CHESTER, Iowa (AP) — A sheriff says a man installing a boom extension on an old, truck-mounted construction crane in northern Iowa was crushed to death when the boom fell on him. Fifty-seven-year-old Timothy Brandau was pronounced dead at the scene Wednesday in Chester. An autopsy has been ordered. Howard County Sheriff Mike Miner said Friday that Brandau told acquaintances that he needed the extra boom length for a construction job. Miner says Brandau hadn’t set up any safety support and was struck when the top part of the boom suddenly fell after he knocked out a connection pin.
Miner says Brandau was working alone.

Brandau bought, sold and repaired construction equipment at his property in Chester, a town of about 125 people that sits on the Minnesota state line.

City officials in Exira say a Boil Advisory that had been issued Tuesday due to low or no water pressure in some parts of the City, has now been lifted. Test results showed no bacteria were found in the system after the problem was discovered.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 49-year old Lori Leigh Richter, of Marne, was arrested on several charges, Thursday. Richter was taken into custody on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for (felony) Ongoing Criminal Conduct; two felony counts of Theft 1st Degree; and a felony count of Dependent Adult Abuse by Exploitation. Richter was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $50,000 bond. Also arrested Thursday, was 33-year old Elijah Lee Fecht, of Council Bluffs. His arrest was by order of a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Fecht was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

And, on Monday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 40-year old Justin David Reading, of Marshfield, WI, on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Reading was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $1,000 bond.

A man from Central Iowa was arrested following the high-speed pursuit of a motorcycle this (Friday) morning. Sgt. Marc Freeman with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office told KJAN News an Iowa State Patrol Trooper started the pursuit near Highway 71 in Cass County, during an attempted traffic stop. The man on the 2008 Ducati motorcycle, 18-year old Colton Fineran, of the Des Moines area, sped-off and led authorities through several communities, including the northern-most city limits of Atlantic past KJAN twice (southbound and northbound), before returning to Interstate 80 westbound.

Pursued cycle northbound on Olive Street just south of KJAN (Ric Hanson photo)

Sgt. Freeman said they had several deputies and other law enforcement stationed along the interstate, but there was no way to keep up with him, as speeds reached in excess of 120 miles per hour, to as much 150-miles per hour.  The man eventually exited I-80 and went into Neola, where observant citizens told authorities he tried to hide the cycle in a residential carport. Fineran was taken into custody without further incident. Sgt. Freeman said he was wanted on warrants out of central Iowa for Driving While Barred. Fineran now faces charges of Speeding, Eluding and an additional Driving While Barred charge.

He was transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail and booked-in.

Numerous law enforcement agencies were involved in the high speed pursuit of a man on a “crotch rocket” type motorcycle this (Friday) morning. The chase entered the northern limits of Atlantic past the KJAN studios at around 9:25-a.m. The rider got to about the Troublesome Creek bridge on Olive Street,  where a road block was set up by Atlantic Police. The cycle turned around and went north on Olive to the interstate. Speeds were estimated at 125-to 130 miles per hour. At one point, the speeds were said to have reached 150-mph.

Pursued cycle northbound on Olive Street just south of KJAN (Ric Hanson photo)

When he flew past KJAN the man was wearing a helmet, white shirt, shorts or blue jeans, and was carrying a backpack. Law enforcement entities involved in the chase include Iowa State Patrol, Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Atlantic Police, Iowa Dept. of Motor Vehicle Enforcement and Iowa DNR.

KJAN listeners reported on our social media page that the cycle had been through Brayton and Exira at some points during the pursuit. After it left The Atlantic City limits and went northbound, the cycle went westbound on I-80 near Shelby, and eventually ended-up in Neola, where the subject was taken into custody. He faces numerous charges.

Additional information was not immediately available.

Deputies in Pottawattamie County who were dispatched to the 34 mile marker on Highway 6, Thursday, arrested a man in Oakland associated with an accident. Officials say 25-year old Jacob Ryan Craft, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody for providing False Identification Information. He was transported to the Pott. County Jail.

LAKE PANORAMA – DNR conservation officers held a special enforcement project on Lake Panorama on July 7 coming in contact with 51 boats with a total of 206 individuals. The specialized enforcement project took place from 4:00pm to 10:30pm and involved 11 DNR conservation officers and water patrol officers and resulted in the following:

By the numbers:

7 Citations

4 No Personal Flotation Device

1 Overloaded Vessel

1 Speed and Distance

1 No fire extinguisher

18 Warnings

3 Blue lights on boat

5 No capacity number displayed

3 Registration Violations

1 Speed and Distance

3 No Type IV (throwable flotation device)

3 Fire extinguisher violations

10 field sobriety tests were performed, resulting in 3 BWI arrests

1  count of Child Endangerment

1  stranded motorist assist

1  assist county sheriff deputy with burglar alarm

Jeremy King, DNR conservation officer, said “This was an extremely successful project and I have no doubt this project saved lives and deters unlawful activity on the lake in the future. We’ve heard from numerous boaters and others around Lake Panorama that were very pleased to have the heightened enforcement project and extra law enforcement presence.”

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department-sponsored “Movies in the Park” for tonight, has been cancelled. Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm reports the event was cancelled due to the expected rain and possible flash flooding. The Parks Department apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause, and they invite you to join them August 17th at the Rotary Sheltger in Schildberg Park, to watch “Jumanji – Welcome to the Jungle.”