The National Weather Service says a weak tornado (estimated at EF-0) lifted some debris into the air Monday evening, in Ringgold County. A trained spotter observed the rain-wrapped twister near Delphos at around 5:17-p.m.. A funnel cloud was also observed one-mile west/southwest of Redding, at around 4:55-p.m. The funnel lasted for about five-minutes. There were no reports of injuries. Heavy rain was the main feature of the storms that passed through western and central Iowa, Monday.

Rainfall in excess of three-inches was reported in Des Moines. Other communities saw anywhere from 2.1- to as much as 4-inches of rain in central Iowa. The heavy rain led to street flooding in Des Moines, Pleasant Hill and Cumming, Monday evening, as well.

DRAKESVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man suspected of fleeing a southeast Iowa accident in which a 9-year-old boy died and his brother was injured. The Davis County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that 41-year-old Terry Petary, of Drakesville, is charged with vehicular homicide. The Iowa State Patrol says a pickup truck struck the boy and his brother a little before 10 p.m. Sunday as they walked on a rural road west of Drakesville. A patrol accident report says the truck came up from behind, struck the two and then left. The Sheriff’s Office says the pickup was found in West Grove, and Petary was detained there.

The patrol report identified the dead boy as 9-year-old Merlin Beechy and his brother as 12-year-old Nathan Beechy, of rural Drakesville.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Residents in major cities downstream from a northwest Iowa tanker car derailment say they’re confident their municipal drinking water is safe even as crews try to contain an estimated 230,000 gallons of oil. Officials in Omaha and Council Bluffs said Monday, they’re monitoring the situation and could switch to well water if oil is detected in the Missouri River, which provides most of their water. But they say they’ve been assured by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that the oil spilled into the Little Rock River will be contained before reaching the Missouri River.

Others cities, including Sioux City, Iowa, use groundwater and don’t expect problems.

Red Oak Police arrested a woman Monday morning, for Driving While Barred and Interference with Official Acts. 40-year old Janet Lynn Hernandez, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 10:30-a.m., and turned over to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, where her bond was set at $2,300.

A 17-year old from central Iowa died in a crash Monday afternoon, in Creston. The Iowa State Patrol reports Afton Nicole Staton, of West Des Moines, who was wearing a seat belt, died from her injuries after being transported to the hospital in Creston. Staton was the driver of a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix that was struck by a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup, driven by 25-year old Kylee Olivia Short-Edwards, of Afton. The accident happened at around 2:10-p.m. at the intersection of Highway 34 and Poplar Street, in Creston.

Officials say Staton was attempting to turn left from Poplar onto Highway 34, when she failed to yield to the westbound pickup. A passenger in the car, 17-year old Rebekah Beryln Terlizzi, of Creston, who was wearing her seat belt, was injured in the crash and also transported by ambulance to the Creston hospital. No other injuries were reported. The accident remains under investigation.

Red Oak Police say a man wanted in connection with a stabbing incident that occurred Monday, has turned himself-in and is charged with Attempted Murder, a Class-B Felony.

Gordon Leroy Currin III

35-year old Gordon Leroy Currin III, of Red Oak, was sought by authorities following the incident that took place in the 400 block of E. Maple Street, in Red Oak.  According to Red Oak Police, Currin allegedly stabbed Darold Eugene Bredberg, of Red Oak, in the back. The incident started as a disagreement about a female and escalated to violence. Bredberg suffered non-life threatening injuries, and was being treated at the UNMC in Omaha.

Currin turned himself-in to law enforcement later in the day, Monday, and was placed under arrest on the Attempted Murder charge, as well as for Going Armed with Intent, a Class-D felony. His bond was set at $25,000.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office report 29-year old Kasandra Rose Mesa, of Atlantic, was arrested June 16th on numerous drug charges. Mesa faces a felony charge of Possession of Methamphetamine 3^rd/Subsequent Offense, along with charges that include Possession of Marijuana 1^st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was also arrested on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation.

