DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Storms rolling across the Upper Midwest are bringing strong winds and the threat of tornadoes to northern Iowa. The National Weather Service says a funnel cloud was reported yesterday afternoon about 3 miles west of Algona. A severe thunderstorm watch was in effect until this morning for northern and central Iowa.
 
     CHICAGO (AP) – Federal authorities say the conviction of a former Iowa letter carrier for sending dud pipe bombs to investment advisers shows they can successfully track down such attackers. A Chicago official at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service says John Tomkins of Dubuque, Iowa carried out “a reign of terror.” Jurors in Chicago convicted Tomkins after just two hours of deliberations yesterday.
 
     MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) – A 41-year-old Bettendorf man has been charged with stealing money from a customer. Shawn Mask faces two counts of felony theft. Prosecutors say he was working for a Muscatine insurance broker in 2010 when he misappropriated more than $88,000 from a customer by falsifying bookkeeping entries. Mask is free on $10,000 bond and didn’t return messages from the Associated Press seeking comment yesterday.
 
     KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) – A Keokuk man faces trial in July on a charge that he killed his mother in August 2011. Twenty-three-year-old Adam Pitman is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 46-year-old Rosa Pitman. He has pleaded not guilty. His trial is set for July 10th.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE

WS 241 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 550 PM CDT FRI MAY 4 2012

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 241 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1200 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS.

IOWA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE: FREMONT HARRISON MILLS MONONA MONTGOMERY PAGE POTTAWATTAMIE SHELBY

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said late this (Friday) afternoon, that law enforcement in western Iowa have arrested and charged a 17-year old Sac County resident for the alleged sexual assault of a family member. An investigation into the allegations began on February 27th, 2012, after a local doctor contacted the Sac County Sheriff’s Office to report the sexual assault of a minor girl who was mentally handicapped.

On March 1st, the Sac County Sheriff’s Office requested the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) assist in the investigation.  The Sac County Sheriff’s Office and the DCI proceeded to collect evidence related to the sexual assault.  Through the evaluation of evidence, 17 year old Avery Tjossem was identified as the offender.

Tjossem turned himself in to Sac County Authorities today (Friday, May 4th), He was booked and charged with Sexual Abuse 3rd (a Class C Felony) and Incest (a Class D Felony).  Tjossem has since been released on his own recognizance.

The Atlantic Police Department reports 22-year old Tyler Johnston, of Atlantic, was arrested Thursday on a Cass County warrant for Contempt of Court/Failure to Appear, on orginal charges of Trespassing and Contempt. Johnston was booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Iowa State Patrol says a Missouri truck driver was cited following an accident Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 29, in Mills County. Officials say a semi driven by 54-year old Daniel Smoot, of Atlanta, MO, was traveling south near mile marker 35 on I-29 at around 4:20-p.m.

After Smoot and the driver of a semi who was near him exchanged words over the C.B. radio, Smoot merged in front of the other semi, driven by 61-year old Stephen Greever, of Red Oak, and slammed on the brakes. Greever’s semi hit the back of Smoot’s truck, causing Greever’s vehicle to become disabled. Both drivers suffered minor injuries, but refused transport to the hospital.

Smoot was cited for Failure to Signal a Stop or Rapid Deceleration. Damage to his 2012 Volvosemi, registered to Dickey Transport, was estimated at $10,000. Greever’s 2004 semi, registered to Sully Transport, sustained $4,000 damage.

The Iowa State Patrol says a distracted driver and a deer caused a single-vehicle accident early Tuesday morning on Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County. Official say 19-year old Rashaund Lobdell, of Peoria, IL, was traveling eastbound near Walnut at around 2:55-a.m., when he became distracted while changing a CD. When he looked up, Lobdell saw a deer and swerved to avoid a collision. The move caused the car to veer into the south ditch, where it spun around and hit a tree before coming to rest in an adjacent corn field.

Neither the driver, nor his three sleeping passengers were injured during the crash. The Patrol says Lobdell was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

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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