The man sentenced to life in prison Tuesday for killing Pottawattamie County Deputy Mark Burbridge in May during an escape attempt was still plotting a get away as he waited for his trial. Twenty-year-old Wesley Correa-Carmenaty changed his pleas to guilty for first-degree murder, attempted murder, escape and other crimes before his sentencing. Major Tony Wingert of the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department says Correa-Carmenaty didn’t cause problems while being held in the Woodbury County Jail in Sioux City — but he also didn’t give up on plotting another escape.

“He was a quite prisoner. He’d make comments that he just wanted to get this behind him so he could get to Oakdale,” Wingert says. Wingert says Correa-Carmenaty said in his mail that he wanted to get to Oakdale so he could try another escape, and that information has been passed down to the Department of Corrections.

Oakdale near Iowa City is where prisoners are taken for an evaluation to determine where they will be sent in the state prison system. Wingert says the shaved Correa-Carmenaty’s head after obtaining information that he may have freed himself from handcuffs at the Pottawattamie County Jail by hiding a lock pick in his long dreadlocks.

Wingert says the state D-C-I agents warned them of that his hair was a possible hiding place for the lock pick. “We were able to get a full body x-ray machine — a portable one — brought into the jail. And the state had a search warrant written up,” Wingert explains. “If the x-ray tech saw anything on the x-rays that they didn’t know for sure, we were going to take his hair.” He says during the course of the x-ray the technician saw a spot that he couldn’t confirm that there wasn’t something there, so his hair was cut by jail staff.

The hair was turned over to the State division of Criminal Investigation as evidence. Major Wingert says the haircut prompted a new threat from Correa-Carmenaty. “He was not happy with that,” Wingert says. “He made several comments that he was going to kill the D-C-I agent if he ever got the chance. He was not happy with losing his hair.”

Correa-Carmenaty was held in the Woodbury County Jail as he awaited legal action to avoid any problems that might have occurred by returning him to the Pottawattamie County Jail where the escaped and shootings happened. Correa-Carmenaty escaped that jail shortly after appearing in court May 1st and being sentenced to 45 years in prison on a murder charge.

(Radio Iowa)

No injuries were reported following two separate accidents Tuesday, in Red Oak. Authorities say Officers with the Red Oak Police Department responded at around 4:45-p.m. to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, to speak with a woman about an accident that took place in the 1500 block of 1st Street, in Red Oak. 62-year old Lynn Reynolds told police her 2008 Chrysler Sebring sustained nearly $2,000 damage. Another woman, 55-year old Shelly Shuffler, admitted to the accident, but could not provide proof of insurance. Shuffler was cited for Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability/Accident related.

The other accident happened earlier in the day, Tuesday. Just after 11-a.m., Red Oak Police responded to the area of Highway 34 and 4th Street, in Red Oak, for a two-vehicle accident. Authorities say 87-year old Fred Elmer Sowers, of Red Oak, was traveling south on 4th Street, when he failed to yield to clear the intersection and was struck by an eastbound 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan, driven by 44-year old Tammy Rae Wiechmann, of Red Oak.

Neither driver had insurance. Sowers was cited for Failure to show proof of insurance-accident related, No valid driver’s license, and Failure to obey a stop sign and yield the right of way. Wiechmann was cited for Failure to show proof of insurance/accident related. Damage to both vehicles amounted to $2,800 altogether.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, Tuesday, reported four people were arrested on separate drug charges last week. On August 8th, 56-year old Sherry Renee Harrison, of Pleasant Hill, was arrested by Adair County Deputy after he conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on Highway 92, at mile marker 70. During a “probable cause” search of Harrison’s purse, Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were located, including a meth pipe, digital scale, and syringes. Harrison was arrested at around 4-p.m. that day, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was released Aug. 10th on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

Also arrested Aug. 8th following a traffic stop on Highway 92, was 56-year old Dennis Ray Wentland, of Altoona. He was charge with Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender, Speeding, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/syringes, which were found on the driver’s side floorboard of the vehicle. Wentland was arrested at around 3:40-p.m. and released the next day on a $2,000 bond or surety.

