The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victims of a fatal rollover accident that took place Monday evening, near Neola. Authorities say 14-year old Gage Williams, of Neola, died from his injuries at Mercy CHI Hospital. The driver of the vehicle, 18-year old Kael Karagianis, of Neola, and a passenger, 16-year old Jordan Macias, also Neola, both suffered non-incapacitating injuries, and were also transported to Mercy CHI. 16-year old Kaden Karagianis, (the brother of Kael), was transported to Jennie Edmundson in Council Bluffs for treatment of incapacitating injuries.

An investigation determined that at around 5:40-p.m. a 1998 Ford F‐150 pickup that had been south bound on Rail Road Highway, went out of control. The driver over-corrected, causing the vehicle to cross the centerline of the road and strike a field entrance in a ditch. The pickup rolled at least one time coming to rest on its top, in a farm field.  All of the victims were transported to the hospitals by Neola Fire and Rescue. Authorities have said the teens had just left track practice at Tri-Center High School when the accident occurred

The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing. No citations have been issued at this time. Crisis response and grief counselors are being made available for students of the Tri-Center School District, today, as they process the death of a classmate and the injury of three others.

Monday’s crash was eerily reminiscent of a similar accident that took place a little more than six-years ago a few miles north of the Tri-Center/Neola High School campus. During the March 17^th, 2010 crash, 14-year old Katie Dyer, of Honey Creek, died. That accident, which involved a car that rolled over numerous times, also resulted in injuries to the driver, 15-year old Samantha Reid, who was from Honey Creek, and her 16-year old passengers Cari Wilson and Chelsea Birtwell, both of whom at the time, were from Persia. In that crash, two of the girls, including Dyer, were wearing seat belts, the other two were not. All four were ejected from the vehicle. Reid was driving with a school license, which allowed students who are 14 ½ years of age or older, to drive to-and-from school.

Police in Creston report three people have been arrested on drug charges. Early this (Tuesday) morning, 25-year old Matthew Thomas, of Creston, was arrested on a Possession of a Controlled Substance, charge. Monday evening, 20-year old’s Shandi Brown and Kenneth Killen, both of Creston, were arrested at their residence for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. All three suspects were later released from the Union County Jail on $1,000 bond, each.

And, a Creston woman was arrested Monday afternoon at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. 44-year old Paula Shimer was taken into custody on an Adams County warrant for Contempt of Court. She was later released on $500 bond.

The Griswold School District’s Board of Education, Monday night, accepted the resignation of Superintendent Dana Kunze and High School/Middle School Principal T-J Dunphy. Both men will finish-out their positions through the end of June.

The 41-year old Dunphy, who was arrested March 13^th in Creston for OWI/2^nd offense and Carrying a Weapon While Intoxicated, will not be allowed to attend school functions, based on the school’s Code of Conduct policy. Dunphy will receive three month’s severance pay based on his current salary and health insurance through the remainder of the 2016 calendar year, unless he secures insurance by other employment.