The Iowa State Patrol Friday afternoon, released details concerning a fatal accident that took place at around 9:22-a.m. on Interstate 80 in Cass County. The Patrol says a 2008 Ford F-250 driven by 59-year old Scott Hawke, of Rigby, ID., was pulling a fifth-wheel camper was traveling east on I-80 near the 72 mile marker, when the vehicle went out of control on an ice covered bridge.

The truck and trailer jackknifed into the median before hitting a fixed metal guard rail. The collision resulted in the pickup rolling over before it came to rest in the right lane of westbound traffic. The camper came to rest on the guardrail in the median.

Hawke, who was wearing a seat belt, died at the scene of the crash, which caused traffic to be backed up for nearly two-hours.

The Iowa State Patrol reports an attempt to stop a vehicle, at around 9:30-a.m Thursday on Highway 218 near Nashua, resulted in the arrest of a man wanted on a murder charge. The driver, 21-year old Devon Cooke, of Miami, Florida, fled at speeds over 100-mph and drove at oncoming traffic.   He was apprehended after a short foot pursuit when his tires became deflated from a set of stop sticks deployed by officers.

Cooke was charged with OWI 1st degree, felony eluding, assault on a peace officer, possession with intent to deliver, fail to affix tax stamp, possession of drug paraphernalia and multiple traffic violations.  He was being held in the Chickasaw County Jail on these charges and awaiting extradition to Dade County Florida where is wanted for 2nd degree murder.

Assisting in the pursuit was Iowa DOT Enforcement, Bremer County Sheriff’s Department. Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Department, Blackhawk County Sheriff’s Department and Janesville Police Department.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested Thursday morning. Deputies arrested 30-year old Lance Allen Pfeifer, of Prairie Village, KS, at around 2:35-a.m., for OWI/3rd offense, Improper use of lanes, and Use of an electronic communication device. His bond was set at $5,000. And, at around 8:50-a.m., 45-year old Ray Leslie Knipe, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on a Possession of Controlled Substance charge. His bond was set at $5,000.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, no injuries were reported, after a strong gust of wind blew a 1992 Ford truck off the road, April 3rd. The vehicle was traveling north on 315th Street at around 4:50-p.m., when it went off onto the right shoulder of the road. The driver, Trent Stillwell, of Malvern, over corrected, sending the truck across the road and into the west ditch, where it rolled over and came to rest on its wheels.

Police in Council Bluffs were called to the CB Quik Stop store at 3500 Ave. A at around 9:30-a.m. today (Friday), for a robbery. Officers spoke to the station attendant who said a white male in his late 20’s entered the business wearing a hooded sweatshirt, jeans and white gloves.

After entering the suspect pointed a silver revolver at her and told her he was there to rob the business. The suspect then led the attendant around the counter and demanded money, cigarettes, and alcohol. The suspect then left the business and ran west from the area.

If you have any information on this suspect please contact the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A judge won’t grant a new murder trial for a Dubuque man convicted of killing his girlfriend. Judge Monica Zrinyi Wittig rejected Fontae Buelow’s arguments about juror problems and assertions that 21-year-old Samantha Link stabbed herself to death in March 2017. The judge reconfirmed a sentencing date of April 25 in the ruling she filed Wednesday in Dubuque County District Court.

Buelow’s attorneys have said a juror who didn’t believe Buelow was guilty was bullied by two other jurors. His attorneys also said the juror was then improperly removed by the judge and replaced with an alternate.
But the two jurors reported to the judge that the removed juror had refused to participate in deliberations and that he had entered the jury room declaring his mind was made up.

The Iowa DOT reports (as of 11-a.m.), I-80 westbound is experiencing a 30-minute delay due to an accident between Exits 75 and 70. The left lane is blocked.

A bill to address some of the problems in Iowa’s Medicaid program has cleared a House committee. The State Ombudsman just released a scathing report on the privately-run program. The bill directs state officials to review any case where services are cut by one of the private companies. Legislators call them managed care organizations or M-C-Os. Republican Representative Dave Heaton of Mount Pleasant says the bill also requires state officials to step in if a patient wins an appeal. “The decisions on the services continued will lie with the department and not the MCO,” Heaton said. “I think we need to make sure we have covered that.”

Representative Lisa Heddens, a Democrat from Ames, had been hoping for something tougher. “I know this is a starting spot,” Heddens said, “and I hope we can be able to continue to work on addressing all the problems that still are a part of the managed care companies.”

The bill would require the private companies to pay doctors, hospitals and other health care providers by the contract deadlines — and explain any delays. An independent auditor would randomly check payments, too, if the bill becomes law. Senate Republicans balked at the nearly five-million dollar price tag for a previous version of this bill, so it was scaled back.

(Radio Iowa)