On Aug. 7th, 44-year old Stephen Dennis Kunkle, of Stuart, was arrested by Stuart Police, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (a marijuana pipe), Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd or subsequent offense (a clear baggy w/marijuana), a felony charge of Burglary in the 3rd degree, and Possession of Burglar tools (a pry bar and bolt cutters). The Burglary charges were with regard to an incident which took place July 22nd, according to the Sheriff’s report. Kunkle was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond or surety.

And, on August 4th, 25-year old Dalton James Cormeny, of Corning, was arrested in Greenfield following a traffic stop at around 12:55-a.m. on a pickup, which has expired and incorrect license plates, as well as defective equipment. Cormeny admitted to the Deputy, that he did not have a valid license to drive. A search of his person resulted in the discovery of a pipe used to ingest marijuana, along with a small quantity of the drug in the pipe’s bowl. A search of the pickup resulted in the recovery of meth and drug paraphernalia. Cormeny was taken into custody for Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Driving While Barred. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond or surety.

In other news, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports 31-year old Thomas Allen Doherty, of Stuart, was arrested Aug. 7th, for Driving While Barred and Open Container/Driver. He was released from custody the following day on a $2,000 cash bond. Also arrested over the past week in Adair County, was: 19-year old Morgan Lawrence Powell, of Adair, for Driving While Barred, Operating a vehicle without registration, and Failure to show proof of insurance. His bond was set at $2,000; 25-year old Benjamin Riser Feller, of Dexter, was arrested Aug. 9th, on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $2,000; and, 35-year old Brian Harold Eilts, of Massena, was arrested Aug. 4th on Highway 92 near 250th Street in Adair County, for Driving While Suspended. He was released the following day on a $2,000 cash bond or surety.

Governor Kim Reynolds says “words matter” and she rejects the kind of “racist bigotry” on display this past weekend in Virginia. “It’s unacceptable. It can’t be tolerated,” Reynolds says. “There is absolutely no place for the hatred we saw on display there.”

Reynolds made the comments during her weekly news conference Tuesday morning — a few hours BEFORE President Trump made his latest remarks about Charlottesville. Reynolds told Iowa reporters she was not aware of any white nationalist groups planning to have rallies in Iowa. Reynolds says Iowans should be “proud” of the state’s role in advancing civil rights. “And we have got to come together and really fight for what unites us,” Reynolds says.

The “fabric” of Iowa is stitched together with kindness rather than hatred, according to Reynolds. “I think we’re known for ‘Iowa nice,'” Reynolds says. “We are humble, caring people. I see that in communities all across the state. As Iowans, I think that’s part of our very core. We step up. We help.”

This past Friday night’s torch-lit rally by white supremacists was staged on the University of Virginia campus. Iowa State University’s interim president and the president of the University of Northern Iowa wrote messages for incoming students and those who work on their campuses. Both denounced bigotry and both pledged vigilance should some group consider Ames or Cedar Falls for something similar to what happened this past weekend in Virginia.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:10 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man who pleaded guilty to murder and 11 other counts for killing a western Iowa sheriff’s deputy and wounding another during a jail escape was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without parole. The sentence came after 24-year-old Wesley Correa-Carmenaty changed his pleas to guilty to first-degree murder, attempted murder, escape, kidnapping and other crimes. Authorities say he shot and killed Pottawattamie County Deputy Mark Burbridge and wounded Deputy Pat Morgan in the May 1 escape.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state district court judge has thrown out the murder conviction of a Tama man concluding there wasn’t enough evidence to prove the man killed his girlfriend 17 years ago even though a jury convicted him. The case is complicated by the fact that Cora Ann Okonski’s body has never been found.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds criticized proposed tuition increases at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University but didn’t commit to reversing a decline in state support that has led to higher tuition. The Des Moines Register reports Reynolds was asked Tuesday about planned tuition increases of 7 percent annually for five years at both universities. She responded, “There is no way that Iowa families could afford a 7 percent increase over five years.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic Rep. Todd Prichard has suspended his campaign for Iowa governor. Prichard indicated in a press release Tuesday that money played a key role in his decision. He said responsibilities like his family and military service took priority over the time needed to raise enough campaign funds. Prichard, of Charles City, announced in May he was formally running for governor in 2018. Several other Democrats remain in the running for the party’s gubernatorial nomination