A man who was trying to figure out why his pickup was making strange noises Thursday night, ended up hitting a road sign, and being cited for Careless Driving. Red Oak Police say 58-year old John Richard Mullenix, of Red Oak, was cited for the offense after officers investigated an accident at 8th Street and Chautauqa Drive, where a Yield sign had been struck.

After officers followed-up on information provided by a witness to the incident, they located the suspect vehicle and questioned the driver, identified as Mullenix, who admitted he had been traveling west on Chautauqa, when he leaned down to try and figure out where strange noises in his truck were coming from, and hit the sign. Mullenix said at the time of the accident, he didn’t know what he hit, so he drove away from the scene.

Damage to Mullenix’ 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup was estimated at $200.

A traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 34 and Dogwood Avenue in Montgomery County late Thursday night, resulted in the arrest of a Nebraska man on drug charges. 57-year old Steve Henry Russell, of Omaha, faces charges that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and OWI/Drugged- 1st offense. Russell was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

The Omaha World-Herald reports a Council Bluffs woman was arrested Wednesday night after being accused of neglecting her 6-month-old son. 19-year-old Kuira Lawton faces a felony suspicion of abandonment of a dependent person charge, after allegedly allowing her infant to be watched by the woman’s ex-boyfriend, 21-year old Rodney Weatherwax, who is known to allegedly have anger, drug and physical abuse issues.

According to the arrest affidavit, Lawton would often leave the infant with Weatherwax when she went to work or out with friends. Weatherwax was arrested Dec. 19th and later charged with child endangerment, abandonment of a dependent person and two counts of assault with intent to cause willful injury, all felonies. He remains in Pottawattamie County Jail with his bail set at $200,000.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope is reporting three recent arrests. The Sheriff says on Tuesday, an investigation in Farragut into reported animal neglect resulted in the arrest on a warrant, of Melanie Finchman, of Farragut. The woman was taken into custody on two counts of animal neglect resulting in death or serious injury. She was being held in the Fremont County jail.

On Thursday, deputies in Fremont County arrested a Thurman man on a warrant for Domestic Abuse/Assault. Scott McCart was taken into custody Thursday evening without incident, and brought to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center, where he was being held without bond.

And, an investigation into reported criminal mischief at the County Line Bar on Highway 59 in Fremont County, resulted in the arrest of a Shenandoah man. Tyler Nothwehr was arrested on a charge of Criminal Mischief in the 5th degree. He was being held in the Fremont County jail on $300 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — The Muscatine County attorney says a deputy acted lawfully and with reasonable intent when he shot a man who is accused of stealing a vehicle and hitting a police car. County Attorney Alan Ostergren announced Thursday that deputy Eddie Cardenas’s actions were reasonable based upon the threat of the suspect’s actions. The deputy opened fire on 41-year-old Timothy Seefeldt, who was arrested and taken to a hospital.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Broadcast television viewers in New Hampshire should recognize Hillary Clinton’s stance on gun control by now. One of every four political advertisements she’s airing in the state is about tougher gun laws. But in Iowa, only 1 in 17 of Clinton’s spots features her stance on gun control. That’s according to an Associated Press analysis of Clinton’s campaign ads.

MEREDITH, N.H. (AP) — Chris Christie says that if wins the White House he’ll invite the leaders of six U.S. allies to “vent” about President Barack Obama. The New Jersey Governor is one of nearly half a dozen GOP candidates fighting to emerge from New Hampshire’s February 9th primary as an establishment alternative to Donald Trump.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Peter Jok scored a career-high 29 points and Number 9 Iowa shook off pesky Rutgers in the second half in posting a harder-than-expected 90-76 victory Thursday night. Jarrod Uthoff and Anthony Clemmons added 20 points apiece as the Hawkeyes won their eighth straight game.