LITTLETON, Colo. — A family, sheriff’s office and community are mourning the loss of a 4-year-old boy killed in a “tragic accident” that involved a slack line or zip line Friday morning in Littleton, Colorado. Jefferson County, Colorado Sheriff’s Deputies say they were called to the 6000 block of South Jay Way for a tree that fell on a 4-year-old boy. Deputies said a group of kids was playing on a slack line or a zip line between two trees when one gave way and fell on top of the boy.

KCCI reports a GoFundMe identifies him as Maximillion Wood from Indianola, Iowa. The Wood family was visiting other family members in the neighborhood when the accident happened. Maximillion’s 14-year-old sister was also hurt and is expected to be okay. Karlyn Tilley, public information officer for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado, says “Although we are still investigating this death, we have no reason to believe this was anything more than a very tragic accident. It was incredibly traumatic for all of the children who witnessed the incident. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office provided victim advocates to the family, the owners of the home where the incident occurred, and to all other children who were in the yard.”

The GoFundMe said Maximillion would have started kindergarten this year and that he looked up to his siblings and his parents.

(Radio Iowa) – State records show the man convicted of rigging lottery jackpots in Iowa and at least four other states was released Friday after serving more than five years in prison. Eddie Tipton was head of security at the Multi-state Lottery Association in Urbandale. He implanted computer code that manipulated the numbers for Hot Lotto jackpots worth at least 24 million in Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado. Iowa Lottery officials refused to pay a 2010 Hot Lotto jackpot to people who were trying to claim the money anonymously. The scheme unraveled when a co-worker saw the video of a man in a hoodie buying the winning ticket and recognized Tipton.

In 2017, Tipton pleaded guilty to ongoing criminal conduct and was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. The Iowa Board of Parole approved Eddie Tipton’s early release in January, but his parole date was delayed after Tipton got into a fight in prison in February.

Tipton’s brother, Tommy — a former county magistrate in Texas, served 75 days in jail for his role in the scam. Eddie Tipton has filed a court petition to have his conviction reversed and end the payment of restitution.

(Janesville, Iowa) – A driver’s education instructor died and three other people were injured this (Monday) morning during a crash in eastern Iowa’s Bremer County. According to the Iowa State Patrol a 2014 Chevy Impala driven by a 14-year-old from Waterloo, was southbound on Highway 218 at around 8:30-a.m., when the wheels dropped off the shoulder of the road. The driver over-corrected, causing the car to cross the southbound lanes and the median, before it entered the path of a northbound 2010 Toyota Highlander SUV. The SUV struck the car on its passenger side. All the crash victims were wearing their seat belts.

The Driver’s Ed Instructor, 71-year-old Gregory Michael Harter, of Fairbank, died at the scene. The juvenile driver and a 14-year old passenger in the car from Waverly, along with the driver of the SUV, 44-year-old Tabetha Gehrke, of Waterloo, were injured in the crash. The two teens were transported by ambulance to Allen Hospital in Waterloo. Tabetha Gehrke was transported ambulance to Mercy One-Waterloo.

The accident remains under investigation.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Panora suffered suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries, Saturday afternoon, when he swerved his motorcycle to miss an animal on the road. The accident happened at around 3:42-p.m. Authorities say a 2015 Harley Davidson FLHX Street Glide motorcycle being operated by 26-year-old Danial Cody Fox, of Panora, was southbound on Highway 25, when a raccoon appeared in front of the machine. When Fox swerved, the cycle entered the west shoulder and went out of control before sliding on its side.

Fox was ejected from the machine and came to rest a little further south of the motorcycle. He was cited for Failure to Maintain Control, and Driving While License Suspended. Damage to the motorcycle was estimated at $3,500.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports numerous arrests took place over the past three weeks. On Friday, July 15th, 20-year-old Gage Mundorf, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He remains held in the Cass County Jail. On the 14th, 17-year-old Naomi Grubbs, of Adair, and 15-year-old Jace Saunders, of Audubon, were arrested for Theft in the 2nd Degree (Shoplifting).

On the 12th, 46-year-old Amanda Bashor, of Atlantic, was arrested on two counts of Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Bashor was also arrested July 10th, for Domestic Abuse Assault, Disorderly Conduct, Interference with Officials Acts, and Assault on a Person in Certain Occupations. Bashor remains held in the Cass County Jail.

On July 11th, 48-year-old Brimer Buliche, of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving while license suspended or revoked, and driving while license suspended. Buliche remains in the Cass County Jail. On July 10th, 31-year-old Karan Hernandez, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. On the 9th, 42-year-old Kandice Williams, of Winterset, was arrested by Atlantic Police, for OWI/1st offense. The day before, 31-year-old Cole Benton, of Hamlin, was cited for Theft in the 5th (Shoplifting), and released.

