The Iowa State Patrol says a truck and trailer hauling soft drink products crashed Tuesday morning in Greene County about five-miles southwest of Jefferson, injuring a man from Carroll County. 34-year old Bradley Edward Ruhnke, of Carroll, was driving a 2002 International tractor trailer westbound on E-57 at around 9:30-a.m., when the semi went out of control, crossed the center line of the road and hit the corner of a bridge before rolling over and coming to rest mostly hanging over the bridge, with the trailer in Greenbriar Creek. The truck was owned by the Pepsi-Cola Company, out of Carroll.

Ruhnke was transported by ambulance to the Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson and later flown to a hospital in Des Moines. A report on his condition was not available. Officials with the Iowa DNR say the crash caused an estimated 200 gallons of diesel fuel and other fluids to be released into the creek. Emergency responders placed absorbent booms into the creek to catch and absorb the petroleum products.

The spill was contained. The DNR was monitoring clean-up activities as the trucking company and contractors worked to remove the diesel fuel. The DNR says it will consider appropriate enforcement action.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A man shot by police during a standoff in Sioux City earlier this year has been sentenced to 10 days in jail after pleading guilty to two counts. The Sioux City Journal reports that 44-year-old Lee Fischer pleaded guilty Tuesday to intimidation with a dangerous weapon and domestic abuse assault. In exchange, prosecutors dropped a charge of assaulting a police officer.

Fischer also received a suspended five-year prison sentence, three years’ probation and an order to continue substance abuse treatment. Police were called March 5 about a man firing a gun inside his home while his ex-wife was there. Fischer emerged from the home hours later with a gun and was shot by an officer when he refused to drop it. The woman was not injured.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says two people were arrested on burglary and other charges, last week. 25-year old Alan Wayne Shomaker, and 45-year old James LaFayette Belback II, both of Council Bluffs, were taken into custody Thanksgiving Day at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office. Both face charges that include: Ongoing Criminal Conduct; two counts each of Burglary in the 3rd degree; Theft in the 2nd Degree; Possession of Burglar’s tools and two counts each of Trespassing. Their bonds were set at $44,000 each.

Early Thanksgiving morning, 22-year old Samuel Raymond Lee, of Omaha, was arrested at a location off I-29, for Possession of Controlled Substance, and OWI 1^st  offense. His bond was set at $2,000.

And today (Tuesday), 34-year old Tammy Jean Hammers, of Malvern, was arrested for Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs and Driving Under Suspension. She was also arrested on a Fremont County warrant for Probation Violation. Hammers’ total bond was set at $6,300.  20-year old Dakota Lane Liddell, of Pacific Junction, was arrested today (Tuesday) as well, on a warrant for Probation Violation. Liddell was arrested at the Omaha Corrections Center. His bond was set at $10,000.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was injured during two separate accidents that took place last week. 23-year old Taylor Cambridge, of Glenwood, was transported by Glenwood Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Nov. 22nd, after the 1997 Jeep she was driving went out of control on 221st Street, due to the surface conditions. The SUV hit a guard rail and rolled into the east ditch. The accident happened at around 12:55-p.m.

The other accident happened at around 3:15-p.m. on Nov. 23rd. Sheriff’s officials say 66-year old Michael Baxter, of Council Bluffs, was  driving a 1995 Jeep southbound on Interstate 29 about four-miles north of the Glenwood exit, when his vehicle entered the west ditch. No injuries were reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says he’s open to discussing changes in public employee pension plans, sparking a discussion about whether a switch to a defined contribution plan, similar to a 401(k), would meet worker needs and better protect taxpayers.

Democratic State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald tells The Des Moines Register public employees in the state should be concerned about the potential to do away with the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, also known as IPERS. The system has 350,000 members. Fitzgerald says the problem with defined contribution plans proposed by some lawmakers and organizations is that they place the financial risk on employees who are stuck with high fees for investments.

The Iowa Chapter of Americans for Prosperity, Iowans for Tax Relief and the Public Interest Institute in Mount Pleasant have endorsed shifting IPERS to a defined contribution plan.