Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A bill that would set mandatory minimum prison sentences for repeat domestic abuse offenders in Iowa is drawing opposition from an unlikely source: one of the state’s largest advocacy organizations for victims. Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence is registered against the bill, which is expected for House debate Thursday. Director of Public Policy Laura Hessburg says increasing prison penalties can cause unintended harm _ such as perpetuating cycles of violence and racial inequality.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Court of Appeals says a Davenport man should get another trial because prosecutors removed the only two black people from the prospective jury pool violating a constitutional protection against removing jurors because of their race. Marquise Miller, who is black, was charged with eluding police and theft for allegedly helping two accomplices flee after shoplifting at a Dillard’s department store in Davenport in 2015.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A Waterloo police officer has been placed on administrative leave after she was arrested on suspicion of driving drunk and causing a crash. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 32-year-old Diana Del Valle was arrested on suspicion of first-offense operating while intoxicated following a late-night March 16 collision on a Waterloo street while she was off-duty. Authorities say she hit a parked vehicle. She was also ticketed for failure to maintain control.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Officials say they didn’t have a hard tracking down a would-be marijuana dealer in Davenport. That’s because, they say, he received 10 pounds of the drug in the U.S. mail. Prosecutors say 25-year-old Charles Simpson has been charged with possession with intent to deliver, conspiracy to possess and deliver marijuana and failure to affix a drug tax stamp. The Quad-City Times reports that Simpson’s brother mailed him the marijuana to sell locally.

Large and small cartons of ice cream spilled out at a railroad crossing in Le Mars this morning (Wednesday) after a train struck the trailer of a semi. Le Mars fire chief, Dave Schipper (Shipper) says the truck owned and operated by Schuster Trucking was hauling a load of ice cream from Wells Enterprises.

“It was struck by a southbound C-N train here at 18th Street and what we call southbound Business Highway 75,” according to Schipper. “We did have one injury, minor, to the truck driver. He was transported to Floyd Valley Hospital.” The name of the truck driver has not been released. The accident happened at about 10:40 a-m and destroyed the trailer hauling the frozen desserts.

“We have ice cream strung out in the ditch here and parts and pieces of the trailer down the tracks for I’d say a good city block or a block and a half,” Schipper says. Firefighters had to wait for the power to be disconnected to one of the crossing signals that ended up under the semi trailer before they could clean up the spilled ice cream that was mostly contained to its packaging.

There was some diesel spilled from the truck. The fire chief says the lights and crossing arms were working at the time of the accident. He says it’s at least the third truck train accident at this intersection in the city in the last seven years.

(Radio Iowa)

A man from western Iowa and a woman from eastern Nebraska were arrested Tuesday evening on multiple charges in Council Bluffs, after Bluffs Police Officers were checking the parking lot of 3541 14th Ave and located a stolen vehicle. During their investigation, a room was located where the suspects were staying. One suspect, who was later identified as 43-year old David Wagner, of Carter Lake, fled from officers on foot and attempted to get into a vehicle that was waiting outside.

David Wagner

As officers were chasing him toward the waiting vehicle, the driver fled the area after noticing officers in foot pursuit. Wagner was tasered and taken into custody. He was charged with Theft 1st, Eluding and Interference with Official Acts.

The second subject (Later identified as 41-year old Ryan Deneveu, of Omaha) was unable to show proof of identification and the information she did provide was clearly false. The woman refused authorities entry into her hotel room and was detained. The room was search once a warrant was obtained, after which her true identity was determined. Deneveu had a valid warrant from Nebraska and was held as a Fugitive from Justice, along with local charges of Possession of Marijuana, False Information and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs.

Ryan Deneveu

Evidence from the search warrant included drugs, cash and keys to the stolen vehicle. All items that were located were placed into property.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Senate committee has approved a bill that would ban local governments from raising the minimum hourly wage in Iowa, effectively causing pay cuts for some workers. The 9-6 vote Wednesday by the Senate State Government Committee means the bill is now available for debate in the full Republican-controlled chamber, where it has support.

The GOP-led House passed the bill this month. The pending vote in the Senate would be the final legislative action on the bill before it’s sent to Gov. Terry Branstad. The Republican governor has indicated he backs the legislation.

The bill would prohibit cities or counties from adopting or enforcing ordinances that raise the minimum hourly wage above the state level of $7.25. That would override wage increases approved in Polk, Johnson, Linn and Wapello counties.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa House is considering a bill to establish mandatory minimum sentences for some people convicted of domestic abuse. The Republican-controlled House is expected to vote on the legislation Thursday. It would create mandatory minimums for some abuse, harassment and stalking convictions.

Individuals convicted of domestic abuse three or more times would be required to serve 20 percent of the maximum sentence before eligibility for parole. The bill also requires risk assessments for some individuals before release and expands GPS tracking. Supporters of the legislation say it would reassure abuse survivors.

Groups opposing the bill say lengthening prison sentences will only increase Iowa’s incarceration rate and not address roots of domestic violence. The House voted Monday in favor of sentencing reform for non-violent drug crimes to reduce prison crowding.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) – A July trial has been scheduled for a northwest Iowa man and wife who’ve been accused in the beatings of an 11-year-old. Court records show Matthew Spaans filed a written plea of not guilty Monday in Sioux County District Court to seven counts of child endangerment and seven of assault. His wife, 33-year-old Nina Spaans, already had pleaded not guilty to six counts of child endangerment and two of assault. Their trial is set to begin July 18. They live in Hawarden.

Records say that at least three times since September, Matthew Spaans beat his stepson with his hands, a 56-inch sword and another item, severely bruising the boy. The documents say the boy was told to make up stories about his bruises or his next beating would be worse.