DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport man whose wife’s intellectually disabled daughter was always locked in a bedroom has been given 10 years in prison. The Quad-City Times reports that 56-year-old Eugene Harris was sentenced Friday. He’d been convicted of neglect of a dependent person, but the jury couldn’t reach an agreement on a charge of dependent adult abuse. It’s since been dropped.
Harris’ wife, 48-year-old Kimberly Williams, has pleaded not guilty to the same charges. Her trial is scheduled to begin March 4.

Authorities say officers sent to the home May 22 to check a report about a domestic disturbance were led by Harris to a bedroom locked from the outside. That’s where they found Williams’ daughter. Nearby were soiled adult diapers, a mattress on the floor and a few other items.

Police in Council Bluffs report a man was arrested Friday on kidnapping and other charges, following an incident whereby he allegedly assaulted a woman from Audubon. 44-year old Michael G. Bland, of Council Bluffs faces charges that include: Kidnapping in the 1st Degree; Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree; Domestic Abuse; and Violation of a Protective Order.His bond was set at $500,000.

Michael G. Bland

Officers were called to a hospital in Council Bluffs Friday evening to meet with a 32 year old female who reported that she had been assaulted by a former boyfriend (Michael Bland). The woman told officers that she had gone with Bland to his home in Council Bluffs on November 12th. Shortly after arriving at his house, an argument took place and Bland allegedly assaulted the woman by strangling her to the point she lost consciousness. The woman reported to officers that over the course of the following three days, Bland refused to let her leave his home, and repeatedly assaulted her.

The female victim said she was able to escape from Bland’s home Friday, after he became intoxicated to the point of passing out. As the female was being picked up by a friend, at a nearby park, Bland reportedly arrived and began another disturbance. When the victim’s friend displayed a handgun to Bland, he backed off enough for them to leave the area. After all the involved parties were interviewed by detectives, Bland was then transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Red Oak Police today (Monday), said no injuries were reported following a collision Friday evening. The accident happened at around 4:50-p.m. at the intersection of W. Cherry and N. Broadway Streets. Officials say a 1999 VW Passat driven by 54-year old Cynthia Wheeler, of Red Oak, was traveling south on Broadway, when the vehicle was rear-ended by a 2005 Chevy Silverado pickup, driven by 51-year old Brian Patrick Hulsing, of Carroll, and registered to BTH Enterprises, Inc., of Carroll.

The VW had been stopping at a yellow light when it was hit. Damage from the collision amounted to $1,800. No citations were issued.

Police in Creston report a total of five arrests over the past few days. Two people were arrested on assault charges. Authorities say at around 1:25-a.m. Saturday, 23-year old Michael Ross, of Creston, was arrested on the 100 block of N Elm on the charge of Assault causing Bodily Injury. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1000 bond. And, at around 10:47-p.m., 24-year old Austin Jones, of Creston, was arrested at his residence on the charges of False Imprisonment and Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Flow of Air/Blood. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $3000 bond.

Also arrested Saturday, in Creston, was 26-year old Shanda Kile, of Creston. She was taken into custody on an Adams County Warrant for the charge of Failure to Appear on Show Cause Hearing. Kile was transferred to the custody of Adams County.  Friday afternoon, 28-year old T’Lee Jones, of Creston, was arrested at her residence on a Union County Warrant for the charge of Failure to Appear on Child Support Matters. Jones was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $2000 cash bond.

And, at around 2-a.m. Sunday, 38-year old James Block, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Creston, for Driving While Suspended. He was released from the Union County Jail on a $300 bond.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say police officers rescued a woman who’d fallen through ice on a pond while trying to retrieve her dog. The Clear Lake Fire Department says in a news release that 28-year-old Kelsey Boehnke went onto Fieldstone Pond to get her dog a little after 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Boehnke then broke through the thin ice into the chilling water. Police officers who were first on the scene pulled her out.
She was taken to Mercy Medical Center — North Iowa in Mason City for treatment. It’s unclear whether her dog also fell in.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man was injured in a fire that destroyed a detached garage at his home in Cedar Rapids. Firefighters were dispatched to the residence a little before 4 p.m. Saturday. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says Aaron Wyatt was working on a vehicle in the garage when the blaze broke out. He was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital. The sheriff’s office says the fire was contained to the garage, but the vehicle and garage were a total loss.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s busiest airport will be infinitely busier this week as tens of thousands of people shuffle through the concourse to enjoy Thanksgiving feasts with family and friends afar. Kevin Foley, executive director of the Des Moines Airport Authority, says the place will be packed, so strictly follow the advice about arriving at least 90 minutes before your departure time. “The projections are that this will be the heaviest travel season since 2005, so we’re looking for big crowds,” Foley says. “I know several of the airlines are bringing in extra flights on Wednesday and I know they’re looking at Tuesday now as well. So, it’s going to be very, very busy.”

Des Moines International Airport set a record for boardings in October, passenger numbers are up six-percent for the year, and Foley expects the intensity to continue through December. Do yourself a favor, he says, and look over the Transportation Security Administration website prior to packing and before heading for the airport. “Check that TSA website. Know what will and won’t fly,” Foley says. “Check your airline’s website. Know what size of carry-on luggage you can take on. If the luggage is too large, you will have to check it at the gate and they will charge you an additional rate for that.”

Foley has a special message for Iowans who want to take food they’ve prepared for the Thanksgiving meal onto the plane to share at their destination, or they plan to bring back leftovers from home. “One national report said mashed potatoes won’t fly but a turkey will,” Foley says. “I don’t know who’s taking mashed potatoes or turkey through but the point it, turkey is a solid and mashed potatoes would be more of a paste.”

Turkey, stuffing, pies and cakes are allowed through security as solids, but mashed potatoes and gravy — which are considered liquids — are not allowed in carry-on baggage. Three days are expected to be the busiest days in the week ahead, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday. The best day to travel is likely Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. He notes, Des Moines International offers non-stop service to five of the ten most popular Thanksgiving destinations: Orlando, New York, Las Vegas, Dallas/Fort Worth and Washington, D.C.

A slowing moving or stopped 1995 Chevy Blazer was struck from behind Sunday evening in Fremont County, causing injuries to a man and a woman. The Iowa State Patrol reports the blazer, driven by 27-year old Britney Smith, of Lincoln, NE.,  was in the right lane of Interstate 29 southbound at around 5:12-p.m. near mile marker nine, when it was hit by a southbound 2015 KIA Optima, that was driven by 24-year old Nicholas Brunette, of Sioux Falls, SD.

Following the crash, the KIA entered the right side ditch off I-29. Brunette, and his passenger, 24-year old Nicole Schultz, of Sioux Falls, SD, neither of whom was wearing a seat belt, were seriously injured and transported to the hospital. Schultz was taken by LifeFlight to Brian Medical Center, in Lincoln, NE. Brunette was transported by Hamburg Rescue to Grape Community Hospital, in Hamburg,