The first of two Des Moines police officers killed in an accident Saturday will be laid to rest today (Wednesday). Officer Susan Farrell and partner Carlos Puente-Morales died when a car traveling the wrong way on Interstate 80 hit their police S-U-V head on. Farrell’s funeral is this morning at 11 o’clock. Des Moines Police Department spokesperson, Sergeant Paul Parizek says they’ve gotten responses from officers in other states who will attend the funeral.

“We’ve had phone calls from as far away as Georgia, people inquiring about the services. There’s a teletype we sent out to every agency in the nation and we’ve had a lot of response — particularly from the midwest,” Parizek says. He says the funeral procession will stretch between eight and 10 miles. Parizek says things will be congested as they leave West Des Moines and head down the Interstate to the cemetery.

He says they are expecting well over one-thousand emergency vehicles in the funeral procession. The Des Moines Department will stretch ladder trucks over the roadway to hold a large American flag. Officer Puente-Morales’ funeral is set for Friday. Two others also died in the accident, Tosha Hyatt of Des Moines was being transported from Council Bluffs to Des Moines by the officers.

The State Medical Examiner identified 25-year-old Ben Beary, of Knoxville, as the driver of the car which crashed head-on into the Des Moines police S-U-V. The State Patrol is still investigating how the accident happened.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature is on track to approve a bill that would add penalties for people accused of peeping on others. The House voted in support of the legislation Tuesday and the bill passed unanimously in the Senate last month. New language added in the House means it will return to the Senate before it can reach Governor Terry Branstad.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court is considering whether thousands of felons have been appropriately stripped of their voting rights for life. The outcome of the case will likely have a major impact on five defendants who are charged with illegally voting in the 2012 presidential election. At issue is the definition of the wording in the Iowa Constitution that strips anyone convicted of an “infamous crime” of their voting rights.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — The city of Fort Dodge has committed $20,000 to a study to determine the future of a vacant and deteriorating downtown building. The city and the Fort Dodge Community Foundation are trying to decide how to best use the Warden Plaza. The eight-story building was constructed around 1925 and has been vacant for a decade.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of two Des Moines police officers killed when a wrong-way driver struck their cruiser over the weekend. Flags will be flown at half-staff Wednesday and Friday for officers Susan Farrell and Carlos Puente-Morales.

(Update 4:55)

An investigation into suspicious behavior early this morning in Cass County quickly evolved into a pursuit that ended with the vehicle in a ditch east of Wiota, and one person being taken into custody. Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Bartholomew told KJAN News he was passing an SUV while on routine patrol a little after 1-a.m., when he noticed the vehicle made a sudden turn onto a gravel road in the vicinity of 720th and Fairview Road, west of Anita.

When he attempted to catch up to vehicle, it sped-off, with the chase traversing down gravel and dirt roads. The vehicle, a 2002 Mitsubishi, eventually made its way onto 690th and turned west onto Whitepole Road (Highway 6) toward Wiota, with speeds approaching 85-90 miles per hour. The deputy used his Dodge Charger in a PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuver. The move caused the SUV to enter the south ditch off Whitepole Road, where it came to rest facing northeast. The chase ended at around 1:20-a.m.

The driver of the SUV, Denise Chamberlain, of Atlantic, was taken into custody on charges that include OWI/drugged, felony eluding and other, moving violations. A passenger in the vehicle was not charged. The Sheriff’s cruiser sustained damage to its right front quarter panel and left rear bumper/valance area. The rear damage was sustained when the car was on a dirt road and struck several deep ruts.

No injuries were reported.

(Photos by KJAN News Director Ric Hanson)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature is on track to approve a bill this session that would add penalties for people accused of peeping on others. The House voted 97-0 Tuesday in support of the legislation, which would include new language and penalties in Iowa law regarding scenarios where a person may be caught secretly watching or recording another person in a private space.

The bill passed unanimously in the Senate, and new language added in the House means it will return to that chamber before it can reach Gov. Terry Branstad.

Firefighters from Atlantic were called to the scene of a tractor fire Tuesday evening, north of town. The tractor was burning near some anhydrous tanks when the call came in at around 5:58-p.m. from FSC, located at 54464 Olive Street.

Authorities say after FSC employees completed fueling the tractor that was hooked to an anhydrous tank, a worker started the tractor and began to pull away from the fuel tank when the fire started. Employees quickly disconnected the tractor from the tank before fire fighters arrived. Firefighters were quickly able to extinguish the blaze.

No injuries were reported.

(Photo’s courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Agency)

Police in Council Bluffs are on the lookout for two men who robbed the American National Bank at 2650 W. Broadway, this (Tuesday) morning. Officers were notified at around 11:37-a.m. According to witnesses inside the bank, the two men entered thru the front doors, wearing white masks, black hoodies, black pants, sunglasses and gloves. One of the men had a white short sleeved shirt over the black hoodie he was wearing.

One of the men who was dressed all in black, was armed with a black colored semi-automatic handgun and remained in the lobby area, while the man in the white short sleeved shirt jumped the counter and removed an undetermined amount of money from the cashier’s drawer. The witnesses could not determine the race of the suspects.

Once outside, the suspects left the area in a silver colored Chevrolet Cavalier, traveling northbound on North 26th Street. Within minutes, the suspect vehicle was found abandoned in the 2500 Block of Avenue A.

A check of the vehicle’s license plate indicated that the car had been stolen from the 7000 Block of No. 34th Street in Omaha, at 1:02 a.m. today (Tuesday). The Council Bluffs Police Department is working jointly with the Federal Bureau of Investigations to solve this crime. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP. Your tip could be eligible for a cash reward and you can remain anonymous.

The  Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three people have been arrested on drug charges. 29-year old Chanda Lay Koehler, of Omaha, was arrested Monday night on Highway 34 for Theft in the 1st degree and Possession of a Prescription drug. Her bond was set at $11,000. Taken into custody early Tuesday morning, was 29-year old Jeremy Wayne Aumiller, of Harvard, NE., and 26-year old Cory Lee Allsman, of Hastings, NE. Both men were arrested following a traffic stop on Highway 34. Aumiller faces a Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. His bond was set at $300. Allsman was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. His bond was set at $1,000.

And, 45-year old Mark Lee Burk, of Albia, was arrested near Allis Road and Bunge Avenue, on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County, for Driving While Barred. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

Two women were critically injured during a head-on collision this (Tuesday) morning, in Council Bluffs. According to Council Bluffs Police, 59-year old Diane Nelson and 27-year old Heather Wilkinson, both of Council Bluffs, were transported to the Nebraska Medical Center following the crash that happened at around 9:25-a.m. on the Avenue G viaduct.

Authorities say a 2004 Acura being driven by Wilkinson crossed the center line and struck a 2008 Kia Van driven by Nelson. Wilkinson was trapped in her vehicle and had to be extricated by the Council Bluffs Fire Dept. No other injuries were reported.

The case was being investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department Traffic Unit.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests took place over the past week. On Sunday, 26-year old Levi Alroy Kluver, of Gray, was arrested on a felony Domestic Abuse Assault, charge. His arrest followed an investigation into an incident that allegedly occurred at his residence earlier in the day, Sunday. Kluver was later released from the Audubon County Jail after appearing before a magistrate. His preliminary hearing was set for April 14th.

And, Friday night, 30-year old Kathryn Sue Benson, of Denison, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense, following a traffic stop on Highway 71 near Hamlin. Benson was also charged with Driving on the wrong side of the road, and failure to provide proof of vehicle registration. She was later released after posting a cash bond. Her preliminary appearance in court is set for April 14th.