A traffic stop on a vehicle that was allegedly speeding in Fremont County last week, escalated into a pursuit, and resulted in two arrests. According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, on Jan. 12th, deputies attempted to stop a 2021 Volkswagen Jetta for speeding on Highway 2, east of Sidney. The vehicle failed to stop and at times accelerated to 116 mph.

The vehicle traveled for approximately five miles until it stopped near Farragut, and the occupants switched drivers.  The initial driver, 30-year-old Jacob Morton, of Ablemarle, North Carolina, initially gave a fraudulent name to law enforcement and later found to have an active warrant for his arrest out of North Carolina.

Morton was charged with: Reckless Driving; Eluding; Providing False Information; Fugitive from Justice; Possession of Controlled Substances (meth); and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (meth).  The second driver, 58-year-old Jeanna Dockter, of Sidney, Iowa was arrested for: Possession of Controlled Substances (meth), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Morton was being held without bond pending charges in both Iowa and North Carolina. Dockter was released without posting bond by the Fremont County Magistrate.

A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following two separate accidents that took place over the past few days. On Jan. 14th at around 6:42-p.m., a 2000 International Snow Plow driven by 48-year-old David Hoose, of Malvern, and a 1997 Ford driven by 45-year-old Sean Hicks, of Emerson, collided at the intersection of 2nd Avenue and W. 7th Street. The accident happened as the Ford was heading westbound on 7th, down a hill. The vehicle went out of control and was unable to stop before it collided with the snow plow. Both vehicles were driven from the scene.

The other Mills County accident happened at around today (Mon., Jan. 17th) at around 8:16-a.m.  Authorities say a 2019 Chevy driven by 41-year-old Candace Kreifels, of Glenwood, and a 2022 Hyundai driven by 35-year-old Shelli McVaney, of Pacific Junction, collided at the intersection of 195th Street and Eastman Road. The report says the Chevy was traveling west on Eastman Road, while the Hyundai was southbound on 195th.

The Chevy entered the intersection that happened to be slick due to the weather. The vehicle slid across into the southbound lane while trying to go north. The Chevy struck the Hyundai on the left rear wheel, causing the vehicle to spin around. Officials say the Chevy’s airbags deployed upon impact. Both vehicles came to rest on the west side of the intersection. Authorities say while Kreifels was at fault, no citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) – House Republicans have introduced a bill to eliminate the state income tax on retirement income from pensions, I-R-As and 4-0-1-Ks. Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley suggests it might prompt some older Iowans to think twice about relocating or living more than half the year in another state that doesn’t tax retirement income.  “I think we’re losing a lot of those people that I would say are the pillars of our communities, They’re the ones that volunteer. They’re the ones that philanthropically are supporting those organizations and foundations in the community,” Grassley says. “We want to keep those people and they want to stay in Iowa, but if it’s beneficial to maybe just move across the border or move to some other states that don’t have these (taxes), I don’t want that to be a barrier to keep those people in our communities.”

Grassley made his comments this weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S. Social Security benefits are not taxed in Iowa. This House G-O-P plan — to expand that exemption to all retirement income — would go into effort for the 2022 tax year. That’s a year earlier than Republican Governor Kim Reynolds has proposed. Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls says the idea doesn’t meet the goal of targeting tax relief to low and middle income Iowans. “We know that folks who are on fixed incomes can sometimes struggle with the tax burdens that they face,” Wahls says. “But, again, if you’re a multimillionaire and you’ve got a really significant income from your investments, what have you, I don’t think that makes a lot of sense.”

The governor’s staff estimates the state would collect 400 million dollars less in taxes annually if income from pensions and other retirement accounts is no longer subject to the Iowa income tax.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports two accidents took place over the weekend, neither of which resulted in any injuries. Authorities say at around 12:07-a.m. Saturday, a 2004 Toyota Camry driven by 22-year-old Mohamed A. Nour, of Iowa City, was traveling on I-80 eastbound near mile marker 91, when the vehicle went out of control, due to the adverse weather conditions. The car entered the median, spun around and struck a cable barrier. The vehicle sustained about $1,000 damage.

The second accident happened at around 4:40-p.m Sunday, on Wagon Road, in Guthrie County. The Sheriff’s Office says 37-year-old Tiffany Ranae Miller, of Stuart, was traveling north in a 2003 Ford Expedition, when she came upon a slow moving pickup that was pulling a trailer. When Miller went to pass the pickup/trailer, her SUV went out of control, due to slush on the road. The vehicle entered the west ditch and struck a small tree before making contact with a fence.

Damage to the SUV was estimated at $3,500. The fence, owned by an LLC based in Panora, sustained about $500 damage.

No citations were issued to the drivers of the respective vehicles.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Friday, (Jan. 14), of 18-year-old Turner Steffens, from Atlantic, for OWI/1st offense.  On January 11th, 29-year-old Richard Lewis JR, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Cass County on a warrant for violation of the Sex Offender Registry.  On Jan. 9th, 50-year-old Lynn Young, of Elliott, was arrested for OWI 1^st offense.

And, as mentioned in a separate report, on Sunday, Jan. 16th, 46-year-old Vanessa Strazdas, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI 1^st offense.

All subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail and later released on their own recognizance.

“All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.”