Authorities Release Name Of Burn Victim From Apartment Fire
(Le Mars) — Authorities have released additional information and the identity of the victim regarding the fire that occurred on Saturday, October 15th at 620 Greenwood Avenue Southeast in Le Mars. The building was a duplex apartment building which on arrival firefighters encountered a heavy smoke showing from
the rear apartment and a male subject who had received burn injuries standing in the yard. The male subject is 21 year old Nicholas Huser of Le Mars. Huser was initially taken to the Floyd Valley Healthcare then airlifted to an Omaha hospital where he remains being treated for his injuries. The cause of the fire
is still being investigated. Gasoline was found ignited in the kitchen area of the home. The cause of this fire is being listed as undetermined at this time awaiting further evidence to be tested. The fire caused approximately $5,000 in damage. The front apartment residents were able to escape the building and were allowed back into their apartment after the fire. The Huser apartment is not able to be occupied at this time. Additional information will be provided when it becomes available.
Sioux County Investigates Farm Wagon Accident
(Orange City) — The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a farm equipment accident that happened on Tuesday afternoon on Hospers Drive North at Hospers. 29 year old Justin DeJong of Hull was driving a Versatile 250 tractor
pulling a Demco 525 gravity flow wagon loaded with soybeans and heading southbound when an axle of the wagon had malfunctioned. The wagon rolled onto its side on the roadway. There were no injuries, but the wagon sustained
approximately $3,000 in damages.
Woodbury County Authorities Pursue Motorcycle In High Speed Chase
(Sioux City) — Woodbury County authorities were involved with a high speed pursuit of a motorcycle early Thursday morning at about 2:04 a.m. A Woodbury County Sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop on Gordon Drive. The violator failed to stop for law enforcement and the pursuit continued east into Morningside and eventually eastbound on Old Highway 141, with speeds at times exceeding 100 mph. The pursuit continued east on Old Highway 141 until it reached Smithland, Iowa where the driver / suspect Kelly Bryan Malloy, age 49, from Sioux City was apprehended. Malloy was booked into the Woodbury County jail for felony eluding, theft in the second degree, OWI for a second offense, driving while license barred, reckless driving, stop sign violations, speeding, possession of drug paraphernalia, fraudulent use of registration and/or plates, and driving left of center. Bond has been set at $15,500.
Vintage Autos To Be Auctioned
(Le Mars) — More than 150 vintage automobiles and other such vehicles will be placed on auction this Friday. The vehicles, which range in model years from the 1940’s to the 1970’s, are a collection obtained by Kellen Excavating of Le
Mars when it bought the estate of Brett Conley. Derek Kellen explains Conley was once a mechanic, and started the antique car collection.
Kellen says none of the vehicles to be sold are in working condition. However,
he says he has received numerous phone calls inquiring about the collection,
from various collectors from across the nation.
According to Kellen, the antique auto collection has several unique vehicles,
some of which are very rare, including a special Volks Wagon pickup.
In addition to the Volks Wagon pickup, Kellen says there are other rare vehicles
as part of the collection.
Kellen admits for many of the vehicles to be sold, the restoration process will
be challenging for collectors, saying the work will be extensive.
The auction will begin at 11:00 a.m. and Kellen says it will consists of both a
live auction as well as an on-line bidding auction.
Former Iowa State Patrol Trooper To Be Sentenced
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A December sentencing is scheduled for a former Iowa State Patrol supervisor who admitted stealing prescription painkillers seized during criminal investigations.
Court records say 32-year-old Michael Haugen has filed written pleas of guilty to misdemeanor charges of theft and tampering with records. His sentencing is set for Dec. 19.
The records say Haugen has acknowledged removing pills from evidence bags about 18 times in up to eight different cases between late 2014 and April. An investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation found that he stole
roughly 150 pills.
Haugen acknowledged that he developed an addiction to painkillers while battling intestinal problems.
Accident Involving Jail Transport Van Injures Four
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials say the Iowa State Patrol is investigating the crash of a Polk County Jail transport van and a truck that left four inmates injured.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened Wednesday afternoon when a truck leaving the jail hit the van as it was entering the jail to bring inmates back from court hearings.
The van carried two deputies and nine inmates. Officials say four of the inmates were treated at local hospitals for minor injuries. The truck driver was not injured.
Officials have not released the names of those involved in the crash.
Pharmacy Tech Accused Of Watering Down Prescriptions
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines hospital says it’s taking action after learning of accusations that a former pharmacy technician there watered down powerful pain prescriptions of hospital patients.
Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines says the pharmacy tech is no longer employed there. From late August to early October, more than 730 patients were given watered-down drugs. In some cases, patients are believed to have received little more than saline solution.
The hospital says the tech had access to portable medication carts where the powerful opioid fentanyl was stored. Officials believe he used a syringe to replace the drug with saline.
The hospital says no charges have yet been filed but are expected.
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Man Stops Freight Train After Seeing Accident
MOORLAND, Iowa (AP) – Authorities are crediting a man for stopping a freight train before it plowed into a vehicle that moments before had crashed onto railroad tracks.
A woman was driving Monday morning on a road in Moorland, just west of Fort Dodge, when she fell asleep. The sport utility vehicle she was driving veered into a ditch, rolled and landed on its wheels on adjacent Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
Webster County Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Kruse says two people witnessed the crash, and while one called 911 the other ran down the tracks and warned an approaching train.
The crew managed to stop before it hit the SUV.
The driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for tests.
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Woman Dies After Hitting School Bus
SPRINGVILLE, Iowa (AP) – Linn County authorities say a woman injured when her car rammed a school bus has died.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says the car ran into the rear of the bus, which had stopped to let off a student around 3:45 p.m. Monday near Springville.
One of six students on the bus was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. The bus driver and the remaining five students weren’t hurt.
The sheriff’s office identified the car driver as 26-year-old Molly
Zelinskas, of Dubuque, and said she died from her injuries. Her obituary says she died Tuesday at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids.
