A single-vehicle accident Monday evening in rural Montgomery County resulted in the driver of the vehicle being arrested on alcohol-related, and other charges. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says 31-year old Trevor Kyle Benge, of Stanton, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense and Driving While Suspended. Benge was also cited for failure to have insurance – accident related. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.

Officials say Benge was traveling west on 270th Street at around 7:55-p.m., when the 2011 Ford Escape he was driving left the road and entered the north ditch. The SUV continued west in the ditch for about 66-yards before it came into contact with a residential drive. It then continued over the drive and northwest into a yard, where it struck a tree.

The SUV proceeded to travel southwest again, before traveling up and over 270th Street and into the south ditch. It finally came to rest after traveling 47-yards in the ditch. The vehicle sustained about $5,000 damage.

Governor Terry Branstad remains opposed to legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Iowa, but Branstad says he’s willing to work with advocates worried about the soon-to-end Iowa law that decriminalized possession of cannabis oil for treatment of chronic epilepsy. “We don’t want people to lose something they think will be helpful or that has been helpful to members of their family,” Branstad says. The law is set to expire July 1st.

“I intend to work with the legislature as well as with the (Governor’s) Office of Drug Control (Policy) as we look at what is the appropriate thing to do,” Branstad says. The group “Iowans for Medical Cannabis” has been lobbying legislators and the governor to EXPAND the law. They want those who suffer from other serious and terminal illnesses to be able to legally use cannabis as treatment for symptoms like nausea and pain. Branstad says he wants to review the experiences of patients as well as the latest medical research about cannabis.

“I’ve always said I have an open mind in looking at what is the best and most effective way to deal with it and do it in a way that’s not going to open up the possibility of abuse by people who want to use marijuana for recreational purposes,” Branstad says.

Advocates for the use of cannabis oil, patches and other products as treatment for a variety of illnesses argue the products should be made and produced in Iowa if the state legalizes possession of it. Branstad says he wants to “carefully review” how grow-and-dispense operations in the neighboring states of Illinois and Minnesota work.

(Radio Iowa)

A new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association shows fatal traffic crashes involving teenage drivers increased 10-percent last year compared to 2014. Rose White, with Triple-A Iowa, says distracted driving is the number one cause of teen driver crashes and teen passengers are the number one distraction for those drivers. “Any passenger should always avoid unnecessary conversations with the driver. That’s a big distraction,” White says. “Also, avoid unnecessary phone use. Always put the cell phone away, but if one must be used, never allow the driver to use it,” White says.

The report claims teen drivers are 1.6 times more likely to be involved in a crash than adults. White says parents should constantly be reminding their teenage drivers about keeping their focus on the road. “Parents can certainly provide assistance by being a good driver, setting a good example, never using their cell phone, and making sure their teen drivers never do so as well,” White says.

This is National Teen Driver Safety Week (October 16-22).

(Radio Iowa)