ORIENT, Iowa [KCCI] — A Union County man faces a Class-B Felony attempted murder charge, for allegedly threatening to kill another man in Adair County who he says sexually abused three kids. KCCI reports 52-year-old David Matthew Hanson, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday, in Orient.

Court documents say Adair County sheriff’s deputies were called to a home outside which Hanson was seen. They say Hanson was upset that the homeowner had not been charged following allegations of sexually abusing children. Hanson allegedly shot at the home, and told deputies he would kill the homeowner if he came outside. Hanson also told deputies he had been drinking.

In addition to the Attempted Murder charge, Hanson was charged: with Burglary in the 1st Degree – A Class B Felony; Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon w/injury or provocation of fear – A Class C Felony; Going Armed with Intent – A Class D Felony, and Possession or carrying of a dangerous weapon while under the Influence – A Serious Misdemeanor.

He made his initial appearance in court on Wednesday (Nov. 15th). A preliminary hearing in his case was set for 10:30-a.m. Nov. 27th, in Adair County District Court. Hanson was being held in the Adair County Jail on $750,000 bond.

(Black Hawk County, Iowa) – A collision Friday afternoon south of Denver, in eastern Iowa, resulted in two people being transported to a hospital in Waterloo. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2007 Toyota Tundra pickup, driven by 45-year-old Matthew Richard Matthias, of Readlyn (IA), was stopped at a stop sign facing eastbound at Black Hawk County Road C-57 and U-S Highway 63, and a 2013 Honda CRV driven by 60-year-old Charles Farnam Stone, of Cedar Rapids, was traveling north on Highway 63 at around 2:54-p.m.

When Matthias failed to yield the right-of-way from the stop sign, his pickup was struck by the Honda, as the pickup was crossing Highway 63. Stone, and a passenger in his vehicle, 56-year-old Lily Leo Toy Stone, of Cedar Rapids, were hurt in the crash and transported to UnityPoint-Allen Hospital.

Matthias was arrested for OWI and Failure to Yield. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, along with Denver Fire and EMS.

[See the updated report posted at 1:45-p.m., Saturday]

(DeWitt, Iowa) – A woman who was standing in the traveled portion of U-S Highway 61 southbound in Clinton County, Friday evening, died after she was struck by a pickup truck. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2020 Ford Escape SUV was disabled on left lane of the highway near mile-marker 148.

The woman and the SUV were struck by a 2012 Chevy Silverado pickup that was traveling in the left lane, after she and another occupant of the vehicle had exited the SUV. The woman died at the scene. Another person was injured and transported to Genesis East Medical Center, in Davenport.

The accident happened at around 5:25-p.m., near DeWitt. After the collision, the pickup came to rest in the west ditch, and the SUV came to rest in the median.  No names were released at the time of the report. The accident remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department and Dewitt Police.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced her appointment of Ashley Sparks as a district judge in Judicial Election District 2B.  Judicial Election District 2B includes Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Humboldt, Marshall, Pocahontas, Sac, Story, Webster, and Wright counties.

Sparks, of Bondurant, Iowa, is the Owner of Sparks Law, PLLC and is a Boone County Magistrate. She received an undergraduate degree from Western Illinois University, a master’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and her law degree from Drake University Law School.

Sparks fills a vacancy created following the retirement of the Honorable James C. Ellefson.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A central Iowa man was sentenced Friday (Nov. 17)  to 18 months in prison for preparing, presenting, and making false tax returns. According to public court documents, 41-yearold Bakou Kees Vonty, of Ames, also known as “Bob Vonty,” prepared and filed hundreds of federal individual income tax returns on behalf of individual taxpayers, from approximately 2011 to 2022.

On a 2019 tax return, Vonty, on behalf of an individual, falsely reported business losses and qualified education expenses. As part of his plea agreement, Vonty agreed to not prepare, file, or assist in any way with the preparation of federal or state tax returns for any third parties. Further, in at least 2016, Vonty falsely reported business losses and qualified education expenses on his own tax return. Vonty’s false returns resulted in a combined tax loss exceeding $400,000.

Following his prison term, Vonty must serve a one-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case.