(Radio Iowa) – A Wright County man was rescued from the Des Moines River Sunday Sunday evening.  21- year-old Latrell Word of Eagle Grove was pulled under by strong river currents and two men tried to rescue him.  A Fort Dodge man, his wife and uncle were camping in the area and saw the events transpire, leading the Uncle to call 911. The man and his wife rode their bikes to the bank of the river to assist in the rescue efforts, helping pull Word to the bank.

Humboldt Fire/Rescue and EMS workers arrived quickly after being dispatched around 6:30 PM and were able to bring Word to shore. He was then taken by ambulance to Unity Point Fort Dodge, emergency personnel said during the transport Word was somewhat responsive.

ALGONA, Iowa (AP) — A group still plans to hold a three-day motorcycle rally in northern Iowa that’s expected to attract thousands of bikers despite the concerns of local officials that the event could spread the coronavirus. Local officials usually welcome the annual Freedom Rally held on a farm northeast of Algona, but this year’s event planned for Thursday to Saturday has officials worried. Algona is in Kossuth County, which has had 32 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and no reported deaths. But officials think that could change because of the motorcycle rally, which typically draws 10,000 bikers. Organizers say they are encouraging social distancing and are calling for riders to limit trips into Algona.

In an update to our earlier reports, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Monday), released the names of the drivers who were injured during a crash Sunday afternoon, in Marne. Authorities say 78-year old Keith Reagels, of Marne, and 40-year old Alan Vanaernam, of Atlantic, were injured when a 2014 Town and Country Van driven by Reagels, failed to yield while attempting to turn left onto Marne Road from Washington Street, and was struck by a westbound 2014 semi, driven by Vanaernam.

Photos courtesy Cass County Emergency Management Director Mike Kennon.

After the semi struck the van on the driver’s side, the van spun into the southwest ditch. The accident happened at around 2:35-p.m. Walnut Rescue and Medivac Ambulance transported the drivers to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. Both vehicles were said to be a total loss.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has refused to block the execution of four federal prison inmates who are scheduled to be put to death in July and August – including an Iowa drug-dealer convicted of killing five people. Among them, was two children. The executions would mark the first use of the death penalty on the federal level since 2003. The justices rejected an appeal from four inmates who were convicted of killing children, including Dustin Honken.

Honken was a northern Iowa drug dealer facing federal charges for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine in 1993 when he shot and killed five people. Gregory Nicholson had planned to testify against Honken in his trial. Nicholson, his girlfriend Lori Duncan, and her two children Amber and Kandi were shot to death execution-style in July of 1993. Honken was convicted of the murders in 2004 and given the death penalty. He appealed but a district judge upheld the ruling in 2013. All of his appeals have been exhausted.

The court’s action leaves no obstacles standing in the way of the executions, the first of which is scheduled for July 13. The inmates are separately asking a federal judge in Washington to impose a new delay on their executions over other legal issues that have yet to be resolved.