(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report a man from Shelby County complained of pain/possible injury, following an accident Thursday night. In their report released Sunday morning, authorities said a 2011 Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by 19-year-old Brady Christopher Gross, of Irwin, left Union Street from an unknown location at a slow speed at around 10:05-p.m., and struck a 1997 International semi** tractor-trailer that was legally parked in a parking lot.

Police say the pickup’s accelerator was depressed for an extended period of time while in drive, causing the rear tires to catch fire. The flames encompassed the rest of the truck. A bystander pulled Gross from the vehicle. Authorities say he appeared to be highly intoxicated. Brady Gross was taken to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, by EMS.

A blood sample was requested and obtained. It was sent to the lab to determine if OWI charges will be filed. Damages from the collision amounted to $9,000.

**Creston Police corrected the year/make of the semi in an updated report

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested a man on alcohol and drug charges this (Sunday) morning. 35-year-old Lucas James Bogart, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 2:30-a.m. in the 2300 block of Eastern Avenue, for Consumption or Intoxication in Public Places, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bogart was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Cascade, Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol reports four people were injured Saturday night, when the pickup truck they were in went out of control and rolled into a ditch before landing on its wheels. Three of the four occupants were ejected from the vehicle. None of the injured were wearing a seat belt.

The Patrol says the accident happened at around 9:36-p.m. on southbound 9th Avenue near Cascade, when the driver lost control of the 2011 Chevy Silverado pickup.

Two of the injured were transported by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinic, two other were transported by Cascade EMS to Finley Hospital in Dubuque. No names have been released as of this report. The crash remained under investigation.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports five recent arrests. Late Friday morning, 35-year-old Kayla Sue Hoffman, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Courthouse, on a Union County Warrant for Theft 3rd-Enhanced resulting from two prior convictions. Hoffman was taken to the Union County Jail then transferred to the Adams County where she was later released on $2000 cash or surety bond.

Friday afternoon, 42-year-old Nicholas Edward Giesken, of Creston, was arrested in the 800 block of W. Howard Street, in Creston, on a Union County Warrant for Attempted Burglary in the 1st Degree, Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree (damages $300-750), and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree (Damage under $300). Giesken was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on an $11,000 cash or surety bond.

At around 2:10-a.m. Saturday, Creston Police arrested 31-year-old Kevin William Wessel, of Greenfield. Wessel was taken into custody at the Creston Union County Law Enforcement Center (LEC),  and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana/1st Offense, along with OWI /2nd offense. Wessel was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $3,000 cash or surety bond.

Saturday night, 53-year-old Lisa Kay Foster, of Creston, was arrested at her residence on a Union County Warrant for Harassment 3rd Degree- via Communication. Foster was taken to the Union County Jail and later transported to the Adams County Jail, where she was being held without bond until seen by the Judge.

And, at around 3:34-a.m. today (Sunday), 42-year-old Amanda Marie Nelson, of Creston, was arrested at the Creston Union County LEC on a charge of OWI/1st offense. Nelson was cited and released on Promise to Appear.

DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Friday, announced the signing of a disaster proclamation for Clay and Hamilton Counties effective immediately through December 3, 2023. The announcement came after the USDA has confirmed positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in three game bird duck farms in Clay County, and a positive case in a commercial breeding chicken flock in Hamilton County. 

The proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites. 

The most recent case of bird flu in Iowa previously announced was in a commercial turkey farm in Buena Vista County. With these four new cases, there have now been a total of 10 cases of HPAI  in Iowa for the year.

Flock owners are asked to prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Additionally, anyone who witnesses sick birds or unusual deaths among birds should immediately report them to state or federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website.

The recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. 

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU) — A northwest Iowa bank has closed after suffering heavy losses on loans not previously identified, according to Iowa banking officials. The Citizens Bank, Sac City was closed Friday by the Iowa Division of Banking (IDOB), the organization said in a release. As part of the closure by IDOB Superintendent Jeff Plagge, the bank was placed into the receivership of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

The release states that bank examiners “identified significant loan losses that had not previously been identified by the bank” while conducting an examination of the bank. Officials said Citizens Bank had a “concentration of out-of-territory and out-of-state loans to one industry” and then suffered heavy losses from some of those loans. The bank has since been declared insolvent.

All deposit accounts have been purchased and transferred to Iowa Trust & Savings Bank, Emmetsburg. It also purchased all available loans. On Monday, Citizens Bank’s main office and drive-up facility will reopen as a branch of Iowa Trust & Savings Bank. Citizens Bank was established in 1929. The bank reported $65,558,000 in total assets and $58,930,000 in total deposits as of its third-quarter call report.

The FDIC established a toll-free number for customers of Citizens Bank for any questions and concerns. The number is 866-314-1744 and will be in operation Friday until 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., Monday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and thereafter from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The FDIC also has more information on its website. The FDIC insures qualified deposits to $250,000.

GLIDDEN, Iowa — [KCCI] – Carroll County Sheriff Kenneth Pingrey didn’t hold back in his message to the public after his department responded to multiple calls about a man carrying a backpack and walking around in Glidden “carrying what appeared to be an AR-style rifle.”

According to a news release, deputies who responded to the calls Thursday afternoon on the town’s south side found 38-year-old Jerry Lee Webb Jr., of  Kansas City, Missouri, in possession of a “loaded 12-gauge shotgun that looked similar to an AR-style rifle.”

Jerry Webb

Webb, also allegedly had a loaded 9mm pistol in a backpack that he left at the NEW Cooperative. Webb was arrested on a no-contact order violation unrelated to the initial calls Thursday, but that charge was dropped for lack of probable cause, according to court documents.

An investigation involving out-of-state law enforcement as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives continues.

Sheriff Pingrey said in the news release, “The mere fact that Webb was in possession of two loaded, uncased weapons is not a crime under Iowa laws. It is, however, extremely stupid to walk around town carrying firearms in this fashion. This will not only spark fear in a community, and rightfully so, but will also generate a vigorous response from law enforcement.”

Pingrey concluded by saying “I am a huge proponent of the Second Amendment and the NRA but I firmly believe in safe and responsible gun ownership, this was neither safe nor responsible.”

(Radio Iowa) – A jury has found the Chairman of the Kossuth County Board of Supervisors guilty of misdemeanor assault this week, following an incident with another board member back in July. Seventy-six-year-old Roger Tjarks (Tarks) was convicted on the single count of assault, a simple misdemeanor, following a one-day trial on Tuesday.

A criminal complaint filed on August 10th states that Tjarks pushed Supervisor Kyle Stecker, poked him in the chest and made verbal threats of wanting to physically harm the 26-year-old at the Kossuth County Courthouse around 9:30 a.m. on July 11th.

The supervisors had a regular meeting that morning that started at 8 a.m. A video recording of the meeting shows that a closed session was requested around 9:20 a.m. and it was during this closed session that the alleged altercation took place. Jurors heard from witnesses for both the state and the defense, as well as an audio/video recording of the incident.

The case was prosecuted by the Winnebago County Attorney’s Office due to a potential conflict of interest for the Kossuth County Attorney.