A vehicle that sped away from a Wal-Mart store in Council Bluffs, Sunday evening, struck two motorcycles as the driver of the car attempted to evade police. Authorities say just before 7-p.m., officers responded to a theft in progress at the store located at 1800 North 16th street. Officers were advised the suspects were in a red Kia and were leaving the Walmart parking lot.

Police tried to perform a traffic stop while the car was still in the parking lot, but the Kia, with Nebraska license plates, drove away and the driver refused to stop. Officers pursued the car on Nash Blvd. towards North 25th Street. The car hit two motorcycles at the intersection of North 25th street and Nash Blvd. and left the scene of the accident, heading towards Omaha.

Officers followed the vehicle to the state line on I-480 west bound before terminating the pursuit. Omaha Police advised a short time later, that the vehicle was located, but the driver could not be found. At this time, this case is still under investigation. The drivers and passengers of both motorcycles suffered minor injuries, and all refused medical treatment by Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue.

Two people died and three others were injured during a collision that involved three-vehicles in Crawford County, late Sunday morning. The Iowa State Patrol said all of the victims were from Denison. The fatalities includes a female, 22-year old Robbie Reed McMullen and a male, 19-year old Emiliano Fernando Ramos, neither of whom were wearing their seat belts. The injured were identified as 18-year old Luis Enrique Mendez, 43-year old Fred Edward Hall, Jr., and 62-year old Dawn Ranae Jessen, again, all from Denison. They suffered serious injuries, and were transported to the Crawford County Medical Center by Crawford County EMS. They were later transported to a hospital in Omaha. Mendez and Jessen were wearing their seat belts, while Hall was not.

Officials say the accident happened at around 11:40-a.m., on Highway 39 near the intersection of Vernon Voss Road, just north of Denison. The crash began when a 2002 VW Beetle driven by Robbie McMullen, approached a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser as they were both traveling north on Highway 39. The VW was traveling at a high rate of speed and attempted to pass the Chrysler on the left.

A southbound Chevy S-10 pickup driven by Fred Hall, Jr., was southbound on Highway 39 and swerved onto the shoulder to avoid the collision, but the VW also swerved onto the shoulder. The pickup swerved back into the southbound lanes, while the VW swerved to the right and went out of control, going sideways. The left front side of the pickup struck the left side door of the VW, which then side swiped the PT Cruiser, sending that vehicle into a spin before it entered the east ditch.

The VW rolled over and came to rest on its top on the east shoulder of Highway 39, facing south. Emiliano Ramos was ejected from the rear seat of the VW, and landed in the northbound lane of the highway. He died at the Crawford County Hospital. Luis Mendez was extricated from the VW by mechanical means by Denison Fire and Rescue. Robbie McMullen, who was also extricated from the VW by mechanical means, died at the scene of the crash. Hall was extricated from the pickup while Jessen was cut free from the PT Cruiser, both by mechanical means.

The accident remains under investigation. Assisting the Iowa Highway Patrol at the scene, was deputies with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, officers with the Denison Police Department, and Crawford County EMS.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 7:40 p.m. CDT

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — The Clinton City Council is mulling a plan to refurbish one of the city’s most prominent structures: the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre. The Clinton Herald reports that the 1935 river boat, which was converted into a showboat in the 1960s, has received interior renovations and updates in recent years. But the exterior of the boat has begun to show signs of disrepair.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in central Iowa are investigating the death of a baby they say was left inside a sweltering car while his father lingered in a barber shop. Des Moines police say officers were called to a hospital just before 8 p.m. Saturday to investigate a suspicious child death. Responding officers say they learned that the 6-month-old infant had died after reportedly being left in a car. Detectives say they determined that the death had happened outside at a north Des Moines barbershop.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the bell tower that rises over the city of Jefferson, state officials have approved over $80,000 to help community members meet a decades-long goal of hearing the tower bells chime. Local leaders have been fundraising for a $440,000 project to add a four-octave, 47-bell carillon to the tower.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say they pried open a car door to rescue a dog and cat left in a sweltering car in West Des Moines as temperatures soared into the 90s. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that witnesses called police after noticing the animals in the car around 11:30 a.m. Friday. Responding officers say the temperature inside the car was 125 degrees. Police arrested a 49-year-old woman and charged her with two counts of animal neglect.

The Cass County Memorial Hospital’s Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Monday evening in CCMH Conference Room #1.  During their 5-p.m. session, the Board will discuss: A community complaint with regard to water run-off; Selecting an Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and a CEO recruitment strategy.

Last Monday (June 6th), the Board Chairman Ned Brown announced CCHS CEO Todd Hudspeth was fired based on his “Actions and his judgment in several recent situations.” Their action followed word that Hudspeth had entered an Alford plea in connection with his check forgery case, in Buena Vista County. Hudspeth is set to appear in court August 1st for a “Plea taking” hearing.

(Update: the road was re-opened late Sunday afternoon thanks to quick work by the Cass County Secondary Roads Dept.)

A pavement blow-up on Highland Road (Highway G-30) in Cass County, about one and a half miles west of Atlantic, has created a dangerous situation that is requiring the road to be blocked-off. The Cass County Communications Center said they are aware of the situation, and a deputy will be posted at the scene until road crews can block the road off and make repairs.

(Photo’s courtesy Jessica Tye Shroyer)