Four people – three from Illinois and one from Iowa – were killed, and one person was injured during a head-on collision Wednesday afternoon in southwest Iowa’s Union County. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened on Highway 34, about two-miles east of Thayer, at around 2:37-p.m. According to the Patrol’s report, a 2002 Chevy S-10 pickup driven by 44-year old Laura Hileman-Dyson, of Murray, was eastbound on Highway 34 when it crossed the center line of the road.

A westbound 2011 Nissan Altima, driven by 31-year old Jessica Jackson, of Chicago, Il, took evasive action by veering into the eastbound lane, but the Hileman-Dyson corrected her vehicle at the same time, veering back into the eastbound lane. Both drivers then tried to take evasive action again, but their vehicles collided head-on in the westbound lane of traffic.

Jackon, and two people in her car were killed, including 28-year old Mertis Harris and 35-year old Kenya Ervin, both of Chicago. A passenger in Hileman-Dyson’s pickup, 44-year old Randall Dyson, also died in the crash. Neither he nor Harris were wearing a seat belt. Harris died after being flown from the scene by LifeNet Helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. Laura Hileman-Dyson, who was also not wearing a seat belt, was also flown by LifeNet to Methodist Hospital. A report on her condition was not available early this (Thursday) morning.

A College Springs man was sentenced Tuesday in U-S District Court to slightly more than 14-years in prison for his participation in a drug conspiracy. In addition to the 170 month prison term, U-S Attorney Nicholas Klinefeldt says Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced 56-year old Orvis Lee Wagaman, to a supervised release term of ten years.

According to the written plea agreement, from approximately January of 2004 until November of 2010, Wagaman was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Southwest Iowa and Northwest Missouri areas with co-conspirators 54-year old Edward Eugene Gray, Sr.,of Coin, 34-year old Edward Eugene Gray, Jr.,  and 23-year old Levi Edward Gray, both of Clarinda, and others.

Edward Eugene Gray, Jr., was sentenced on February 21st,  to 180 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and 60 months for possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense, for a total sentence of 240 months. Levi Gray was sentenced on February 21, 2012, to 48 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute
methamphetamine. Edward Eugene Gray, Sr., was sentenced on March 27, 2012, to 150 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Taylor County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office (MO), Buchanan County Drug Strike Force
(MO), NITRO Task Force (MO), Tri County Task Force (Adams, Ringgold, and Taylor Counties), Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office, Page County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ringgold and Taylor County Attorneys’ Offices. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Firefighters from two Shelby County Departments were called to the scene of a barn and tree fire east of Kirkman this (Wednesday) afternoon. The call was dispatched at around 2:30-p.m. Crews from Kirkman and Irwin were sent to the scene. In addition, the Harlan Fire Department was dispatched 3002 12th Street in Harlan, Lot #83, after a report was received about a porch on fire. The call came in at 2:38-p.m.

Additional details are currently not available.

Ten reports of Iowa children becoming ill from putting packets in their mouth has prompted the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) to join with the Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center (ISPCC) and the American Association of Poison Control Centers in urging Iowans, especially parents, to keep highly concentrated “single dose packs” of laundry detergent up and out of the reach of children. Poison centers across the country have reported a recent increase in calls about exposures of children to laundry detergents packaged in small packets.

Examples of single-dose laundry detergent that can pose a poison hazard to children

Some young children and toddlers who swallow these small packets have become ill and some have required hospitalization. According to the ISPCC, 10 exposure calls have been received in Iowa since April 1, 2012. The children ranged in age from 8-months-old to 4 years of age. Five needed hospital care but none became seriously ill. All have completely recovered; nationally, however, more serious illness has been reported. There have been no deaths.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers recommends the following steps:

1. Always keep detergents locked up and out of the reach of children.
2. Follow the specific disposal instructions on the label.
3. If you think a child has been exposed to a laundry detergent packet, call the ISPCC immediately at 1-800-222-1222.

For more information about the warnings concerning concentrated packets of laundry detergent, visit http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/Portals/0/Laundry%20Detergent%20Packs%205.17.2012.pdf. For information about the Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center, visit http://iowapoison.org/.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an accident east of Clarinda, where the vehicle involved remains a mystery. Officials say at around 1:30-a.m. Tuesday, an unknown vehicle went out of control on V Avenue, about two-tenths of a mile west of 222nd Street. The vehicle left the road and hit a curve marker before traveling down a ditch, through a yard and flower bed at 2235 V Avenue, and then back onto the roadway before continuing south. Damage from the incident amounted to at least $200. It’s not known if the driver of the vehicle suffered any injuries, as authorities have nothing to go on at this point.

The second accident happened at around 5-p.m. Saturday southwest of Essex, when a right rear tire blew out on a 1995 Chevy Blazer driven by 64-year old Juan Cepeda, of Shenandoah. The incident caused him to lose control of the SUV, which crossed the center line of Highway 48 at about C Avenue. The vehicle ended up rolling onto its passenger side. Cepeda was not injured during the mishap, but he was cited for not having a valid driver’s license. Damage from the accident amounted to $2,500