Sheriff’s officials in Cass County say four people were arrested over the past week on unrelated charges. Last Thursday, deputies arrested: 27-year old Thomas Lee Curtis, of Red Oak, on a District Court Warrant for Probation Violation. Curtis was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was being held on $5000 bond; 23–year old Travis Derrick Collins, of Cumberland, was arrested Thursday on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. Collins was taken to the Cass County Jail where he pled not guilty and was released on his own recognizance later that day; and, 39-year old Robert Joseph Dambra, of Atlantic, was arrested Thursday on a Cass County Warrant for Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine. Dambra was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $50,000 bond.

 On Sunday, 70-year old Michael Francis Wagner, of Cumberland, was arrested on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault Simple. Wagner was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remained pending a hearing before the magistrate. 

And, on Saturday, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies investigated a non-injury accident at 7th Street and Hospital Drive, in Atlantic. Officials say a 2006 Ford Freestar owned and driven by 74-year old Robert Leroy Baker, of Griswold, was attempting a left turn onto Hospital Drive when his vehicle struck an oncoming 2006 Pontiac G6 owned and driven by 66-year old John Allan Carns, of Atlantic. Damages from the accident amounted to $5,500.  Deputies cited Baker for Failing to Yield the Right of Way.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County arrested a Glenwood man last week on a warrant charging him with sexual abuse. 19-year old Andrew Mark Schoening was taken into custody January 17th, on a warrant for 3rd degree sexual abuse. Schoening was being held in the Mills County Jail on $10,000 bond.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Sheriff’s officials in Adams County say an Lenox woman was arrested Sunday night on an OWI charge. 45-year old Mary Holbrook was taken into custody just outside on Lenox on Sycamore Avenue, at around 10:40-p.m..   She was brought to the Adams County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

The Iowa State Patrol has released additional details about an accident that occurred Sunday morning on Interstate 80, in Cass County. Officials said this (Monday) morning, that at around 8:40-a.m., Trooper R. Boyd Burn responded to a report of a van rollover on I-80 near exit 60 (Hwy 71). Witnesses said after the vehicle came to rest, 8 persons fled the scene on foot, while two people who suffered serious injuries, one of them was determined to have suffered critical injuries, including a head trauma and paralysis. Both were transported to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.

Following a search of the area, six of the eight persons in the van were located and transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, for treatment of their injuries. Two other persons were able to acquire taxi service, and were taken to Council Bluffs. The Patrol says agents with ICE (The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency), were contacted. The agents interviewed the  subjects at CCMH and determined they were illegal immigrants en-route to New Jersey.

The persons who went to Council Bluffs were allegedly transporting the eight individuals to New Jersey to secure employment. All six subjects were turned over to ICE agents and transported to Omaha, NE. ICE agents were able to get a ping on the cell phones used by the two persons who went to Council Bluffs, but those individuals remain at large. An investigation into the incident continues.

The State Patrol was assisted in its investigation by deputies with the Cass and Audubon County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Fire and Rescue, and ICE agents.

The Iowa State Patrol has identified the victims of Sunday’s two-vehicle crash in Greene County. Officials said this (Monday) morning 19-year old Andrew Gordan Jackson, of Orient, 54-year old Dwight Lee Snogren, of Jamaica, and 42-year old David James Muir, of Rippey, died at the scene of the crash on Greene County Road E-57, about a mile west of Rippey.

Officials say a 2002 Pontiac Firebird driven by Muir was traveling east at a high rate of speed at around 1:30-p.m., when the car went out of control, spun around and crossed the centerline of the road, where it was struck on the passenger side, by Snogren’s 2011 Ford F-150 pickup. After the impact, both vehicles entered a ditch and rolled onto their sides.

Neither Muir nor Snogren were wearing their seatbelts. Jackson, who was a passenger in the Firebird was wearing his seatbelt. The accident remains under investigation.

A Griswold woman who plead guilty last November to a Class C felony charge of Vehicle Homicide by Operating While under the Influence (OWI) in connection with the 2010 death of 44-year old Katrina Christensen, was sentenced today (Monday) in Cass County District Court. Judge James C. Richardson announced his decision after he heard from witnesses who attested to 46-year old Christine Riedemann’s character, and written statements from Christensen’s daughters. Richardson sentenced Riedemann to 10-years in prison, but ordered the sentence suspended. He then placed her on probation for a period of 5-years, and ordered her to pay fines amounting to $1,000 plus surcharges.

Riedemann will be required to reside at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Council Bluffs for the duration of her probation. She’ll begin serving her term at the facility when space becomes available, which the court said will likely be in about 7-to 10-days. She must also meet several conditions while on probation, including: completing a substance abuse evaluation; submitting a DNA sample; making restitution Christensen’s estate in the amount of $150,000 and maintaining full employment or becoming a student in a vocational or academic institution. Her lawyer said Riedemann’s insurance has already paid out $100,000 to Christense’s family, as part of a settlement.

Riedemann was the driver of an SUV that went out of control on June 4^th, 2010. The vehicle entered the ditch, and hit a utility pole west of Atlantic. Christensen, who was a passenger in the vehicle, died in the accident. Two separate blood-alcohol tests each indicated Riedemann was above the legal limit to drive. She was also found to have been in possession of marijuana.

Prior to pronouncing the sentence, the judge heard testimony from Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, former Councilman Kern Miller, and realtor Dale Gross, who served as character witnesses. All three men asked for the lenient sentence, in observance of the fact Riedemann had no prior criminal history, and was extremely remorseful about the death of her friend. Riedemann herself said there was no greater punishment she could receive than living with the tragedy that took place on that June day in 2010. She said she was willing to accept the court’s decision in the matter.

The judge also heard written statements from Christensen’s two daughters. One of the statements read by the victims’ family Attorney Andrew J. Knuth, was from  Ashley Wedemeyer.   Wedemeyer said she hoped her mother would be proud of her accomplishments, but was saddened by the fact she’ll never be around to help her through the tough spots in life, nor will she be able to know her grandson, who was born about two-months ago. She said she knows what happened was not intentional, but she said “even accidents have consequences.”

Three people died Sunday afternoon during a crash between a car and a pickup in Greene County. The accident happened at around 1:30-p.m., one-mile east of Rippey, on Greene County Road E-57. The Iowa State Patrol had not identified the victims as of early this (Monday) morning. Officials say a 2002 Pontiac Firebird was traveling east at a high rate of speed, when it went out of control, spun around on the road, crossed the center line, and was hit on the right side by an oncoming Ford F-150 pickup.

Both vehicles then entered the ditch and rolled over, coming to rest on their sides. Both drivers, and a passenger in the Firebird died at the scene of the crash, which remains under investigation.

A handful of area City Council’s and other organizations will hold their respective meetings, Monday. Included among them:

The Atlantic Community School District’s Certified Collective Bargaining Unit, which will meet at 4-p.m. in the Middle School Board room. The District will present its opening proposal for 2012-2013 negotiations. Last week, the Atlantic Education Association presented its proposal, for a 6.9% total package increase for the 2012-2013 contract salary year.

The Cass County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will meet in the basement meeting room at the Cass County Courthouse, beginning at 6:30-p.m., following a meeting of the E-9-1-1 Board.

And, the Audubon City Council will gather at their City Hall, for a 7-p.m. session. During the meeting, the Council will hear from Midwest Partnership’s Chad Schreck, with regard to Economic Development, and Aaron Voss, with U-S Water Services. The Council will also discuss with Laurie Gilbert, from the Region 12 Council Of Governments (COG), the demolition of houses and tax sale properties. Discussion items on their agenda include issues pertaining to: ICAP (the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool); Parking in yards; and compensation practices.