18-year old Rene Louise Cole, of Atlantic, was arrested on charges of being an Accessory, Possession of Meth 1^st Offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Both women were taken to the Cass County Jail. Mesa was held on $50,000 bond; Cole remains held on $2,000 bond. Mesa was additionally charged on June 22nd, with Felony Possession with Intent to Deliver/Methamphetamine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, with regard to investigation into an incident on June 12th. An additional $12,300 was added to Mesa’s bond. She remains held at the Cass County Jail.

On June 18th, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 31-year old Timothy John Hatfield, of Centerville, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office felony warrant for Criminal Mischief 2^nd Offense. Hatfield was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was held on $5,000 bond. On June 19th,  65-year old Stanton Ellis Davidson, of Bennington, NE, was arrested in Cass County on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Felony Theft 1^st Degree. Davidson was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released later that day on $10,000 bond.

And today (Monday, June 25th), Cass County Deputies arrested 20-year old Jerry Dwayne Carr III, of Adair, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Carr was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $20,000 bond.

DRAKESVILLE, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Patrol has released the names of a boy who was killed and his brother who was injured by a hit-and-run driver in southeast Iowa.

A patrol accident report identified the dead boy as 9-year-old Merlin Beechy and his brother as 12-year-old Nathan Beechy, of rural Drakesville in Davis County.

The report says the vehicle struck the boys a little before 10 p.m. Sunday on a rural road west of Drakesville. The report says the vehicle came up from behind, struck the two and then left.

Nathan Beechy was flown to a Des Moines hospital. No arrests have been reported.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports that at around 9:40-a.m. Sunday, the Sheriff’s K9 Unit attempted to stop a stolen vehicle at 190th and Jesup, in Mills County. The vehicle fled into Pacific Junction and reached speeds of 50-miles per hour through town. The vehicle traveled down Hilman and entered the City of Glenwood, at speeds of about 100-miles per hour in a 35-mph zone.

The vehicle ran several stop signs and stop lights and was at 55-mph on Walnut Street, before it came to a dead end on north Walnut. There, the driver, 50-year old Eric Dwayne Pittman, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Theft in the 2nd Degree, Felony Eluding, Possession of Burglary Tools and Reckless Driving. The vehicle was confirmed as having been stolen out of Carlisle, IA. Pittman was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $12,300 bond. The Mills County K9 Unit was assisted during the incident by Glenwood Police, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Dept. and Iowa State Patrol.

On Saturday, the Mills County K9 unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on 192nd and Bunge Road. The driver, 28-year old Thomas Michael Cash, of Glenwood, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Driving While Barred. His bond was set at $3,000.

In other news, the Mills County Sheriff’s Office says 33-year old David Michael Graham, of Silver City, was arrested Saturday on a warrant for Willful Injury and Domestic Abuse Assault, the bond for which was set at $15,000. That same day, 20-year old Andrew Scott Janko, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation ($1,000 bond). And, on the 24th, 22-year old Kourtney McKayleigh Dafoe, of Sioux Falls, SD, was arrested for Assault and Trespass (Bond $300).

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A member of the Iowa State Patrol has collected nearly $50,000 in salary during a mysterious paid leave that has lasted nearly 10 months. The patrol confirmed Monday that Trooper Wade Karp was placed on administrative leave Sept. 5 and remains in that status. Patrol spokesman Sgt. Nathan Ludwig says the reason is “protected from disclosure” under Iowa law.
Karp receives a biweekly salary of $2,338.74, which means he’s means earned about $49,000 and counting during the leave.

Iowa administrative rules allow agencies to suspend employees with pay pending disciplinary investigations for up to 21 calendar days. Any leave longer than that must be approved the Department of Administrative Services. Karp said in a Facebook message in April that he hasn’t committed any misconduct but that it would be inappropriate for him to discuss personnel matters. Karp is assigned to Post 16, which helps protect the Capitol.