Investigators in Iowa have concluded their investigation into an incident that took place at around 5-a.m. May 4th in Belle Plaine, where a mother and son were struck by a train. Authorities say based on evidence collected at the home of 36-year old Teresa Gerleman, interviews of Union Pacific Railroad employees, video footage from the Union Pacific engine, and a multitude of a sundry interviews, the conclusion is Gerleman committed suicide, and pulled her eight-year old son Henry Fields into the path of the train. Both died at the scene.

Evidence at the impact site indicates Gerleman waited near the railroad tracks for the Union Pacific train to approach. She and her son can be seen on video crossing the tracks and as the train draws near. She then returned to the center of the tracks and at the last moment pulled her son into the path of the train.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests this past week. A traffic stop on Interstate 80 at around 6-p.m. May 13th resulted in the arrest of two men from Illinois. An Iowa State Patrol Trooper pulled a car over for speeding 88-mph in a 70 zone at around mile marker 88. Upon further investigation, the Trooper arrested 27-year old Christopher J. Jackson, of Genoa, IL., and 27-year old John Michael Joseph Daniells, of Harvard, IL., for possession of a controlled substance/1st offense. Both men were released a couple of hours later on a $1,000 cash or surety bond, each.

On May 14th, 35-year old Luke Allan Mullen, of Bedford, was transported from the Adair/Union County line during a transfer from another agency, and brought to the Adair County Jail for Violation of a No Contact Order. Mullen was released on the 17th, after posting a $300 bond. And, 34-year old Adam Michael Roan, of Bridgewater, was arrested Saturday afternoon following a traffic stop on Highway 92 near 250th Street in Adair County. Roan was arrested for Driving While License denied or revoked for OWI Test Refusal. He was released later that same day on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

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

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FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) — A 20-year-old man has been accused of stealing around 150 pigs from a confinement near Lake Mills in northern Iowa. Winnebago County Court records say Robert Morales, of Buffalo Center, is charged with theft and burglary. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 8. The pigs were reported stolen Nov. 4 from a Christensen Farms operation.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report 35-year old Jason Johnson, of Lenox, was arrested just before 6-p.m. Monday. Johnson was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for Violation of Parole. He was being held in the jail without bond.

And, there were separate theft and vandalism incidents reported to the Creston P-D, Monday. A resident of the 500 block of W. Montgomery Street said that sometime in the last few months, someone stole an intake manifold and carburetor from a vehicle that was parked in the back of a residence. The loss was estimated at $300. A resident of the 1000 block of S. Sumner Street in Creston told police that sometime between 11-p.m. Sunday and 6:30-a.m. Monday, someone keyed his vehicle while it was in a parking lot near the residence. The damage was estimated at $200.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of killing an Ottumwa teenager is expected to change his plea. Court records say a hearing has been scheduled May 29 for 20-year-old Venhure Tsegay. Authorities say he shot 16-year-old Christian Madueno in the face on Nov. 29, 2016. Authorities say Madueno died nearly a month later. Tsegay has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. The records don’t say what other charges are involved, if any. He’s also been charged with robbery, burglary, assault and a drug crime.

The Exira-Elk Horn/Kimballton School Board is set to meet this evening in the conference room at the Elk Horn building. Their session starts at 6-p.m. Included among the items on their agenda, is a Public Hearing on a Budget Amendment, followed later on in the meeting by approval of a 2017-18 Budget Amendment. Other discussion and action items include: 2018-19 fees; approval of…a carpeting bid for the Elk Horn building, a contract with IWCC for concurrent courses, a new Junior High/High School grading scale, a bid for a school car (Buick), and approval of personnel matters – to include hires, transfers, resignations, etc.

Iowa’s governor, the state agriculture secretary and the leaders of 11 state ag groups are sending a letter to President Trump, urging him to resolve the trade dispute with China. Bill Shipley of Nodaway, president of the Iowa Soybean Association, says the trade war caused by the U-S tariffs imposed on Chinese steel and aluminum must be ended — and soon. “They need to get the issues resolved and work hard at it, not just sit around and twiddle their thumbs for a couple of weeks,” Shipley says. “Farming is a time-dependent industry compared to a lot of things. Find your markets. Work on them. Don’t sit around and wait for things to happen. You have to be proactive.”

Shipley says one-third of the state’s five-billion dollar soybean crop is exported to China and Iowa farmers can’t afford to lose that market. “Iowa would be the hardest-hit state with these tariffs going into effect on ag of any state in the nation,” Shipley says. “Our income’s been cut 40 to 50% in the last six years. Can you name any other industry that’s had their income cut that much — and still, we’re out here doing it?” Shipley says it’s taken decades to nurture a trade relationship with the Chinese and he notes, both nations benefit from the partnership. “We worked so hard to build the Chinese market,” Shipley says. “Thirty-five years ago, they didn’t buy any soybeans. Now, 40% of their usage comes from the United States. That’s a huge change. It’s a market we need and they need us. They need soybeans to feed their livestock and feed their people.”

In the letter to the president, the Iowa group says the state’s citizens and economy depend on having a quick resolution to the trade dispute.

(Radio Iowa)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Iowa native Maddie Poppe has won “American Idol.” The singer-songwriter bested Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Gabby Barrett in Monday night’s two-hour finale on ABC. Poppe and Hutchinson announced on the program that they’re dating, surprising judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. They then performed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Poppe called the experience incredible.

Maddie Poppe ABC (file) Photo

Hutchinson took to Twitter to congratulate Poppe. The three judges performed during the finale along with Patti LaBelle, Nick Jonas and Mustard, Bebe Rexha, Darius Rucker, Gary Clark Jr., Yolanda Adams and Kermit the Frog.