(Radio Iowa) – A congressional field hearing on drug abuse in Iowa will be held in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, hosted by U-S Senator Chuck Grassley. The hearing will offer testimony to the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control. Grassley, a Republican, says one focus will be on opioids, which are responsible for a rising number of overdose deaths in Iowa in recent years. Grassley says, “We have tremendous problems with opioids generally, but an increasing problem because of fentanyl.”

According to Grassley, the field hearing will provide insight and information on the needs of Iowa and local communities when it comes to federal drug control policy. “I think the problem is worse in eastern Iowa than in other parts of the state,” Grassley says, “but don’t let me downgrade any discussion of the problem by saying it’s not only in Iowa but it’s throughout the country and in some parts of the country, even worse than Iowa.”

The list of witnesses includes experts and professionals from the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy, Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, Iowa Alliance of Coalitions for Change and CRUSH (Community Resources United to Stop Heroin) of Iowa. In a statement, Grassley says, “The testimony we hear will provide important insight on Iowa’s drug control efforts, and how Congress can work to support Iowans as both legislative and executive branches develop a comprehensive approach to an ongoing and ever-changing problem.”  “It’s very important that we prioritize the safety and wellbeing of Iowa families,” Grassley says, “and that’s doing it through enhancing drug control, prevention, education, law enforcement and international interdiction.”

The hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m. at the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa in Cedar Rapids.

(Corning, Iowa) – Officials with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office report four recent arrests. Three arrests took place last Saturday (Oct. 9th):

• 53-year-old Scott Perrin, of Corning, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop at around 12:35-a.m., at Highway 34 and Kentucky Avenue. Perrin was transported to the Adams County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond. And…
• 38-year-old Mindy Marie Knapp, of Red Oak, and 32-year-old Christopher John Hazen, of Council Bluffs, were arrested in the 2500 block of Elm Avenue, in connection with a burglary. Officials say Knapp and Hazen were both charged with Burglary in the 3rd Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. They were also cited for Trespassing. Knapp and Hazen were transported to the Adams County Jail.

And, on Oct. 8th, Adams County Deputies arrested 38-year-old David Christopher Yazell, of Corning, on an active warrant for four counts of Failure to Appear. He was transported to the Adams County Jail and held pending an appearance before a Magistrate.

Waterloo, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports Kevin Reddout, who was convicted of Domestic Abuse Assault-3rd or Subsequent Offense and other charges in Black Hawk County, failed to report from work to the Waterloo residential facility as required, Monday.

Reddout is a 46-year-old white male, height 6′ 0″, and weighs 216 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on 05/13/2021.

Persons with information on Reddout’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Kevin J. Reddout (Iowa DOC photo)

(DeSoto, Iowa) – A crash in Dallas County over the weekend that killed two people has resulted in the death of a third person. The Iowa State Patrol says 25-year-old Kenneth Mueller, of Urbandale died, after the van he was driving struck the rear of a semi. He was wearing a seat belt. The accident happened at around 3:15-p.m., Sunday on Interstate 80 westbound at mile marker 115 (two-miles east of the Van Meter Exit). Authorities say the semi, driven by 22-year-old Lovepreet S. Rattan, of Mississaugua, Ontario, Canada, had slowed and stopped for traffic ahead, that was at a standstill due to an accident just west of DeSoto.

Mueller failed to reduce his speed prior to the collision. He died at the scene. The driver of the semi was not injured. Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Dallas County Medical Examiner assisted at the scene.

The accident that caused the traffic to back-up in the first place, occurred at around 1:17-p.m. Sunday. The Patrol says a 1980 Chevy Corvette driven by 19-year-old Samuel Wayne Kasap entered westbound Interstate 80 from the DeSoto on-ramp and accelerated to a high rate of speed. The car went out of control and entered the median before rolling over the cable barrier and coming to rest in the eastbound lanes.

Neither Kasap nor his passenger, 24-year-old Maximilian Vincent Kasap, were wearing a seat belt. Both men were ejected. Samuel Kasap died at the scene. Max Kasap was injured and transported by Dallas County Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.