Sheriff’s Officials in Mills County say the driver of an SUV involved in a fatal crash last October, has been arrested on a warrant charging him with Vehicular Homicide. 21-year old Timothy Scott Mahan was also charged with two counts of injury by vehicle and OWI with Intent. Mahan was arrested April 30^th at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office. His bond was set at $35,000.

Authorities says Mahan was driving of a 2002 Jeep at an excessive rate of speed on Ellington Avenue (a gravel road) just east of Offutt Air Force Base just before Noon on October 19^th, 2011. As he topped a hill, the vehicle went out of control, entered a ditch and rolled several times, for an estimated 50-yards. 

Three passengers in the Jeep,19-year-old Chance Erik Gunderson,23-year-old Felicia Marie Hansen, 19-year-old Jacob Alan Wahle were ejected as the SUV rolled. None of the victims were wearing a seat belt. Some of their clothes and other debris were found in nearby trees and strewn across the crash site. Gunderson died at the scene. Hansen and Wahle suffered critical injuries, while Mahan suffered serious injuries.

Iowa Courts Online didn’t list information pertaining to the charges against Mahan, as of late Friday morning.

Residents in southeast Iowa’s Henry County are getting a good look at the damage from last night’s (Thursday) apparent tornado. It touched down about halfway between Mount Pleasant and Washington. No one’s reported hurt but several homes and farmsteads were damaged, including a large turkey farm near Wayland. Dozens of neighbors gathered to help round up about a thousand turkeys after the barn was blown away. National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Zogg says much of the state had severe weather overnight.  “We received a lot of hail reports of one-inch or larger across the northern part of the state and then later in the evening those storms died out,” Zogg says. “The strongest storms occurred in the eastern part of the state where there were a lot of hail reports, a lot of flash flooding occurred.” 

Nickel-sized hail was reported early this (Friday) morning in Adams County. Emergency management officials said the hail fell near Prescott, at around 3-a.m. Zogg says there’s a chance for more thunderstorms across much of Iowa today and through the weekend. “We’re in for an unsettled weekend in terms of thunderstorm activity,” he says. “During the day today, there’s a chance of thunderstorms statewide, better chances this evening and tonight statewide. Some storms this evening and early overnight may be severe with hail and strong winds.” He says Iowans need to keep a close watch on the skies — and the forecast — as conditions can quickly change.

“Any thunderstorm that does develop will have the potential to produce heavy rains and possible flash flooding,” Zogg says. “It looks like there’ll be another chance of thunderstorms during the day on Saturday and into Saturday night and early Sunday. Finally, late this weekend, Sunday night into Monday, a cold front will push through the state and take a lot of the thunderstorm activity and humid weather with it.”  High temperatures topped off in many Iowa cities in the 80s and 90s this week. He says highs by Monday may only be in the 60s and 70s.

(Matt Kelley-Radio Iowa/Ric Hanson-KJAN)

Authorities in Pottawattamie County are investigating the circumstances surrounding a school bus rollover accident Thursday afternoon, near the Pott/Mills County line. Sheriff’s Department Chief Investigator, Sgt. Dwayne Riche told KJAN news this (Friday) morning, the accident happened at around 3:20p.m. on Applewood Road.

A Lewis Central Community School District bus driven by 73-year old Floyd Claussen, of Council Bluffs, was traveling southbound on the gravel road, when he met an approaching car. When he pulled the bus over toward the edge of the road, Riche says either the tandem wheels slid off into the ditch, or the road gave way, which caused the bus to topple onto its side, into a ditch.

Claussen, and three students on-board the bus, all of whom are also from Council Bluffs, where transported to area hospitals. Claussen, and 11-year old Gage Lewis were taken by Lewis Township Fire and Rescue to Jenny Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. 14-year old Logan Harman, and 12-year old Paige Hickey were transported by Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue to the Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha. A report on their conditions is not available, but their injuries reportedly including scrapes and bruises, and were not considered to be life threatening.

The accident remains under investigation.

w/ Ric Hanson

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HORNICK, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is monitoring the cleanup after a fertilizer fire at a co-op in Hornick in western Iowa.  The fire at the Western Iowa Cooperative broke out Tuesday. The Woodbury County sheriff’s office urged residents to evacuate because of concerns about air quality and residents’ safety.  The DNR says a small dam built by firefighters prevented water runoff contaminated with fertilizer and herbicide from reaching a ditch, which drains into the west fork of the Little Sioux River.   The dam and additional sand barriers also prevented runoff for storms that hit Tuesday night.  Officials say the fire was caused by a malfunctioning loader.  No one was injured. The DNR doesn’t plan to take any enforcement actions.

A couple from Harlan were arrested last week following a traffic stop. 45-year old Timothy, and 55-year old Patrice Turner, were arrested April 26th. Both face charges of Violation of a No Contact Order, and Open Container. Patrice Turner plead not guilty to the charges. Timothy Turner’s case was not listed in the Iowa Courts Online system.

The Harlan Police Department reports a Harlan woman, 27-year old Amanda Sue Wicker, was arrested Tuesday, on an active Shelby County warrant for Failure to Appear for a pre-trial conference on drug related charges, and a moving violation. Wicker’s bond was set at $10,000. Wicker was arrested on December 31st, 2011 on two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Driving while denied or revoked, and OWI/1st offense. She had been scheduled to appear at her pre-trial conference on April 30th. Her trial is set to take place on May 30th.

Three days prior to her arrest for skipping her court appearance, Wicker was arrested on a Class-D Felony charge of Criminal Mischief in the 2nd degree, after police investigated an incident where a 2001 Chevy Suburban had been extensively damaged at a location on Market Street. She had posted a $500 cash bond and was ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing on the charges, on May 17th.

The Harlan Police Department reports a Kirkman man was arrested on drug charged Wednesday, following a traffic stop. 2o-year old Kolten Kobold was taken into custody on charges of: Carrying a weapon; Possession of drug Paraphernalia; and, two-counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance (marijuana and methamphetamine). Kobold was being held in the Shelby County Jail.

Three western Iowa students and an adult suffered minor injuries, including scrapes and bruises, when the bus they were in rolled over Thursday afternoon. A Lewis Township school bus carrying students with the Lewis Central School District  toppled onto its side into a ditch at around 3:15-p.m., after the driver of the bus apparently swerved to avoid another vehicle. The accident happened on Applewood Road in rural Pottawattamie County, near the Mills County line.  

The driver of the bus and one child, were taken to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. Two other children were transported to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha. Their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

The accident remains under investigation.