A 21-year old man from Branson, MO., was arrested Monday afternoon on a Page County warrant charging him with Probation Violation. Authorities say Ridge Ballard was taken into custody at the Page County Sheriff’s Office. Ballard was unable to post the $2,000 cash bond and remains in custody at the Page County Jail, pending trial.

Ridge Ballard

An incident that began with the escape of an 18-year old man from the Clarinda Academy Monday afternoon escalated into a pursuit, crash and the arrest of a Nebraska woman, along with return of the escapee. The Page County Sheriff’s Office says at around 1:17-p.m. Monday, they were advised 18-year old Luis David Penaloza had fled a Clarinda Academy building and gotten into a silver Dodge Durango that was waiting outside of the building for him.

Academy staff had located the vehicle west bound on State Street (business HWY 2) on the west side of the Clarinda city limits. Deputies on Highway 2 west of Clarinda located the vehicle approximately 4 miles west of town. It was traveling westbound at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was observed driving recklessly as it passed other vehicles.

Deputies attempted to stop the Durango, which failed to stop for the fully marked patrol vehicle with red / blue lights and audible siren activated. Stop-sticks were deployed by a Page County Deputy in an attempt to safely slow the vehicle to stop. The driver of the vehicle attempted to steer around the tire deflating devices causing the vehicle to go into the south ditch.

The driver, identified as 18-year old Jocylyn Loeza-Garcia, of Bellevue, NE, steered the vehicle back onto Highway 2. A Page County Deputy had pulled parallel to the Durango when it was in the south ditch, but the Page County patrol vehicle had stayed in the westbound lane. When the SUV Durango came back onto the highway from the south ditch, Loeza-Garcia steered the vehicle into the Page County Patrol vehicle, causing approximately $3,500 damage to the driver’s side front fender and that portion of the headlight grill assembly.

Loeza-Garcia was arrested and charged with Felony Eluding, Felony assault on a Peace Officer with a dangerous weapon (automobile), and numerous other misdemeanor traffic violations. She remains in custody at the Page County Jail on $5000 bond.

Luis David Penaloza, the Truant Clarinda Academy student, was returned to the custody of the Clarinda Academy without further incident. Charges are possible on Penaloza pending completion of the investigation.  Another 15 year old female passenger, who is a family member to Loeza-Garcia, also from Nebraska, who was in the vehicle, was also taken into custody. She was later released to her mother and father.

Coca Cola Days in Atlantic, will be celebrating the 100th year of the Contour Bottle later this month. The celebration, presented by Atlantic Bottle Company, will be held in Atlantic September 25th and 26th in Downtown Atlantic. The event is the second biggest collector’s show in the United States and includes a tailgate barbecue dinner and a Show Swap and Sell.

To celebrate Coca-Cola Days the committee is selling raffle tickets for a “Discover Atlantic” package. The raffle item includes: a Yeti cooler donated by Connect-a-dock; tour for 2 people of the Atlantic Bottling Company; One night stay at the Boulders Inn and Suites; Gelato from Sweet Joy Shoppe; A personal pie from the Downtowner Café and Catering; Two tenderloin lunches at The Family Table; A $25 gas card from Olsen Fuel; Under Armour backpack donated by Brown’s Shoe Fit; A1998 NAPA 500 Coca-Cola Bottle donated by Atlantic Motor Supply (NAPA); A six pack of Tyler Coca-Cola Bottles donated by Kurt Roberts; Custom Coca- Cola bottle sugar cookies baked and donated by Wild Almond Cakes & Pastries; “Santa” Coca-Cola bottle donated by Atlantic Coca-Cola Center and Museum, and Coca-Cola souvenirs donated by The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. The package is valued at $1,000.

Raffle tickets are $5 for a chance and available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Atlantic Coca-Cola Center and Museum or every Thursday at Produce in the Park. Tickets can also, be purchased from Coca-Cola Days committee members. The raffle will take place at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 26th at the close of the Show Swap and Sell, at the Herring Building, located at Second and Poplar Street.

The new 2015 T-Shirts are also available for purchase. The t-shirts are the classic Coca-Cola red and feature the 2015 theme “Bottling Happiness.” T-shirts can be purchased for $16 at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce or on-line at www.atlanticiowa.com., email chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call 712-243-3017.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports a portion of 1500th Street just west of Redline is now closed for two-months, while a pipe replacement project is underway. The pipe is over and unnamed tributary of the East Branch of The West Nishnabotna River, in Polk Township sections 21-thru 28.

Residents in the area and Emergency Responders should plan to take alternate routes until the project is completed.