An unknown medical condition resulted in an accident Thursday evening in Montgomery County that sent one person to the hospital. The Iowa State Patrol says 25-year old Bryant Hunter, of Stanton, passed out at the wheel of his 1997 Chevy pickup, as the vehicle was traveling east on Highway 34 northeast of Villisca, at around 5:35-p.m., Thursday. The pickup entered the south ditch, came out of the ditch and crossed both lanes of the highway, before vaulting a small waterway in the north ditch. When the truck hit the ditch embankment, its airbags deployed. The vehicle came to rest against the embankment. Hunter was transported by Villisca Rescue to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Red Oak.

A Council Bluffs woman was sentenced today (Friday) to serve 5-years in prison after being convicted on a charge of distributing 5-grams or more of methamphetamine. U-S District Court Judge Robert Pratt handed down the 60-month prison term against 46-year old Lisa Marie Barrett. He also ordered the woman to serve five-years of supervised release following her imprisonment. Barrett was sentenced after pleading guilty to distributing 6.8-grams of 95-percent pure meth during a undercover sting operations conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force (SWINE).

Her case was part of a larger investigation conducted by task force, which also resulted in the arrest of three other individuals. David Fisher was sentenced to nearly 10-years in prison plus 5-years of supervised release. Nicholas Franks was sentenced to serve slightly more than 11-years in prison plus five years of supervised release, and, Steven Etherington was sentenced to 12 1/2-years in prison, plus five-years of supervised release.

For her role in the distribution of meth, Barrett must also forfeit more than $1,060 and the various drug-related paraphernalia seized at the time of her arrest. She remains in the custody of the U-S Marshal’s Service, pending designation of the Federal Bureau of Prisons facility at which she will serve her sentence.

The case against her and the other defendants was prosecuted by the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Harlan Police Department released their arrest report for this past week today (Friday). On Saturday, March 9th the Harlan Police Department arrested three people following traffic stops. The first incident occurred when Harlan Officers arrested 47-year old Mike Mikels of Harlan and charged him with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and cited him for careless driving and open container, driver. Mikels was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

The second incident of the day involved two people. Twenty-four year old Theodore Behrens and 20-year old Kyla Binkley both of Harlan, were taken into custody and transported to the Shelby County Jail where Binkley was charged with possession of a controlled substance and both she and Behrens were charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

On March 13th the Harlan Police Department reports the arrest of twenty-two year old Cody Lister of Harlan following a traffic stop. Lister was wanted on an active Shelby County warrant for probation revocation and theft in the 2nd degree. Lister was also charged with possession of a controlled substance (enhanced due to a prior conviction) and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver of the vehicle, 20-year old Kyla Binkley of Harlan was also charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were transported to the Shelby County Jail.

On Thursday, March 14th, 38-year old Shawn Schechinger of Harlan was taken into custoday on an active Shelby County warrant for theft in the 5th degree. Schechinger was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

That same day, 21-year old Megan Defenbaugh of Harlan was arrested when officers were called because a person was sitting in the middle of an intersection. Officers had been called to the Defenbaugh residence earlier in the evening as well. Defenbaugh was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with interference with official acts.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Council Bluff’s construction office reports setting beams on the center span of the new bridge carrying U.S. 34 over Interstate 29 (exit 35) near Pacific Junction, will require closing the interstate to motorists Tuesday, March 19, at 7:30 a.m. until completion later in the day, weather permitting.

During construction, motorists will be directed by flaggers around the closure using the entrance and exit ramps to I-29. Motorists should expect delays. The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limits and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.

A bill under consideration at the statehouse stipulates that only the legislature has the authority to allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes. Representative Jarad Klein, a Republican from Keota, urged members of the House to vote for the bill. “I believe this is an important act for the legislature to take under,” Klein says. “We are accountable to the people and I believe that’s what this bill really goes at the heart of is who has the authority.”

In the past few years the Iowa Board of Pharmacy has debated the issue of medical marijuana and considered putting it on their list of controlled substances which can be dispensed with a prescription, but has never taken that final step. The bill would forbid the board from allowing medical marijuana prescriptions in Iowa. “The intent of this piece of legislation is clarify that only the legislature shall have the discretion to move marijuana from a Scheduled I controlled substance to a Schedule II controlled substance,” Klein says.

The bill passed the House this week on a 71 to 24 vote. It now goes to a senate committee for consideration. Marijuana is illegal in the United States, but 18 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to permit marijuana to be prescribed as a treatment for symptoms like pain and nausea that are often associated with chronic and fatal illnesses.

(Radio Iowa)