FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a man whose body was found in a field near Fort Dodge was a homicide victim. The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner says 51-year-old Donald Preston, of Fort Dodge, was shot to death by someone.

The Iowa Criminal Investigation Division said Wednesday that Preston had last been seen by relatives in Fort Dodge on Dec. 22. The discovery of his body was reported Monday morning, and authorities it appeared to have been in the field overnight. No arrests have been reported.

At least six people have died in traffic crashes in Iowa since the start of the Christmas to New Year’s holiday period. That has increased the total number of roadway fatalities this year to 397. Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Nate Ludwig says it’s the most traffic deaths recorded in the state in eight years. “We haven’t been over 400 since 2008. Right now, the traffic fatality count is 397 and that is 82 more than last year at this time,” Ludwig says. The rise in traffic fatalities is blamed on three main factors; distracted drivers, motorists not wearing seat belts, and speeding.

“We’ve seen a lot of fatalities this year that have been attributed to high speed,” Ludwig says. “We’re not talking about just barely speeding…this is 80 to 90 miles an hour.” Ludwig believes too many people “take driving for granted” and are overly aggressive. “Everybody is in a hurry, they wait until the last minute to leave, and then they try to make up time,” Ludwig says. “I spoke with some Troopers in the Des Moines area who said that they’ve never seen so many vehicle on Christmas Eve, Christmas day, and the day after traveling at 80, 90, 100 miles an hour on the interstate.” Ludwig says while the number of traffic deaths this year in Iowa is appalling, it’s not just a number.

“It doesn’t click with people, but this number is somebody’s loved one, somebody’s wife, husband, parent…and it’s an alarming number,” Ludwig says.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak say they arrested 18-year old Michael Wade Hamilton, of Red Oak, this (Thursday) morning, on alcohol-related charges. Hamilton was taken into custody at around 1:25-a.m. in the 300 block of E. Valley Street, on charges of Contributing to the Delinquency of Minors, and Possession of Alcohol by a person 18-to 20-years old. He was being held in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on a $300 cash bond.

The song lyric says this is “the most wonderful time of the year,” but the stress of the holiday season can also put you at greater risk for a life-threatening medical episode. A heart doctor in Omaha-Council Bluffs says it’s well-documented that cases of cardiac arrest rise between December 25th and January 7th. “Unfortunately, the incidence of heart attacks during the Christmas season goes up, significantly,” Dr. Pompili says. “Studies over the last ten years have shown that the chance of having a cardiac event goes up by five percent.”

Dr. Vincent Pompili, chief of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, says risk factors for heart attacks include: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a family history and smoking. “A number of factors are exacerbated during the holiday season, including emotional stress,” Pompili says. “Also, just the high-fat diet that we partake in during this time of year adds to that.”

He says the biggest mistake people make is that they don’t seek help when they notice a potential problem.  Pompili says, “Many times people, because family members are in town, avoid going and seeking medical care during the holiday time when they have chest pain and avoid making it to the emergency room when they have symptoms of a heart attack, which makes things worse.”

The number-one day of the year for heart attacks is December 25th followed by December 26th and January 1st. If you think you might be having heart trouble, call 9-1-1. Don’t try to drive yourself to the hospital unless there’s no other option, as ambulance personnel can start treatment right away. Plus, they’re trained to revive you if your heart stops.

(Radio Iowa)