Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an incident of Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon. Authorities say at around 12:10-p.m., Sunday (Oct. 4th), officers responded to the area of 1800 block of Ave “B” for a report of shots fired. Upon their arrival, police found shell casings in the street and several residents who had witnessed the
incident.

An investigation revealed that persons unknown in a suspect vehicle were traveling eastbound in the 1800 block of Ave “B,” when several shots were fired from the inside the vehicle. A pedestrian on the sidewalk at the time of the shooting was not injured, but one of the rounds did strike the outside of a residence in the area.

No one in the home was injured during the shooting, and the round fired did not penetrate to the interior of the residence. The Council Bluffs Criminal Investigation Division is currently following up on this incident. Anyone with information
regarding the incident is requested to call the Criminal Investigation Division at 712-328-4765 or Crime Stoppers Hotline at 712-328-7867.

A traffic stop in Red Oak early this (Sunday) morning resulted in a Nebraska man being arrested on drug charges. Red Oak Police say 52-year old Douglas Lee Kuester, of Ralston, NE., was taken into custody at around 1:10-a.m., after the car he was driving was pulled over at the corner of N. 3rd and E. Market Streets.

Following a brief investigation, Kuester was arrested on a felony charge of OWI-drugged/3rd offense, and serious misdemeanor charges that include Possession of a controlled substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Driving while revoked.

Kuester was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond.

An Arizona man wanted by authorities for his alleged role in a shooting incident that took place last Sunday evening in Glenwood, has turned himself-in. The Mills County Attorney’s Office said Saturday, 42-year-old Hurl Beechum III has returned from Arizona and surrendered to Mills County authorities, as expected.

Beechum III, of Queen Creek, AZ, faces felony charges that include Intimidation with a dangerous weapon and Going armed with intent, as well as aggravated misdemeanor charges of Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. He was being held in the Mills County jail on $10,000 bond. If convicted, he faces up to 25-years in prison.

His arrest followed an investigation into an incident that began with a racial slur allegedly uttered by a person in a group of people who were walking by the home of Beechum’s step-father, Glenwood High School Principal, Richard Hutchinson.

Beechum is alleged to have shot 21-year-old Colton McDaniel with a 9 mm handgun during a fight that erupted a little before 5:45 p.m., Sept. 27th. The Mills County Attorney Tricia McSorley says Beechum claimed he fired the shot in self-defense after being “jumped” by the group. She said the evidence indicates his life was not in danger when he pulled the trigger.

Middle- and High School Bands from around southwest Iowa traveled to Clarinda Saturday, to compete in the 60th Annual Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree. The event included a parade around the downtown square in Clarinda, Saturday morning.

In the Middle School Parade competition, the Tri-Center Middle School, under the direction of Paul Hart, took 1st place in Class I, followed by Treynor. Essex and Mount Ayr tied for 3rd place. In the Middle School Class II competition, the Glenwood 7th graders finished 1st, followed by Creston and Underwood. In the Middle School Class III competition, Harlan took 1st place, while the Glenwood 8th grade came in 2nd.

In the High School Parade competition: Class 1A – 1st place went to Wayne, followed by Nishnabotna, Fairfax, Sidney, Bedford, Fremont-Mills, Griswold and Lenox; Class 2A – Treynor placed 1st, followed by Tri-Center. Red Oak was 3rd and Underwood came in 4th; Class 3A – Waverly took 1st place, followed by Savannah, Creston, and Harlan; In the 4A High School competition, Ankeny Centennial finished in 1st place, Papillion LaVista was 2nd, Lewis Central took 3rd, and Thomas Jefferson finished 4th.

The Field Competition for high school-aged students took place at the Clarinda Football field Saturday afternoon: In Class 1A – 1st place went to Nishnabotna, with Bedford taking 2nd; Class 2A – 1st place went to Treynor, while Tri-Center came in 2nd; in Class 3A – Waverly won 1st Place, with Creston coming in 2nd; In Class 4A–  Ankeny Centennial placed 1st, followed by Papillion/LaVista in 2nd.

Ankeny Centennial won a Field Certificate for “Best Overall Band,”  “Best Brass Line,” “Best Woodwind Section,” and “Best Auxiliary Line.”  Lewis Central brought home certificates for “Best Soloist-trombone solo,” while Creston was honored for “Best Drum Line,” and Waverly took the honors for “Best Drum Majors.”

Authorities in Montgomery County reported Saturday, that one person was seriously hurt in a house fire that morning, in Red Oak. Firefighters were called to 103 E. Oak Street at around 8:10-a.m., and upon arrival saw heavy smoke and residents climbing through through the windows to escape. Flames were also shooting out the front of the home.

Authorities said the tenant, Mandy Knapp, suffered significant burns and was treated by Red Oak Rescue personnel before being flown by LifeNet helicopter to a burn unit. A three-year old child playing with a cigarette lighter is believed to have accidentally started the blaze, when a blanket caught fire and spread to a couch. The child was not hurt.

Official says there were no working smoke detectors inside the home, which was deemed to be a total loss. The house is owned by Michael Roby. Red Oak Fire was on the scene for about two-hours, assisted by crews from the Elliott and Stanton Fire Departments, Essex Rescue, Red Oak Police and deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department.

The Red Cross was contacted and was assisting the family as needed.