DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Few drivers are receiving the tough penalties Iowa lawmakers approved in 2012 for illegally passing school buses when they are stopped.
The Des Moines Register reports that the number of people charged with violating the school bus law has declined, and the law’s tough penalties may make prosecutors more willing to accept lesser charges.

The law calls for a 30-day license suspension for a first offense, costly fines and expensive high-risk insurance. The measure was prompted by the 2011 death of 7-year-old Kadyn Halverson.

The number of drivers charged with illegally passing a bus fell to 895 in 2015 from 1,030 in 2012. Authorities say part of the problem is that the bus driver or another driver is often the only witness, so it can be difficult to prove.

Police in Council Bluffs are searching for a man allegedly involved in an incident of assault that took place early Sunday morning. At around 12:12-a.m., uniformed officers were called to 202 ½ North 8th St to investigate a report of a female whom had been struck with a blunt object and was bleeding from the head. Officers spoke with the victim, 27-year old April Stout, and several witnesses.

Stout said that an unknown black male suspect with an average build and wearing dark clothing, forced his way into the residence after knocking on the door. The suspect, described as being 25-to 35-years old, and about 6-feet 3-inches tall, was apparently looking for a person unknown who did not live at Stouts address. The suspect then became upset over Stout’s dog being too close to him, and got into an altercation with Stout.

The man allegedly hit Stout in the neck with a sharp object and fled the residence on foot. Stout had a severe laceration to her neck and was transported to Mercy Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The incident remains under investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Department Criminal Investigation Division.

Two Council Bluffs Police Officers suffered minor injuries during an attempt to arrest a man Saturday night. Authorities say 26-year old Jesse Shaffer, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 11-p.m. on charges that include Aggravated Assault, Harassment 1^st degree, Operating While Intoxicated, and for two counts of Assault on Peace Officer.

He was taken into custody after officers were dispatched to 3408 37^th Avenue in Council Bluffs for a disturbance involving a man armed with a semi-automatic pistol.  Shaffer allegedly threatened to shoot one of the occupants of the house.  Officers arrived on scene and were told Shaffer fled the scene on foot to an open field to the north of the residence.

Officers set up a perimeter and waited for K-9 Units from Omaha to assist in the search.  As the K-9 Officer arrived and began to clear the immediate area around the house, Omaha Police helicopter Able 1 arrived on scene to assist in the search.  After about an hour officers received information that Shaffer was picked up by another party and transported out of the area.

The perimeter was shut down and two officers were still on scene when Shaffer arrived back at the house.  Officers approached the man and ordered him to show his hands, but Shaffer was uncooperative, and would not comply with officers.  As he fought with officers, one of the officers deployed his Taser, but it had no affect on Shaffer, who continued to fight with officers and not comply with instructions.

Once taken into custody, Shaffer was treated by the Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue personnel, and then transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, reports a Lincoln, Nebraska man was sentenced last week to prison on charges that include Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. U-S District Court Judge Robert Pratt sentenced 25-year old Tyler Jon Cross to 120 months (10-years) in prison, and ordered Cross to serve a term of 5 years of supervised release upon release from prison. He must also pay a $100 special assessment.

Cross’ conviction resulted from an investigation conducted by the Iowa State Patrol which began on June 20th, 2015 when Iowa State Patrol Troopers attempted to stop two motorcycles that were not displaying registration. A pursuit occurred along Interstate 80, with Cross operating his motorcycle in excess of 100 mph and driving into oncoming traffic. The pursuit ended after Cross left the interstate and traveled along two-lane roads in rural Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties, with Cross eventually losing control of his motorcycle leading to his arrest.

A backpack carried by Cross was discovered over one-half pound of methamphetamine and a loaded nine-millimeter handgun. The case was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a burglary that occurred sometime between August 14th and August 18th at the Dennis Carbaugh Farm in the 2600 block of D Avenue in the rural southwest corner in Montgomery County. A forced entry was made into a machine shed and numerous tools and other items were taken.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Montgomery County Crime Stoppers at 888-434-2712 or the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at (712) 623-5107.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a Red Oak woman was arrested early Sunday morning, in Stanton. A little after 12:30-a.m., 53-year-old Rebecca Ann Goodwin was arrested on a warrant out of Taney County Missouri.

Goodwin was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where she was being held without bond while awaiting extradition by authorities in Missouri.