-year old Makalim Rafkat, of Hollywood, FL, failed to merge left, and struck the rear of the Tahoe, causing the SUV to leave the road to right before it rolled over, coming to rest on its wheels.

DOT Officer Fox was transported by Hamburg Rescue to Grape Memorial Hospital, where she was treated and released. She said on social media, “I’m alright. Seat belts save lives.” The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office added, “ Please move over and slow down for stopped vehicles on the roadway.”

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating the armed robbery late Wednesday night, of a convenience store. Authorities say at around 11-p.m., a black male entered the Kwik Shop at 1749 West Broadway.  The suspect approached the clerk and displayed a handgun while demanding money. He then left the store in a dark colored Chevrolet Malibu with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured in this incident.

The suspect is about 5’ 2” tall. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, and a surgical mask. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the Criminal Investigation Division at (712) 328‐4728 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa House Republicans have cast the final vote needed to send a bill to the governor that sharply limits early voting in the state, months after a general election overseen by a Republican secretary of state that saw record turnout and overwhelming victories by GOP candidates. Like states across the country with Republican legislatures, Iowa lawmakers said early voting must be reined in because of the potential for fraud, even after a successful election in a state with no history of problems. The House passed the bill Wednesday a plan approved by the Senate a day earlier, Democrats who are outnumbered in both chambers were left aghast but in no position to stop the changes.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s Democratic attorney general has installed the Republican governor’s lawyer into a high-level job in which he is defending his former boss’ policy agenda and management decisions in court. Weeks after joining Attorney General Tom Miller’s staff, Sam Langholz has participated in cases defending Gov. Kim Reynolds’ coronavirus restrictions, her law requiring a 24-hour waiting period for abortions, her denial of overtime pay to some nurses, and her administration’s ouster of a longtime public health spokeswoman. Miller and Reynolds announced Langholz’s appointment as an assistant attorney general for civil and appellate litigation in November.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Ames say an autopsy shows the death last month of a 21-year-old woman outside an Iowa State University sorority house was caused by acute alcohol intoxication and hypothermia. Emergency responders found the body of Olivia Chutich on the ground in the parking lot of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority the morning of Jan. 22. Chutich was the daughter of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Margaret Chutich and Allina Health CEO Penny Wheeler. Investigators have said Chutich was last seen late the night before she was found and believe she had been lying in the parking lot for several hours before she was found. No foul play is suspected.