HAIGLER, Neb. (AP) – A retired California firefighter who disappeared from a Chicago-bound train has been found dead in western Nebraska. The family of 69-year-old Charlie Dowd said Friday night that his body was spotted by a railway worker in Haigler, NE, an area where investigators had focused their search.  Dowd was last seen Sept. 13 on an Amtrak train traveling from California. Reports from passengers who saw him had investigators thinking he may have fallen off the train in eastern Colorado or western Nebraska.

In a statement on the family’s Facebook page, relatives say they’re devastated but thankful to those who helped search. Family member Sheila Stevens confirmed the information in an interview, saying details would be released later. Dowd was from San Mateo, Calif.

Break out the blankets and hot cocoa. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for parts of Iowa and Nebraska.  A freeze warning is in effect from 1-a.m. Sunday through about 9-a.m., for most of the KJAN listening area, as well as eastern and north-central Nebraska.

In Iowa, overnight lows are expected to dip to as low as 26 degrees in the freeze-warning areas. In Nebraska, lows are expected to be mainly in the lower 30s, but could drop to the upper 20s in the north-central and northeast areas. The Weather Service expects temperatures to rise into the upper 50s in the western and central Iowa, and into the 60s in eastern Nebraska.

Authorities in Fremont County investigated a reported car-versus-train accident early Saturday morning. Sheriff’s officials said 20-year old Marissa Ann Robinson (no address given) was ejected from the 2002 Chevy Cavalier she was driving, when it rolled several times after she lost control of the vehicle, as it was traveling south on Main Street, just south of the intersection with Washington Street. The woman was not wearing a seat belt. The car came to rest near the railroad tracks, adjacent to the road. The accident at around 2-a.m.

Officials say they were notified by about the accident by Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway employees, at around 2:08-a.m. When deputies arrived they determined the train was NOT involved in the crash. BNSF employees advised that a white pickup truck was parked nearby. As deputies approach the truck, the vehicle took off.

Robinson was transported by Hamburg Rescue to Grape Community Hospital and later flown by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Authorities said alcohol and speed were contributing factors in the crash. The accident remains under investigation by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information about the case, or any information on any possible witnesses, is asked to call 712-374-2424.

w/ Brett Johnson

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EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say workers at an ice cream shop in Evansdale captured a 37-year-old man who was threatening to light an explosive. Police say Richard Roney of Washburn was arrested after entering the store around 9:15 last night. Court records say Roney acknowledged that he was planning to rob the 4 Queens Dairy Cream.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Two men have been charged with second-degree robbery and are in jail in Cedar Rapids after police say they were involved in a bank robbery yesterday afternoon. KCRG television reports 18-year-old Kevin Conner and 23-year-old Daniel Straw are being held at the Linn County Jail.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A former University of Iowa student who attacked an Iowa City police officer has pleaded guilty after making a deal for a lesser charge. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports (that 21-year-old Branden Plummer pleaded guilty this morning to willful injury and interference with official acts. He had been charged with attempted murder and willful injury in the attack on Sergeant Brian Krei on November 18th.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds begins an economic and cultural mission to Germany on Saturday to discuss trade, education and other topics. Among the government officials she is scheduled to meet with are German Vice Chancellor Philipp Rosler and the U.S. Ambassador to Germany Philip Murphy. The meetings will be in Dresden, Lommatzsch, Leipzig, and Berlin.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FREEZE WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY MORNING TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY TO FALL BELOW 32 DEGREES ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN…NORTHERN AND EAST CENTRAL IOWA. SOME LOCATIONS IN THE NISHNABOTNA RIVER VALLEY AND NORTHERN IOWA COULD FALL INTO THE UPPER 20S.

FROM THE DES MOINES METRO AREA INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA…FREEZING TEMPERATURES MAY BE MORE LOCALIZED…BUT A FROST IS LIKELY. EXPOSED PLANTS AND TENDER VEGETATION ARE LIKELY TO SUFFER FREEZE DAMAGE OR BE KILLED. PEOPLE INTERESTED IN PROTECTING THEIR PLANTS NEED TO TAKE ACTION BY SATURDAY EVENING.  A FREEZE WATCH MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE. THESE CONDITIONS COULD KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

In a recently released report, the Iowa State Patrol says a Cass County woman was cited for Failure to Stop within a clear distance, following an accident Tuesday morning, in Audubon County. Officials say 35-year old Shannon Jean Bishop, of Griswold, was cited after the 2000 Ford Taurus she was driving rear-ended a 2003 Oldsmobile driven by 68-year old Jane Jessen, of Exira, as Jessen was braking for a deer on the road. Both vehicles were traveling north on Highway 71 at the time. The accident happened at around 6:30-a.m., near Brayton. Neither woman was injured. Both were wearing their seat belts. Damage from the accident amounted to $6,500.

The Iowa State Patrol says a Nebraska man died when the pickup he was driving was struck by a train Friday, in Fremont County. 84-year old Robert D. Aksamit, of Nebraska City, NE died at the scene of the crash on Dike Road and 225th Avenue, or about 5-miles west of the Waubonsie State Park. The accident happened just before Noon, Friday, when Aksamit, who was traveling east of Dike Road, failed to yield to a Burlington-Northern Sante Fe train that was traveling north. His 2002 Chevy S-10 pickup was hit on the passenger side by the train.

The Atlantic Police Department reports 21-year old Alicia Dellaca, of Atlantic, was arrested today (Friday), on charges of Operating a motor vehicle While Intoxicated (OWI), and Driving While Suspended (DWS). Dellaca was booked into the Cass County Jail and held, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

On Thursday, officers arrested 33-year old Marryann Kieky, of Atlantic, on 11 counts of forgery, and Dependent Adult Abuse. Also taken into custody, was 40-year old Laura Folau, of Wichita, KS. She was arrested on a warrant for Violation of her Probation. Both women were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The A-PD says also, two accident occurred Thursday, but neither resulted in injuries. One of the accidents happened at around 12:25-p.m., in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Officials say a vehicle driven by Douglas Williams, of Massena, was backing out of a parking stall, when a pedestrian started to walk behind the vehicle. The pedestrian motioned for Williams to continue backing up. As he was doing so, a vehicle driven by Gwenda Basham, of Exira, was backing out of a parking stall behind Williams. She continued backing up, and hit Williams’ vehicle. Damage to the vehicles amounted to $1,900. No citations were issued.

The second accident happened at around 3:55-p.m., Friday, at Iowa Avenue and Clark Street, in Atlantic. Officials say a vehicle driven by Kody Hansen was traveling east on Iowa Avenue, when the vehicle went out of control and entered a ditch, just past Clark Street. Damage to the vehicle amounted to $10,000. Hansen was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.