(Radio Iowa) — Authorities are still trying to determine exactly what caused a fatal crash in central Iowa. The state patrol says a Jeep Wrangler was parked along the westbound shoulder of Interstate 80 on Tuesday night at mile marker 133 in Polk County, where construction work is being done on the highway. For reasons unknown, the vehicle rolled into the ditch. Troopers say the driver was partly ejected and killed. He’s identified as 64-year-old Paul Penegar, of Urbandale.

Officials with the Iowa DOT report Highway 6, just east of I-80 in northeast Council Bluffs, was blocked in both directions this morning, due to an accident involving a SWITA bus and a concrete mixer truck. The crash was reported around 7:30 a.m. near Sunnydale Road. First responders reported multiple injuries at the scene. Video from the scene showed the bus was upright in a ditch, while the cement mixed was on its passenger side, partially on the road. Motorists are asked to avoid the area and find another route.

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — A man about to be tried on a murder charge has opted for a non-jury trial in southeast Iowa. The Daily Gate City reports that Judge Mary Brown dismissed the prospective jurors Tuesday after learning that Adam McCain wanted her to oversee his trial and determine the verdict. He’s pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder, accused of killing his former girlfriend in Keokuk. Prosecutors have said McCain stabbed 27-year-old Calove Sackman once on Feb. 5, got into his vehicle and ran her over, and then got back out and stabbed her several more times.

Officers found Sackman lying on a sidewalk. The court records say she identified her attacker as McCain, who lives in Fort Madison. The trial is scheduled to begin today (Wednesday).

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — The trial of a second person accused in the beating death of a Des Moines man has been delayed. A Jasper County judge granted the request from the attorney for 51-year-old Jeffrey Stendrup, of Clive. Stendrup and 26-year-old Jaycie Sheeder were charged with first-degree murder and other crimes in the slaying of Jeremy McDowell. His body was found June 22 last year in Newton in the back of a vehicle Sheeder had been driving.

She was sentenced Oct. 3 to life in prison and last week filed notice of her attention to appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court. Authorities say Sheeder, of Coon Rapids, kept silent about Stendrup’s involvement in the attack and never tried to stop it. Jasper County court records say Stendrup’s new trial starting date is Feb. 12. It had been scheduled to start next week.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Tuesday, in Creston. According to Creston Police, 26-year old Jacob Cauthorn, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. He was later released on a $1,000 bond. And, Melissa Clark, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Suspended, the bond for which was $300. Clark faces additional Union County charges/warrants for two counts of Violation of Probation on original charges of Forgery, and an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. Clark was being held without bond on the warrants.