Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports four arrests took place over the past week. Friday afternoon, 35-year old Stephanie Lynn Werner, of Exira, was arrested after she arrived at an in-progress traffic stop, for Carry a Weapon (a knife over 8 inches long). The knife was found to be protruding between the driver’s seat and center console. Werner was cited at the scene and then released. Also arrested Friday afternoon, was 18-year old Timothy Dethlef Asmus, of Audubon. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop, during which a set of brass knuckles were observed on the seat next to him. Asmus said the device was for self defense. He was cited for carrying weapons and released at the scene.

On June 19th, at around 9-p.m., 42-year old Mark Gerald Irvin Bentler, of Dexter, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Assault Causing injury, with regard to an incident in Stuart that took place June 8th, at a bar. Bentler was released the following day on a $1,000 bond. And, 47-year old Scotty Lee Coe, of Stuart, was arrested by Stuart Police on June 18th, for Driving While Barred/Habitual offender. He later posted a $2,000 bond and was released.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Officials with the Creston Police Department are trying to sort out who was driving a vehicle that crashed into parked vehicles Friday night. Police were dispatched to East Howard Street and North Cherry Street in Creston, at around 11:07-p.m., where a 2017 Jeep Compass SUV was on its top. Medics checked out the supposed female driver of the vehicle, 29-year old Emi Lu O’Neall, of Creston, who was transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, after complaining of head and neck pain.

An investigation determined the Jeep was traveling south in the 400 block of N. Cherry Street, when it veered to the right and sideswiped a parked and unoccupied 2005 Chrysler Sebring. The Chrysler was shoved forward into a parked 2003 Ford Mustang. Officials say the SUV was traveling fast enough, that after the impact, it spun around almost 180 degrees and flipped over onto its top. A male occupant of the SUV told police he had to crawl out through the back seat doors before he could help the driver out. He explained O’Neall fell asleep after a trip to Adventureland and dinner, both he and O’Neall were sleepy.

Witnesses said the unidentified male passenger told her he fell asleep while driving, which resulted in conflicting information to officers. O’Neall and her passenger then claimed she was driving, and that the man can’t drive because of a suspended license. Both occupants of the SUV were given field sobriety tests and preliminary breath tests. None of the tests were immediately conclusive. Citations will be issued pending results of the investigation, based on who was driving the Jeep.

Damage from the collision amounted to $18,000.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The National Weather Service says a weak tornado (estimated at EF-0) lifted some debris into the air Monday evening, in Ringgold County. A trained spotter observed the rain-wrapped twister near Delphos at around 5:17-p.m.. A funnel cloud was also observed one-mile west/southwest of Redding, at around 4:55-p.m. The funnel lasted for about five-minutes. There were no reports of injuries. Heavy rain was the main feature of the storms that passed through western and central Iowa, Monday.

Rainfall in excess of three-inches was reported in Des Moines. Other communities saw anywhere from 2.1- to as much as 4-inches of rain in central Iowa. The heavy rain led to street flooding in Des Moines, Pleasant Hill and Cumming, Monday evening, as well.

DRAKESVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man suspected of fleeing a southeast Iowa accident in which a 9-year-old boy died and his brother was injured. The Davis County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that 41-year-old Terry Petary, of Drakesville, is charged with vehicular homicide. The Iowa State Patrol says a pickup truck struck the boy and his brother a little before 10 p.m. Sunday as they walked on a rural road west of Drakesville. A patrol accident report says the truck came up from behind, struck the two and then left. The Sheriff’s Office says the pickup was found in West Grove, and Petary was detained there.

The patrol report identified the dead boy as 9-year-old Merlin Beechy and his brother as 12-year-old Nathan Beechy, of rural Drakesville.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Residents in major cities downstream from a northwest Iowa tanker car derailment say they’re confident their municipal drinking water is safe even as crews try to contain an estimated 230,000 gallons of oil. Officials in Omaha and Council Bluffs said Monday, they’re monitoring the situation and could switch to well water if oil is detected in the Missouri River, which provides most of their water. But they say they’ve been assured by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that the oil spilled into the Little Rock River will be contained before reaching the Missouri River.

Others cities, including Sioux City, Iowa, use groundwater and don’t expect problems.

Red Oak Police arrested a woman Monday morning, for Driving While Barred and Interference with Official Acts. 40-year old Janet Lynn Hernandez, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 10:30-a.m., and turned over to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, where her bond was set at $2,300.

A 17-year old from central Iowa died in a crash Monday afternoon, in Creston. The Iowa State Patrol reports Afton Nicole Staton, of West Des Moines, who was wearing a seat belt, died from her injuries after being transported to the hospital in Creston. Staton was the driver of a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix that was struck by a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup, driven by 25-year old Kylee Olivia Short-Edwards, of Afton. The accident happened at around 2:10-p.m. at the intersection of Highway 34 and Poplar Street, in Creston.

Officials say Staton was attempting to turn left from Poplar onto Highway 34, when she failed to yield to the westbound pickup. A passenger in the car, 17-year old Rebekah Beryln Terlizzi, of Creston, who was wearing her seat belt, was injured in the crash and also transported by ambulance to the Creston hospital. No other injuries were reported. The accident remains under investigation.

Red Oak Police say a man wanted in connection with a stabbing incident that occurred Monday, has turned himself-in and is charged with Attempted Murder, a Class-B Felony.

Gordon Leroy Currin III

35-year old Gordon Leroy Currin III, of Red Oak, was sought by authorities following the incident that took place in the 400 block of E. Maple Street, in Red Oak.  According to Red Oak Police, Currin allegedly stabbed Darold Eugene Bredberg, of Red Oak, in the back. The incident started as a disagreement about a female and escalated to violence. Bredberg suffered non-life threatening injuries, and was being treated at the UNMC in Omaha.

Currin turned himself-in to law enforcement later in the day, Monday, and was placed under arrest on the Attempted Murder charge, as well as for Going Armed with Intent, a Class-D felony. His bond was set at $25,000.