One person was injured during a single-vehicle accident late Monday morning, in Creston. Authorities say 55-year old Mauxie Jane King, of Creston, was driving a 2008 Toyota 4Runner SUV southbound on Cottonwood Street at around 11-a.m., and was making a left turn onto Prairie Street into a parking lot drive, when she suffered from a medical condition.

Her SUV went over a curb and crossed Prairie Street to the north before hitting a light pole. King was transported by ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston. The woman told authorities she didn’t remember anything after making the turn onto southbound cottonwood. Damage from the accident amounted to $3,200.

Another accident in Creston, took place just after 10-a.m., Monday, at the intersection of W. Howard and N. Stone Streets. Police say 16-year old Alexa Miller, of Creston, was driving a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix westbound on Howard Street when she failed to yield to a 1999 Ford F-250 pickup traveling south on Stone Street, and driven by 49-year old Rickie Foster, of Creston. Miller said she couldn’t see the approaching pickup because of trees and brush near the intersection.

The vehicles collided, causing $6,000 damage altogether. Both drivers complained of pain and possible injuries, but they were not transported to the hospital. No citations were issued.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help in solving the theft of numerous items from a City of Villisca storage garage. Authorities say the theft happened sometime between last Friday (Aug.7th) and Monday (Aug. 10th). Taken from the garage was a black, 6-foot by 14-foot (6×14) Finish Line  utility trailer. The trailer has damage to the left side fender and a missing clearance light.

It was loaded with two yellow Walker mowers (one 25-hp w/a52″ deck, the other 20-hp w/a 62″ deck), a Stihl line trimmer, and a Dewalt grinder. The loss was estimated $28,000.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Montgomery County Crimestoppers at 1-888-434-2712, or the Sheriff’s Office at 712-623-5107.

Deputies in Montgomery County arrested a rural Red Oak man on an assault charge, Monday evening. Authorities say 47-year old Donald Owen Schollian was arrested at around 8:40-p.m. in the 1900 block of G Avenue, and charged with Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail, and held without bond.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has created statewide plan to help develop and expand the Park and Ride System. D-O-T spokesperson, Jennifer Roberts, says the system has been around for awhile. “Back in the 80’s when individuals were trying to save money on gas, the public would request areas to park and the D-O-T would have some excess right-of-way — or maybe places where they would store gravel — and they’d let individuals park on those areas,” Roberts says.

The areas are commonly gravel parking lost where people park their cars and then either car pool or van pool to work. Robert says they are looking at the best areas to add Park and Ride lots. She says they looked at commuter data and passenger/traffic data to identify the ideal locations for new areas. “And most of those locations are along urban corridors, just some examples around the state, Ames to Des Moines or Cedar Rapids to Iowa City,” Robert says.

Many of the early Park and Ride locations were in rural areas, as people looked to commute together into bigger cities. Robert says the locations being considered now in urban areas help ease traffic congestion by having people commute to the edge of cities and cutting the number of vehicles in the heavily traveled areas. No matter where they are located, Roberts says the Park and Ride lots help people in a variety of ways.

“Some of the benefits are to save money on gas, also to save wear and tear on your vehicle — maybe you don’t have to get oil changes as much is you are sharing the driving,” Roberts says.

Park and Ride – Iowa

She says overall it saves wear-and-tear on the roads if there are fewer vehicles using them. New sites are still in the review stage. Roberts says they’ll first look at existing right-of-way areas to see if there is land available to use for the proposed sites. If you are interested in taking part in a Park and Ride program, Roberts suggest you check first with your area transit agency.

“As one example, the local transit agency for the central Iowa/Des Moines area is DART. They have a ride-sharing software and ride sharing services that they provide. They also provide a van pooling program,” according to Roberts. She says many employers also help set up programs for workers. You can find out more about the Park and Ride sites on the D-O-T’s website at:website at: www.iowadot.gov/ParkRide.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines Public Schools and its insurance company will pay a former superintendent $350,000 to settle a lawsuit over sexually explicit emails sent by the superintendent. District spokeswoman Amanda Lewis says the district expected to win the lawsuit filed by Nancy Sebring, but its insurance company wanted to settle to avoid additional litigation expenses. Sebring filed a lawsuit after sexually explicit emails sent from her district-issued email account and electronics were made public in May 2012.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Officials say they have arrested a man accused of failing to return to a residential work release facility in Council Bluffs. Twenty-eight-year-old Andrew Eugene Maybee was arrested Monday in Omaha. The Iowa Department of Corrections says it placed Maybee on escape status Saturday after he failed to return to the work release facility from a job. Maybee is serving a 25-year sentence for several convictions.

DAKOTA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating what caused a small helicopter-like aircraft to crash in Iowa, killing the pilot and injuring his passenger. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office says the gyrocopter was traveling near the small community of Dakota City around 7 p.m. Sunday when it crashed. Its wreckage was found in the front yard of a residence. The pilot, 58-year-old Larry Erickson, of Humboldt, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

SUMNER, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say tall corn growing near a northern Iowa city may have contributed to a fatal, two-vehicle crash. The Bremer County Sheriff’s Office says the two cars were traveling in different directions Monday morning when they collided at an intersection about five miles outside of Sumner. One driver, 44-year-old Dawn Novak, of Sumner, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver, 47-year-old Logan Huebner, also of Sumner, received minor injuries along with a passenger in his vehicle.