(Radio Iowa) — Officials in the Iowa Department of Public Safety want to analyze blood samples from drivers who die in SINGLE-VEHICLE accidents, to determine if drug or alcohol-use contributed to the crash. Chandlor Collins, a policy advisor in the agency, says Nebraska, Minnesota and Michigan are already collecting this data.

“As more states continue to either legalize medical marijuana or recreational marijuana, just having the data regardless of where you fall on those issues is just going to allow for better decisions to be made,” Collins says. About 70 fatal wrecks in Iowa last year involved a single driver. Collins says blood samples in those instances are rarely, if ever, collected to determine if the driver was impaired because there’s no liability issue since no one else was injured or killed in the accident.

“Data out there is saying there’s more drug-impaired driving than I think a lot of us as lay citizens think that is currently is occurring,” Collins says. A senate subcommittee is working on a bill that would require county medical examiners to draw blood from drivers killed in a single-vehicle wreck. Senators say there are issues, like proper training, to address.

(Radio Iowa) — A spokesman for Governor Kim Reynolds says the backlog of applications from felons seeking restoration of their voting rights has been cleared. Reynolds announced earlier this month that she was working with her staff as well as staff in two state agencies to review dozens of applications. This past Tuesday, Reynolds had reviewed 300 and had another 100 to go.

“We are going to make it. We are going to get it done.” And this (Friday) afternoon, the governor’s spokesman announced all the pending applications had been reviewed. It means about 400 more Iowans now have the ability to participate in Monday night’s Caucuses. Iowa is now the only state that requires paroled felons to apply to the governor for restoration of their voting rights.

A year ago, Reynolds asked legislators to set the wheels in motion so Iowa’s constitution can be changed so voting rights are automatically restored. It’s part of what she calls her “second chance” agenda. Reynolds sometimes calls the people who’ve applied to have their voting rights restored and she’s talked publicly about those conversations.

“The stories continue to just be really inspiring,” Reynolds says. This past Tuesday, Reynolds told reporters she a young woman whose voting rights were restored this month sent her a thank you note after the two spoke by phone.  “It’s always kind of the same theme,” Reynolds said of the notes she gets from paroled felons who tell the governor they’re working hard to turn their lives around.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County today (Friday), arrested 26-year old Tyler Jacob Broadway, of Clarinda, on numerous Page County warrants. The warrants were for: Stalking; Domestic Abuse Assault by impeding the flow of air / blood; Theft 4th Degree; False Imprisonment, and three counts of Violation of No contact / protective orders.

Tyler Broadway

Broadway was being held in the Page County Jail without bond, pending future court proceedings.

Sheriff’s deputies in Page County, Thursday, arrested a Council Bluffs man on three Page County warrants. 31-year old Nathan Andrew Wilcoxson was taken into custody at the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, on warrants of Violation of Probation.

Wilcoxson was transported to the Page County Jail where he was being held on $45,000 bond, pending further court proceedings.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A top Iowa law enforcement official has resigned after an unexplained 3 1/2-month paid leave that coincided with a state human resources investigation. A state lawyer says assistant Division of Criminal Investigation director Terry Cowman resigned and left the state’s employment on Monday after a 25-year career in public safety. Cowman and a subordinate were removed from duty in October, shortly after an annual training conference for police officers that they helped host. State officials have refused to explain why.

Department of Public Safety lawyer Catherine Lucas says Cowman resigned voluntarily and not because he otherwise would have been fired.

A traffic stop on Interstate 29 north of the Glenwood exit, in Mills County early this (Friday) morning, resulted in the arrest of a man from Nebraska. 32-year old Brandon Edward Olson, of Columbus, NE., faces charges that include: OWI/2nd offense; Possession of Controlled Substance; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Open Container. His bond in the Mills County Jail was set at $3,000.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled the water body billed as the state’s “largest private lake” isn’t really private. Jeffrey Meyers was stopped in July of 2018 by conservation officers patrolling Lake Panorama after they notice he was illegally displaying blue lights on his pontoon boat. The officers determined Meyers was drunk and charged him with boating while intoxicated.

Meyers claimed the officers did not have jurisdiction because Lake Panorama near Panora is the state’s largest private lake. Signs around the lake make that claim The Iowa Supreme Court ruled the northwest side of the lake is accessible via the Middle Raccoon River — and that means the lake is not private. They upheld the charge against him.

(Read the full IASUPCO Opinion here: (https://www.iowacourts.gov/courtcases/7953/embed/SupremeCourtOpinion)