The Madison County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies, Wednesday, arrested a fugitive of justice wanted out of Boone County, Arkansas. 30-year old William Lee Alvis II was taken into custody in Truro, on charges that include: 3 counts of  Felony Rape; two counts of Class B Felony Sexual Assault in the 2nd degree ; and one count of Class D Felony Sexually Grooming a Child. Alvis was transported to the Madison County jail without incident and, while awaiting extradition to Arkansas where his bond was set at $50,000.

William Lee Alvis II

The Creston Police Department reports a man wanted on three Union County warrants was arrested Wednesday afternoon. 20-year old Tyler Hightshoe, of Afton, was arrested at a residence in the 200 block of N. Pine Streets in Creston, on the warrants charging him with: Failure to Comply with Pretrial Release on the Original charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st offense; Failure to Comply with Pretrial Release on the original charges of two counts Theft 5th Degree; and Failure to Comply with Pretrial Release on the original charge of Theft 5th. Hightshoe was being held in the Union County Jail on $1,900 bond.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City woman accused of helping a man rob a bank in Le Mars has pleaded not guilty. Plymouth County District Court records say 35-year-old Karen Merrick entered written pleas last week to charges of robbery, theft, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit felony theft, accessory after the fact and eluding or attempting to elude law enforcement. A trial date has not been set.

Authorities say Merrick drove a U-Haul van used as the getaway vehicle after the Dec. 12 robbery at Iowa State Bank. Officers managed to flatten the van’s tires and arrest Merrick and 32-year-old Phillip White, also of Sioux City. White has yet to enter his pleas.

The Iowa State Patrol has released the names of 10 people who were injured during a head-on collision Tuesday morning, in northern Iowa. The accident, which occurred about five-miles northwest of Forest City, in Winnebago County, happened at around 3-a.m. Tuesday, when a vehicle traveling on the wrong side of the road collided a vehicle headed in the opposite direction.

Authorities identified the injured as:

• 20-year-old Carter Hammervold, 20-year-old Cole Millsap, 18-year-old Taylor Pattison, 18-year-old Kayla Kittleson, and 18-year-old Maya Barrientes, all of Mason City
• 19-year-old Michael Olsen and 22-year-old Kelsey Johnson of Lake Mills
• 21-year-old Sheyenne Dunning of Leland
• 21-year-old Alex Fritze of Swaledale
• and 20-year-old Parker Albrant of Thompson

A technical investigation was being conducted to determine charges.

A Clarinda man who plead guilty to a charge of Assault on persons in certain occupations causing bodily injury, was ordered last month to serve two-years in prison. According to online court records, the sentence for 43-year old Michael Lynn Burgess, was handed down Dec. 18th in District Court. The sentence is with regard to a Nov. 29, 2018 incident involving a peace officer, and will run concurrently with another sentence Burgess is currently serving. He was also ordered to pay court costs, restitution and surcharges.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones and Police Chief Dave Erickson warned the public, Wednesday, about the use of ATV’s within the City Limits. Chief Erickson said they had “A little short brief incident with an ATV. We took care of that rather quickly. The Mayor said, and Erickson confirmed, that “They learned their lesson pretty well.” Mayor Jones said “You do not ride ATV’s in the City of Atlantic.” If you do, he said “The guys with the badge and gun will come after you heavy.”

Their comments came during Wednesday nights very short meeting of the Atlantic City Council. Erickson and Jones were referring to an incident last Friday afternoon, that lead to a chase and the arrest of two individuals who tried to run and hide from police. Erickson said fines from the incident amounted to $3,100 for at least one of the persons arrested. The City’s Code of Ordinances prohibits the use of ATV’s.

In other business, the Council tabled a meeting with DNR Source Water Community Facilitator for Southwest Iowa, Zachary Johannes, with regard to a Water Source Protection Plan. The action followed a miscommunication between the City and Johannes. The Council approved a recommendation to change the duration of Parks and Recreation Board members from Six-years, to four-years. The Council’s liason to the Board, Ashley Hayes, said the Board itself had already approved the change, because to leave the terms as they are, discourages people from running for the elected seats, and creates burn-out among current Board members.

In other business, the Council took action on annual administrative matters, such as approving a bank for the City’s 2019 Checking Account, and Approving the official City Newspaper for 2019 legal publications.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — A judge has scheduled a hearing later this month to announce his verdict in the trial of a man accused of killing his sister in northwest Iowa. District Judge Jeffrey Neary had presided over the non-jury trial of 36-year-old Thomas Bibler. Bibler was charged with first-degree murder and other crimes in connection with the June 11, 2016, stabbing death of 27-year-old Shannon Bogh, of Le Mars. Bibler was arrested that day after a short standoff at his Le Mars apartment.

Bibler testified that he took a prescription sleep aid and other medications the night his sister died and didn’t remember what happened. Neary set Jan. 18 as the date for the hearing in Le Mars.

(Radio Iowa) — A Sioux City native who survived sexual abuse in the Catholic church hopes bringing his experience to the public will encourage more people to come forward. Tim Lennon with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests says he was raped by a clergy member in 1960. He says when he reported it to the Diocese more than 30 years later, he received a vague letter that did not offer an apology or any help. Lennon spoke to a small crowd in Sioux City this weekend, calling for the Sioux City Diocese to release the names of clergy members who have been accused of abuse. “So many suffer alone and never come forward. So when there’s public notice of a predator or of sexual abuse, it provides an opportunity for victims to step forward or to tell their family, friends or a counselor,” Lennon says.

Lennon says Iowa’s laws about sexual abuse need to be reformed. “So many victims bury memories for decades and laws such as statutes of limitations limits their ability to seek justice or have consequence for predators,” according to Lennon. The statute of limitations, or amount of time to bring legal action, is 10 years for sexual abuse in Iowa. Lennon is also calling for the resignation of former Sioux City Bishop, Daniel DiNardo, as Head of U-S Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Cardinal has been accused of covering up clergy sexual abuse in Sioux City and Houston. The Sioux City Diocese was unavailable to comment.

(with Thanks to Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)