The Better Business Bureau is warning of vehicle sales scams that are popping up in multiple states in the region. B-B-B spokesman Dan Hendrickson says Iowans should beware of ads on Craigslist and in Autotrader and other free publications, particularly if the seller suggests a third-party handle the transaction. “They’re seeing ads for cars, trucks, R-Vs, even boats at too-good-to-be-true prices,” Hendriskson says. “What they’re finding out, of course, is the ads are not legitimate and any money they send away, they will lose and they will not receive anything in return.”

Hendrickson says it should raise a big red flag if someone’s selling a vehicle or a boat at a price that’s super-low. “Usually what happens is the bad guys will say, ‘Well, I went through a divorce here, I’m just trying to get rid of some stuff or get some money in the bank, or I’ve been deployed,’ this kind of thing. And so they’re trying to make it seem like, ‘Hey, you’re doing me a favor here and helping me out’.”

People who suspect such a scam should contact local law enforcement and the Better Business Bureau.

(Radio Iowa)

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports four arrests took place over the past week. Friday afternoon, 35-year old Stephanie Lynn Werner, of Exira, was arrested after she arrived at an in-progress traffic stop, for Carry a Weapon (a knife over 8 inches long). The knife was found to be protruding between the driver’s seat and center console. Werner was cited at the scene and then released. Also arrested Friday afternoon, was 18-year old Timothy Dethlef Asmus, of Audubon. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop, during which a set of brass knuckles were observed on the seat next to him. Asmus said the device was for self defense. He was cited for carrying weapons and released at the scene.

On June 19th, at around 9-p.m., 42-year old Mark Gerald Irvin Bentler, of Dexter, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Assault Causing injury, with regard to an incident in Stuart that took place June 8th, at a bar. Bentler was released the following day on a $1,000 bond. And, 47-year old Scotty Lee Coe, of Stuart, was arrested by Stuart Police on June 18th, for Driving While Barred/Habitual offender. He later posted a $2,000 bond and was released.

Officials with the Creston Police Department are trying to sort out who was driving a vehicle that crashed into parked vehicles Friday night. Police were dispatched to East Howard Street and North Cherry Street in Creston, at around 11:07-p.m., where a 2017 Jeep Compass SUV was on its top. Medics checked out the supposed female driver of the vehicle, 29-year old Emi Lu O’Neall, of Creston, who was transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, after complaining of head and neck pain.

An investigation determined the Jeep was traveling south in the 400 block of N. Cherry Street, when it veered to the right and sideswiped a parked and unoccupied 2005 Chrysler Sebring. The Chrysler was shoved forward into a parked 2003 Ford Mustang. Officials say the SUV was traveling fast enough, that after the impact, it spun around almost 180 degrees and flipped over onto its top. A male occupant of the SUV told police he had to crawl out through the back seat doors before he could help the driver out. He explained O’Neall fell asleep after a trip to Adventureland and dinner, both he and O’Neall were sleepy.

Witnesses said the unidentified male passenger told her he fell asleep while driving, which resulted in conflicting information to officers. O’Neall and her passenger then claimed she was driving, and that the man can’t drive because of a suspended license. Both occupants of the SUV were given field sobriety tests and preliminary breath tests. None of the tests were immediately conclusive. Citations will be issued pending results of the investigation, based on who was driving the Jeep.

Damage from the collision amounted to $18,000.