On July 7th, 75-year-old Rose Henderson, and 49-year-old Angela Walton, both of Atlantic, was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree. And, on June 27th, 43-year-old Shane Seagler, of Massena, was arrested on Cass County warrants for: 2 counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance; 2 counts of Gathering where controlled substances are used, and three counts of Keeping a premises or vehicle for a Controlled Substance Violation. Seagler remains held in the Cass County Jail.

(Cass County, Iowa – 7/18/2022) – Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon reports, that with excessive heat expected to persist through this workweek, facilities in Cass County have opened their doors to people who need a break from the extreme heat.

• In Atlantic, the Nishna Valley YMCA at 1100 Maple Street is open from 4:30am to 8:30pm Monday thru Thursday and 4:30am to 6:30pm on Friday.
• Libraries throughout Cass County will also be available as cooling stations during their regular operating hours.

The National Weather Service has indicated that we are heading into a stretch of very hot and humid conditions for the region. Heat index values could approach 95 to 105 degrees on Tuesday. Kennon says he would like to thank the YMCA and area libraries for providing this important service.

”Drink plenty of fluids, avoid strenuous outdoor activity during the heat of the day and check on relatives, neighbors, the elderly and pets.  Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.  Heat stroke is an emergency…call 9-1-1.”

(Radio Iowa) – An archaeological dig in northwest Iowa at the site of what’s known as the Spirit Lake Massacre of 1857 has uncovered an item potentially used during the battle. State Archaeological Director John Doershuk is also a University of Iowa professor. He supervised a four-week long Archaeological Field School in Spirit Lake this summer for students from Iowa colleges and universities. “We got very lucky. We found a gun flint the second to last day from a buried, secure context,” he says. “That is exactly the type of weaponry that both the native peoples and the settlers coming into this area would have been using in this area at that time.”

About three dozen European settlers were killed in the battle with members of the Dakota tribe. Abbie Gardner was taken captive and released for a ransom a few months later. Three decades later, Gardner published a memoir about her experience and in 1891 she purchased her family’s cabin. Most of the items uncovered this summer date from 1891 to 1921. “Which was the return of Abbie Gardner Sharp to purchase the property, set up a tourism business,” he says, “and the majority of what we found corresponds to that, including a trash dump, which was just chock-a-block full.”

A student uncovered a silver dime minted in 1899. “A real nice time marker,” he says. “That is what I think Abbie was charging at that time — a dime to get into the show.” And it was one of Doershuk’s students who found the gun flint. Doershuk is planning to return to the site next year for another four-week dig for students. He’s hoping to find evidence of Native American deposits from the 1840s, including the Dakota village that’s been referenced in historic documents from that era.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater has issued a report on arrests and citations. Friday night, 25-year-old Jose Medrano, of Creston, was arrested by Police in Stuart on charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance (PCS)-Marijuana/1st offense, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. Medrano was released the next day on a $1,300 cash or surety bond. At around 12:45-a.m. Friday, 23-year-old Jenna Shane Christensen, of Fontanelle, was arrested by an Adair County Sheriff’s Deputy, for OWI/1st offense. Her Breath Alcohol Content registered .114%. Christensen was released later on a citation.

On July 13th, Adair County Deputies arrested 40-year-old Julie Ann Holmes, of Des Moines, on an Adair County Felony warrant for Violation of Probation. She remains held in the Adair County Jail on a $5,000 cash or surety bond. On July 10th, 48-year-old Eric Wayne Whiting, of Stuart, was arrested in Stuart, for Driving While Barred. He was released the following day, on his Own Recognizance.

And, on July 9th, 19-year-old Johnathon Scott Clarke, of Fontanelle, was arrested in Adair County on a warrant out of Guthrie County. Clarke was subsequently turned over to Guthrie County Sheriff’s Deputies.

(Radio Iowa) – Authorities are asking for tips from the public after a man was found dead in a residential area of Clinton. Clinton Police say they were responding to a report of gunshots in the area shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday and they found 43-year-old Antoine Sampson of Clinton lying in an intersection. The news release from the department did not offer other information about Sampson’s death, but Clinton Police said there does not appear to be any ongoing threats to the community. Police say people who phone in tips about the case can remain anonymous.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood are reporting three recent arrests. Today (Monday, 7/18), 43-year-old William Jensen, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County Warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree and and Trespass in the 1st Degree. His cash-only bond was set at $300.

On Sunday, 22-year-old Nicholas Foster, of Red Oak, was arrested for unlawful possession of prescription drugs and possession of marijuana. His total cash or surety bond was set at $2,000. And, on Saturday, Glenwood Police arrested 29-year-old Aaron Jansen, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. His cash or surety bond was set at $1,000.