The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has released further details on a fatal accident Monday night near Oakland. The accident occurred around 9:24pm in the area of Highway 6 and 340th Street.

Upon arrival Deputies located two semi tractor-trailers and one passenger car involved in the accident. Investigation indicated that a 2015 Toyota Camry driven by 22-year-old Zachary Crombie Presberg of Appleton, WI was eastbound on Highway 6 and attempted to pass a 2016 Freightliner semi driven by 55-year-old Scott Dayton of Missouri Valley. While attempting the pass, a 2018 Kenworth semi driven by 26-year-old William Zoellner of Logan, IA crest a hill going westbound. Crombie Presberg attempted to get back into the eastbound lane behind the Dayton semi but struck the rear of his trailer. This caused Crombie Presberg to lose control and the Zoellner semi collided with the Toyota in the passenger side door area. Zachary Crombie Presberg was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday at the board room at the Cass County Courthouse. The board addressed just a couple of items during the short session.

The board approved an updated agreement for tower use with NISHNANET for wireless internet equipment on the tower. Marne Elk Horn Telephone Company has their equipment on the tower now and sold their wireless internet division to NISHNANET. The previous agreement was non-transferable, so a new agreement had to be signed. NISHNANET owner Scott Bennett appeared before the board to explain his business and said the new equipment will be very similar in size and weight. The previous agreement called for Marne Elk Horn Telephone to trade services as a backup internet provider for use of the tower. NISHNANET is planning to provide a fiber connection for the courthouse, and replace Mediacom as the primary provider for the courthouse, in exchange for tower use. The board unanimously approved the agreement effective today and signed the new documents.

The board then set a hearing date for the sale of a county owned parcel in Cumberland for October 8th. Darrin Hardisty owns the surrounding property and requested to buy the parcel from the County. After the board discussed what would be the best option to execute the sale, they decided that the parcel would be sold by an auction session following the hearing on October 8th. Supervisor Steve Green suggested they process the sale in that matter so there would be no argument from others on the process. The notice of hearing will be published in the Anita and Atlantic newspapers on October 3rd.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The West Des Moines Community School District has stopped a high school football team’s volunteer chaplain from praying with players before and after games.

West Des Moines Superintendent Lisa Remy said Monday the district received written concerns from parents that the prayers were a violation of the First Amendment.

The district then asked the self-described chaplain, Chris Barr, to stop working with the Valley High School team while the concerns are reviewed by the district’s legal counsel.

The Des Moines Register reports that Barr did not pray with players Friday night when Valley played Waukee.

Barr doesn’t work for the district. He works with West Des Moines Community Schools Fellowship of Christian Athletes, an independent organization that works with Christian students enrolled in West Des Moines schools.

w/ Chris Parks

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One person was killed in a two-vehicle accident late Monday evening west of Oakland. According to KETV in Omaha the accident occurred on Highway 6 after 9:00pm. Oakland Fire and Rescue responded to the scene involving a tanker truck and another vehicle.

Highway 6 near 340th street was closed for at least 4 hours after the crash. The road reportedly opened back up at about 1:30am.

No one else was reported injured as result of the crash and it is still under investigation. No names have been released.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to meet this morning at 9:00am in the board room at the Cass County Courthouse.

On their agenda is approval of a tower use agreement with NISHNANET for wireless internet equipment. NISHNANET recently bought the wireless internet division of Marne Elk Horn Telephone Company.

The board will also set a hearing date for the disposal of a lot of County owned property in Cumberland.

The board is also expected to hear reports from the County Attorney and a Secondary Roads Update. They will also hold discussion on the employee handbook and safety policy.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest Monday of 45-year-old Jason Lee Gilleland of Red Oak for Domestic Assault, an aggravated misdemeanor, and Simple Assault, a simple misdemeanor. Gilleland was arrested at 9:15pm on Elm Street in Red Oak and taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond, awaiting an appearance before a Magistrate.

Tra Perry

A Villisca man was arrested on Monday following an ongoing investigation into a vehicle theft. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office first received a report of a vehicle that was stolen as part of a domestic assault near Shenandoah on September 16th. The vehicle was later found burnt on a rural road near Randolph.

After investigation by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, 26-year-old Tra Perry of Villisca was arrested on Monday, September 23rd. Perry is being charged with Domestic Abuse resulting in Injury, Arson 2nd Degree, Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree, Robbery 2nd Degree, and Theft 2nd Degree.

Perry was taken to the Fremont County Jail and held without bond awaiting an appearance with a Magistrate. Additional charges are pending in the case.

The Iowa State Fire Marshall’s Office also assisted in the investigation.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 4 arrests over the past weekend.

On Thursday, September 19th Deputies arrested 23-year-old Samantha Jo Harshbarger-Cary of Council Bluffs on a Warrant out of Pottawattamie County for Robbery 1st and Willful Injury. She was arrested on Bunge Avenue at 2:21am and taken to the Mills County Jail and held on no bond.

On Friday, September 20th Deputies arrested 42-year-old Michael Raymond Carver of Council Bluffs for Driving While Barred. He was arrested at the intersection of Locust Street and Townsend Street in Glenwood at 3:54pm. He was taken to the Mills County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

On Sunday, September 22nd Sheriff’s Officials arrested 25-year-old Danielle Rae Drake of Corning for OWI 1st Offense at 7:56am. She was booked in to the Mills County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Also on Sunday, Deputies arrested 25-year-old Austin Wayne Howell of Pacific Junction for OWI 1st, Failure to Maintain Control, and Striking Fixtures Upon a Highway. He was arrested on 221st Street at 3:06am after striking a sign and utility pole west of the roadway. Howell refused medical attention and was booked into the Mills County Jail on $1,000 bond.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office also reports an accident on Friday at 3:47pm at the intersection of Kidd Road and Highway 34. A 2019 Kia driven by 42-year-old Lori McCuen of Villisca was eastbound on Highway 34. At the same time a 1997 Chevy driven by 90-year-old Ballard Fleming of Omaha, NE was attempting to cross over Highway 34 on Kidd Road and failed to see the Kia. The Chevy made broadside contact with McCuen’s vehicle. McCuen was taken to Bergan Mercy Hospital by Glenwood Rescue. No further details were given at this time.

RULO, Neb. (AP) — A highway linking southeast Nebraska with northwest Missouri has been closed.

The Nebraska Transportation Department says U.S. Highway 159 east of Rulo is closed on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River bridge. The Missouri Transportation Department reports that water is rising over the highway on the Missouri side.

The Iowa Transportation Department says a 16-mile (25.8-kilometer) stretch of Interstate 29 remains closed north of Council Bluffs, and Interstate 680 east of Omaha also remains closed by Missouri River flooding.