Detectives in Council Bluffs have identified 18-year old Ethan B. Edgar, of Hutchinson, Kansas, as the person who died after being shot Monday afternoon, at South Main Street and 9th Avenue.

The investigation, which is still ongoing, indicates that owner of a stolen black 2009 Nissan 370Z, along with several friends, in multiple cars, were in Council Bluffs actively searching for the car, as they had information that it was seen at different locations in Council Bluffs throughout the day. The Nissan had been reported stolen to the Omaha Police Department just after 2-a.m., Monday.

Edgar was behind the wheel of the stolen Nissan, parked on the gas station lot, at South Main and 9th Avenue, when it was located by some of the owner’s friends, who were in two separate cars. One of these cars, a blue Honda Civic, pulled directly in front of the Nissan, blocking its forward path, as the second car, a silver Toyota Camry pulled in directly behind the Nissan, blocking it from backing out of the area.

Edgar, the lone occupant of the Nissan, put the car in reverse and accelerated, slamming the rear‐end of the Nissan into the front passenger side door of the Camry. As Edgar then began to drive forward, a male sitting in the front passenger
seat of the Camry fired multiple shots at the Nissan through his open car door window. The three cars proceeded to ram into each other several times, with the male in the Camry firing additional rounds at the Nissan. A total of 12 spent
.9-mm shell casings were recovered at the scene.

Edgar was able to drive the Nissan off the gas station lot, heading north on South Main Street, with the Honda Civic and Toyota Camry chasing after it. Edgar lost control of the Nissan at the intersection of South Main Street and 5th Avenue,
crashing into a tree. Paramedics transported Edgar to UNMC, where he died from his injuries. Edgar had been struck by gunfire twice, once in the upper right back and another time on the right thigh.

The subjects inside the Honda Civic and Toyota Camry remained on the scene and were taken in for questioning. After reviewing all the known evidence with the County Attorney’s Office, it was decided that no one would be immediately
arrested. It is expected the County Attorney will present the evidence to a Grand Jury to determine if the male who fired the shots, 25-year old Jonathan Echtinaw, of Omaha, will face any criminal charges.

Seven people were hurt during a collision Monday night, in Pottawattamie County. The Sheriff’s Office reports the crash happened at around 8:15-p.m. at the intersection of Highway 83 and Railroad Highway. Upon arrival, deputies were able to determine that 32-year old Katharine Wellman, from Harlan, was westbound on Highway 83 and approaching the intersection at Railroad Highway. She was driving a 2004 Buick LeSabre. 40-year old Valerie Kluver, from Portsmouth, was northbound on Railroad Highway in a 2008 Kia Sedona, and approaching the intersection at Highway 83.

The investigation indicated that Wellman failed to stop at the intersection, causing the vehicles to collide.  Wellman was issued a citation for failure to obey a stop sign. Katherine Wellman and a passenger, 25-year old Edward Parrott, Jr., were transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Both were later released. Valerie Kluver and her passengers, 51-year old Chad Kluver and three juveniles, were transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Patrol is conducting an internal investigation into a manager who received $40,000 in benefits to relocate to western Iowa but for tax purposes recently claimed a newly built house 120 miles away as his residence. The investigation is looking into whether Lt. Joel Ehler is in compliance with its residency policy and whether the moving expenses were handled appropriately.

A spokesman says the patrol is taking “very seriously” the concerns raised in an anonymous complaint that sparked the investigation. Ehler was stationed in Des Moines and living in Adel when promoted in 2017 to lead the Council Bluffs patrol post. He qualified for state-funded relocation benefits.

Property records show Ehler and his wife sold their Adel home in 2018 for $469,500. Then, he claimed a homestead tax break on a new West Des Moines home.

(Radio Iowa) — A traffic stop Sunday night in northwest Iowa’s Woodbury County led to the seizure of over five and a half pounds of cocaine. Woodbury County Sheriff’s Sergeant Nate Sands stopped an eastbound vehicle on Highway 20 at Osceola Avenue that was traveling 82 mph in a 65 speed zone.The driver, 37-year-old Jacob Rios, had a California drivers license and a car registered out of Oregon.

Court documents state Rios was very nervous and couldn’t give the correct name on the registration. He also stated he was going to see a friend in Chicago but couldn’t immediately think of the friend’s name. Sgt. Sands had his K-9 Rico sniff the vehicle and around 5.6 pounds of a substance which field tested positive for cocaine was found in the trunk under the floor where the spare tire should have been.

Rios was taken into custody and charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine, speeding, no drug tax stamp, no vehicle insurance and was put on a federal hold for ICE. Rios is being held in the Woodbury County Jail on $30,000 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A developer needs just one more city council vote before he can implement proposed plans to transform a former Des Moines junior high school into an eclectic space featuring meeting rooms, restaurants, a bar and boutique hotel. We Can Build It owner Jeff Young says he is hoping to invest up to $8 million to revamp the old Franklin Junior High school.

The Des Moines Register reports that the city council is set to vote May 20 on Young’s request to rezone the 213,000-square-foot property from church and school use to a planned unit development. Supporters say they would like to see life injected back into the long-abandoned and underutilized building that’s attracted crime in the past.

Critics say they are concerned about excessive traffic, garbage and noise.

MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) — A July 17 trial starting date has been scheduled for an eastern Iowa man charged in the death of a woman hit by fragments from a homemade cannon. Delaware County court records say 31-year-old Max Fenton has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and two fireworks charges. The improvised cannon was made from the sawed-off barrel of a .50-caliber, black powder rifle and was supposed to serve as a noisemaker. Authorities say the rear of the barrel “blew out” in Greeley the night of July 2, 2016, sending fragments toward where 55-year-old Lori Heims was sitting, hitting her in the head. She died later at a hospital.

The trial has been delayed since because of legal maneuvering. Judge Michael Shubatt noted previous trial delays and says in court records that he won’t delay it again for further preparations or negotiations between the parties.