Two people are dead and one man is in custody, charged with two counts of Homicide by motor vehicle, following an accident Friday morning, in Fremont County. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says Deputies were notified at around 6:14-a.m., that a man who was taken by a private vehicle to an area hospital, was possibly involved in a motor vehicle accident at an unknown location in Fremont County.

Deputies, along with Iowa DNR Officers, Iowa State Patrol Troopers and an airplane with the Iowa State Patrol assisted with the search. At around 9:44-a.m., authorities were contacted by the man’s family members, who located the vehicle, partially submerged in the East Nishnabotna River, in the 3100 block of 250th Street, west of Riverton.

Duane Michael Struck

Rescue workers discovered two occupants, 29-year-old Somia Star Moore, and 19-year-old Jonathan Lee O’Hearn, both of Hamburg, were inside the vehicle, deceased. The driver, 21-year old Duane Johnathaon Mickael Stuck, also of Hamburg, was placed under arrest for two counts of Homicide by Vehicle, (OWI) Class B Felonies, and one count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident, resulting in Death, a Class D Felony.

The Iowa State Patrol is investigating the accident. The State Patrol, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Nebraska City Police Department, Riverton Fire and Rescue, Hamburg Fire and Rescue, Sidney Rescue, Benefiel Towing, and the Midwest Regional Dive Team assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the call.

The investigation is ongoing at this time and more charges are pending.

(Radio Iowa) – The number two leader at the University of Illinois will cross the Mississippi River and take over the top spot at the University of Iowa. The Board of Regents selected 63-year-old Barbara Wilson today (Friday) to become the 22nd president. Regents president Michael Richards called for a motion to approve Wilson following a closed session to review the four finalists. Richards says her term will start on July 15th and go through June 30th of 2026 at an annual salary of 600-thousand dollars and also includes a five-year deferred compensation plan with annual contributions of 400-thousand dollars.

Barbara Wilson

Wilson spoke after the board voted unanimously to approve her. She thanked the board and says they will have a great working relationship. Wilson wore a gold jacket as she talked to the board. “I am excited, I am ready to roll up my sleeves, I am wearing the right color, I am really delighted, this is such a great honor,” Wilson says. She says she is anxious to get to work.

“We’re going to make the University of Iowa as good as it can be and even better,” she says. Wilson will replace Bruce Harreld, who is retiring She has served as executive vice president and vice president for academic affairs for the University of Illinois System since 2016.

DES MOINES – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Friday, signed a new Public Health Disaster proclamation that extends critical regulatory relief for an additional 30 days to those on the frontlines of COVID19 recovery. The order, which does not require masks or social distancing, was set to expire Sunday. It has now been extended until May 30th.

The proclamation continues to strongly encourage Iowans, businesses, and organizations to take reasonable public health measures consistent with guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

The proclamation also continues to extend the waiver on transportation restrictions for overweight loads.  The proclamation can found online here.

Two people were arrested following a traffic stop on Highway 34 Thursday evening. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says 41-year-old Joseph Dean Wallace, of Bedford, was arrested for Possession of Controlled Substance, Driving while Revoked and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond was set at $4,300. And, 28-year-old Aundrea Theresa Clay, of Red Oak, was arrested on a Page County warrant for Failure to Appear on a Possession of a Controlled Substance charge. Her bond was set at $1,000. The duo were taken into custody at around 5:22-p.m.

Atlantic Community School District Superintendent Steve Barber, Friday, updated the district’s status with COVID-19. His letter to parents, students and patrons, follows:

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House and Senate have unanimously voted to give prosecutors another legal tool to crack down on human trafficking. Representative Megan Jones of Sioux Rapids says it targets people who set up businesses like nail and hair salons, spas and massage parlors, with workers who are actually victims of human trafficking. “This bill establishes a crime for knowingly letting your property be used for human trafficking,” Jones says. “…One really interesting part of this bill and I really appreciate this that the victims’ advocates brought this forward is that it provides restorative justice as a form of restitution.”

Victims of human trafficking will be able to avoid charges if they’re caught being forced to work in one of these businesses. Senator Brad Zaun of Johnston says the bill makes it harder to try to run an illicit spa or massage business using forced labor.  “We are in the state of Iowa to have Interstate 80 and Interstate 35 which brings a lot of business to the state of Iowa,” Zaun says. “Unfortunately, it brings a lot of despicable human beings that are abusing other humans in regards to human trafficking. This bill really just clamps down on the landowners that own these businesses that know what’s going on.”

The bill first passed the House on March 8th. The Senate gave it final approval this week. The bill also calls on the Iowa Public Safety Commissioner to establish a task force on human trafficking to understand the scope of the problem in Iowa and identify services for victims.