Police in Council Bluffs police say a 70-year-old dementia patient missing since late last night  has been found safe inside a vehicle a few blocks away from his home. Phillip Kephart, who has Alzheimer’s disease, was reported missing late Thursday night by his wife.

Council Bluffs police and Omaha Police Department’s helicopter searched for the man throughout the night and early this morning.  A neighbor found him inside their vehicle at around 7:10-a.m. in the 2500 block of South 13th Street.

Kephart was conscious and alert when he was discovered. He was taken to Mercy Hospital to be treated for hypthermia, but was otherwise in stable condition and expected to be released sometime today (Friday). Officials thanked the media for getting the word out about Kephart’s disappearance. They say numerous people were out checking their properties this morning as a result of the coverage, in an effort to find the man.

A podcast of the news with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

An accident on eastbound Interstate 80 in Cass County this morning has resulted in one person trapped, an unknown number of injuries and a temporary blockage of the eastbound lanes.

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass Co. Emergency Mgmt. Agy.

According to dispatch reports, Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Medivac Ambulance were called to the 61.5-mile marker on I-80 eastbound (about 1.5 miles east of the Highway 71 exit), where a semi rear-ended another semi. The crash occurred at around 6:45-a.m.

One of semi driver was reportedly trapped in the cab of his truck. It’s not known what either truck was carrying, or if there were hazardous materials on-board. Eastbound traffic was temporarily being rerouted south into Wiota and then east before returning north to I-80. No other information is currently available.

A traffic stop Thursday evening in Montgomery County resulted in the arrest of a Council Bluffs man. Sheriff’s officials say 20-year old Cody Doss was arrested at around 6:20-p.m. and charged with Possession of Methamphetamine.  Doss was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, and held on $1,000 bond.

And, Shaun Akers, of Sidney, IA, was arrested at around 7-p.m., Thursday. Akers was taken into custody on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Burglary in the 3rd degree. He was brought the the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $5,000 bond.

Police in Council Bluffs are asking for your help in finding a 70-year old man who disappeared sometime late Thursday night or early this (Friday) morning.

Phillip J. Kephart (C.B. Police Dept. photo)

Phillip J. Kephart, who has Alzheimer’s Disease, walked away from his Council Bluffs home and remains missing. Kephart is 5-feet, 9-inches tall, 175-pounds. He has gray hair and is believed to be wearing only a red, hooded sweatshirt, jeans and one shoe.

The search for the man began at around 1:25-a.m. today, and included the use of Able 1 helicopter from the Omaha Police Department. In temperatures that hovered near zero, police were searching for the man in the area just west of Lake Manawa.

If you see a man matching the description given, call 9-1-1 or Council Bluffs Police at 712-328-4728.

A traffic stop early Thursday morning in Harrison County resulted in the arrest of a Texas man on a suspicion of first-degree robbery, charge. According to the Daily NonPareil, 52-year old Robert Kelly, of Round Rock, TX, was pulled over at around 4-a.m. Thursday near Modale, for driving erratically. Kelly allegedly told the deputy who stopped him, that he had robbed a gas station just 90-minutes earlier, in Council Bluffs.

The deputy detained Kelly while his story was being checked out. An investigation revealed the Kwik Shop on North 16th Street and Avenue G in Council Bluffs was robbed by a man wielding a folding knife, at around 2:30-a.m. Thursday. The suspect, later identified as Kelly,allegedly took an undisclosed amount of money and also stepped behind the counter to take bottles of liquor and cigarettes. He then made the clerk get down on the floor before he fled.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines middle school was placed on lockdown temporarily as authorities investigated a report of a student showing two other students a handgun. Des Moines Public Schools tell the Register officers found no weapon on the student following the report yesterday.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say no bomb was found at a high school in central Iowa after a threat was reported in a girls’ restroom. Captain Brian Sher of the Indianola Police Department says officers did a sweep of Indianola High School yesterday and found nothing. A bomb threat on a note was reported earlier in the day. Sher says authorities are still investigating who may have been involved. Classes are expected to resume today.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa day care provider has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 3-year-old girl she was watching in October. Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister says 33-year-old Rochelle Sapp was arrested yesterday after test results confirmed that the girl, Autumn Elgersma, died of blunt force trauma. Sapp is being held on $250,000 bond.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A fired prosecutor’s former boss testified that the assistant U.S. attorney changed dramatically in the months before she lost her job. The Sioux City Journal reports Larry Kudej testified yesterday that Martha Fagg “changed in front of our eyes” in the six months before she was fired by former U.S. Attorney Stephanie Rose, who is now a federal judge.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three people were arrested Thursday (12/5), on drug charges. 37-year old Johnny Wayne Robinson, of Chatsworth, GA, and 21-year old Jonathan Tyler Newborn, of Fruitsworth, AL, face Possession of Controlled Substance charges. And, 39-year old  Elmo Dwayne Lykins, of West Liberty, KY, was arrested on charges of Manufacturing and Possession of a Controlled Substance, as well as Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

All three men were taken to the Cass County Jail. Robinson was later released on $1000 bond. Newborn remains incarcerated on $1,000 bond and Lykins remains incarcerated on $10,000 bond.

In other news, on Wednesday afternoon, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies investigated a report of a hit & run accident on Main Street, in Lewis. A 2012 Chevy Cruze owned by Thomas Fritz, of Lewis,was parked on Main Street in Lewis, when it was struck sometime between 5:30-a.m. and 1:30-p.m. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $2000. No injuries were reported.

(12/6 *Corrects earlier report saying the vehicle was parked in Anita – as the Sheriff’s report had stated)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A northwest Iowa day care provider has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 3-year-old girl she was watching in late October.  Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister says Rochelle Sapp has been arrested after test results confirmed the girl, Autumn Elgersma, died of blunt force trauma.

Rochelle Sapp

Sapp was initially charged with willful injury and child endangerment but on Oct. 31 when Autumn died McAllister dropped the charges. He says it was important to wait for a ruling on the cause of death and other tests.  He says Sapp was arrested Thursday. Her case is not yet listed in court records and it’s unclear if she has an attorney.

Sapp initially reported Autumn had fallen but later said she threw her to the floor after becoming angry.

An event in Creston Wednesday afternoon raised more than $50,000 for a family establishing a scholarship in the name of their sons who drowned over the weekend. KCCI –TV reports more than 100 people attended the rollover-style calf auction at the Creston Livestock Auction Barn. Bids were placed, but the calf was donated back each time for rebidding.

The calf was donated by a family friend from Missouri and officially will be sold Friday morning that money will also go the Tom and Leisa Frey family. Their sons, T.J. and Nathan Frey died after falling through the ice on their family’s pond Saturday afternoon near Prescott