WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A man has been given 25 years in prison for being intoxicated when his pickup truck struck a minivan in Waterloo, killing a baby inside. Black Hawk County District Court records say 37-year-old Derrick Johnson was sentenced Monday. He’d been found guilty of vehicular homicide while intoxicated. He also was ordered to pay restitution of $150,000.
Authorities say Johnson was involved in an Aug. 2, 2017, collision that killed 7-month-old Liam Mwanje, who was inside the minivan when it overturned. Other children in the minivan were injured.
Police say Johnson was speeding, failed to halt at a stop sign and was distracted and looking in his rearview mirror. Police also estimated that Johnson’s blood alcohol level was as high as 1½ times the legal limit at the time of the collision and say he had cocaine in his system.

AMES, Iowa – May 14, 2019 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is requesting public input on the proposed bridge replacement on U.S. 169 over the Middle Fork Grand River, 5.3 miles south of Iowa 2, in Ringgold County. The proposed project provides for removing the existing bridge and replacing it with a precast concrete beam bridge that is 125 feet by 40 feet. Through traffic on U.S. 169 would be detoured during construction using Ringgold County Road P-46 and Ringgold County Road J-55.

For general information or to make a comment regarding the proposed improvements, contact Scott Suhr, transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 4 Office, 2210 E. Seventh St., Atlantic, Iowa 50022, phone 712-243-3355 or 800-289-4368, email scott.suhr@iowadot.us.

Comments must be received by May 28, 2019 to be considered.

Three people were arrested on separate charges Monday, in Creston. Authorities say 36-year old Nicki Renee Jones, of Creston, was arrested for Providing False Identification Information. She was additionally cited for the charge of Trespass. Jones was released from the Union County Jail on $300 bond. 58-year old Rodney Gale Fry, of Creston, was arrested on a charge of Theft 4th. Fry was released from the Union County Jail on a $1000 bond. And, 21-year old Klay Evans, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. He was released from the Union County Jail on a $1000 bond.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City man accused of fatally beating his father is scheduled to enter a plea Tuesday and be sentenced. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness says 31-year-old Flannery Kennedy-Meier made a deal and will plead guilty to attempted murder. He’d already pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder for the death of Mark Meier.

Kennedy-Meier was arrested Nov. 13, 2017, after police were called to an Iowa City residence and found the injured Meier. Officers say Kennedy-Meier had hit his father in the head with a weapon, causing a skull fracture and brain bleed. Meier died of his injuries on Dec. 4, 2017, and an autopsy blamed the November beating.