A Pottawattamie County man was arrested Monday afternoon on attempted murder and other charges, following a domestic disturbance that resulted in a weapon being fired. According to Council Bluffs Police, 29-year old Mackland Thomas, of Council Bluffs, was shot in the leg as he allegedly attempted to run over two women, one of whom was holding her child.

Mackland Thomas

The incident began at around 3:50-p.m. at 1022 5th Avenue, in Council Bluffs. An investigation determined 22-year old Samantha Butler, of Council Bluffs, was in her bedroom talking to several people and 18-year old Craig Anson, of Council Bluffs, when Thomas arrived and attempted to kick the bedroom door in. After he entered the room, Thomas attempted to lunge at Anson.

Butler got between the men, but Thomas pushed her out of the way and against a door, causing Butler to suffer minor injuries. Thomas then got on top of Anson and began hitting him in the face. 41-year old Kimberly Trotter, who was also in the home, retrieved a hand gun from her bedroom and began striking Thomas with the hand grip in an attempt to get him to stop assaulting Anson.

Persons in the home were able to get Thomas off of Anson and push him outside of this residence. Butler and Trotter were standing on the grass just off of the porch when Thomas got into his 2003 Ford Escort and backed his vehicle up. Thomas then allegedly intentionally drove on the grass towards both women, narrowly missing them. Butler was also holding her infant child at the time of this incident.

Trotter then fired the hand gun one time at vehicle driver side door striking Thomas in the leg. Thomas then fled in his vehicle from the scene to 820 Ave H. He was transported to Mercy Hospital by Council Bluffs Rescue, treated for the gunshot wound and released. Thomas was then arrested and booked into Pottawattamie County Corrections charges that include two counts of attempted murder, assault while participating in a felony, child endangerment, and domestic abuse/serious assault.

Police in Council Bluffs say one person suffered non-life threatening injuries after a vehicle crashed into a home at around 9:05-p.m., Sunday. Officers were dispatched to 105 Glenview Drive on a single vehicle accident in which a vehicle drove into this residence. Officers arrived on scene and located the passenger of the vehicle and were told by witnesses that the driver (later identified as Andrew J. Smook, of Omaha) fled the scene. Officers secured the passenger (Jim Schafer, of Council Bluffs), and checked 105 Glenview Drive for occupants.

Officers located three occupants, all of whom were not injured. Schafer was taken to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha as a precaution for treatmeant of his injuries, which appeared to be non-life threatening. The city Building Inspector was contacted, upon his arrival he inspected the duplex and found the damage to be only to the window area of the home and not effecting
the support structure.

Officers eventually located Smook at an address in Omaha, and cited him for various traffic offenses and released by Council Bluffs Police. The charges include Exhibition Driving, Failure to Maintain Control of a Vehicle and Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports several arrests took place over the past week. Today (Monday, Nov. 23rd), 22-year old Tyler Alan Kush, of Omaha, was arrested on charges of OWI 1^st Offense (Serious) and Possession of Marijuana (Serious). Kush was taken to the Cass County Jail where later released on $1,000 bond.

On Sunday, 29-year old Samuel Lavern Huffman, of Anita, was arrested by Cass County Deputies on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Serious), two counts of Prescription Drug Violation (Serious), and Carrying Weapons (Aggravated). Huffman was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $2,000 bond.

On Saturday, 56-year old Jeffrey Harold Jensen, of Adel, was arrested in Cass County on charges of Possession of Methamphetamine (Serious) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple). Jensen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance. Also arrested Saturday, was 26-year old Brandon Michael Luke, of Anita, who faces charges that include Possession of Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) 3^rd or Subsequent Offense (D Felony), Driving While Revoked (Serious), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple). Luke was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on $5,000 bond.

And, on Thursday, Nov. 19th, deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 36-year old Michael Edward Flood, of Omaha, on a charge of Theft 2^nd Degree (D Felony) for being in possession of a vehicle that was reported stolen in Nebraska. Flood was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $5,000 bond. Also arrested, was 46-year old Shane William Knapp, of Anita, on a charge of OWI 1^st Offense. Knapp was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance.