Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies today (Wednesday) charged 38-year old Phillip William Church, of Griswold, with felony Sex Abuse 2nd Degree, and Lascivious Acts with a Child under 12 Years of Age, also a felony offense. Cass County Deputies had arrested Church on June 20th, on the same charges in a separate case. Church remains held at the Cass County Jail on $110,000 bond.

On July 4th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 44-year old Troy Curtis Beck, of Ankeny, on charges of Assault with Intent to Commit Injury; Public Intoxication; and Interference with Official Acts (Simple). Beck was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $2,000 bond.

And, at around 11:40-p.m. Tuesday night, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a two vehicle accident on Highway 148 near Lake Anita. A 2008 Chevy Malibu driven by 28-year old Timothy Daniel Weaver, of Anita, was northbound on Highway 148 when it was struck in the driver’s side by a passing 2014 Ford F150 pickup. The driver of the pickup was 51-year old Steven Carl McAfee, of Massena.

Damage to Weaver’s vehicle is estimated at $2,900; damage to McAfee’s vehicle is estimated at $3,000. No injuries were reported. Upon investigation of the accident, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Timothy Daniel Weaver on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. He was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent accidents, one with injuries. At around 4-p.m. Monday (July 3rd), deputies were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident with the vehicle on its top and nobody around, at the intersection of 190^th street and F Avenue, approximately 5 miles east of Shenandoah. During the investigation, 36-year old Justin Dwayne Nelson, of Shenandoah, was found to be the driver and only occupant of the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Nelson was operating a grey 2003 Dodge Neon 4 door westbound on 190^th Street east of F Avenue.  The car went over the crest of a hill and got out of control. It started swerving in the road before entering the north ditch west of the F Avenue intersection. In the ditch, the vehicle rolled onto its top.  Nelson suffered minor injuries, and refused medical treatment when located at his residence in Shenandoah. He was cited for Failure to maintain control.  Damage to the Neon is estimated at $3000.

And, a little before 4-p.m. Saturday, Page County deputies were called to a single motorcycle accident with injuries approximately 1 mile south of Highway 2, on Maple Avenue (about a mile east of Yorktown). An investigation determined 39-year old Todd James Sands, of Georgetown, TX, was traveling north on Maple Avenue just south of 220th, when his motorcycle went out of control, due to the new oil and heat on the road surface.  Sands and a passenger entered the east ditch on the motorcycle before striking a traffic sign.  Both were transported to Clarinda Regional Health Center with unknown injuries.  No citations issued during the investigation.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer says his deputies had a busy day Monday, with a trio of arrests. Deputies were called to 3170 310^th Street east of Braddyville, for an incident involving a fight with a knife. During the investigation, 27-year old Donovan James Harvey, of Shenandoah, was arrested on charged with Willful Injury.  He was transported to the Page County Jail where he is being held on $10,000 bond awaiting appearance in front of a Magistrate.

That same day, Deputies from the Page County Sheriff’s Office arrested 22-year old Marshall Muhmad Graham on a Page County warrant for Burglary 1^st degree, Robbery 1^st degree, Assault while participating in a felony, Theft 2^nd degree, Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, Criminal Mischief 3^rd degree, Obstruction of prosecution or defense, Dominion / Control of a firearm / offensive weapon by a felon, and Carrying weapons.  Graham was arrested in the city limits of Clarinda, where he is a resident.  He was unable to post the $223,000 CASH bond and is being held pending future court appearances.

Graham

A routine traffic stop for speeding Monday on Highway 71 south of Clarinda, resulted in the arrest of 35-year old William J. Bartlett, of Clarinda.  Five persons in the vehicle were listed as the protected parties against Bartlett.  Bartlett was arrested for violation of the protection order and transported to the Page County Jail for holding awaiting appearance before a Magistrate.

Bartlett

(12-p.m. News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A 29-year-old woman has died after being shot by a Des Moines police officer. Police Sgt. Paul Parizek says Tiffany Lynn Potter was wounded while trying to flee from officers in a car around 2 a.m. Wednesday. Few details have been released about what happened. No officers were hurt during the confrontation.
The incident will be investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (July 5, 2017) — The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage and is issuing an emergency call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types to give now and help save lives. Blood donations have fallen short of expectations for the past two months, resulting in about 61,000 fewer donations than needed and causing a significant draw down of the Red Cross blood supply. The shortfall is the equivalent of the Red Cross not collecting any blood donations for more than four days.

Amy Brown, Donor Recruitment district manager, Midwest Blood Services Region, said in a press release, that “It’s crucial that people donate now to meet the needs of patients every day and to be prepared for emergencies that require significant volumes of donated blood. Every day, blood and platelet donors can help save lives, and right now these heroes are needed to give as soon as possible.”

New donors and those who haven’t given in a while are especially encouraged to roll up a sleeve and help save lives. To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Some upcoming blood donation opportunities July 5-25 (County/Town/date-times-place)

Adair: Orient 7/12/2017: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Methodist Church, 124 South Maple St.

Audubon: Exira 7/17/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Exira Rec Center, 106 N Jefferson

Cass: Atlantic 7/12/2017: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Cass County Memorial Hospital; 7/20/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Atlantic YMCA.

Montgomery: Red Oak 7/17/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1101 East Summit; Villisca 7/19/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Community Center, 201 S. 3rd Ave

Pottawattamie: Avoca 7/15/2017: 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., American Legion, 309 1/2 Elm; Council Bluffs (multiple dates, times and places beginning July 10th – see the Red Cross website)

Shelby: Earling 7/24/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Joseph’s Hall, 118 Main Street; Elk Horn 7/11/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Elk Horn Lutheran Church, 4313 Main Street; Harlan 7/13/2017: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Conductix, 1417 Industrial Parkway & 7/25/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Veteran’s Memorial Building, 1104 Morningview; Westphalia 7/19/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Boniface Parish Center, 305 Duren St.

The Red Cross has added more than 25,000 additional appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – Police are investigating after a woman was shot by a stray bullet in the midst of an outdoor celebration of Independence Day. The Courier reports that the round was fire shortly after 10 p.m. amid a barrage of fireworks celebrating the holiday. It struck 47-year-old Rosa Diaz Sanguino in the shoulder. Police say at the time, she was outside at a gathering with family and friends. She suffered only minor injuries.

Police say the bullet was recovered at the scene. Authorities were unable to determine where the bullet originated as the sound of the shot was likely covered up by fireworks in the neighborhood.

HELENA, Mont. (AP) – FBI agents seized bomb-making materials, seven guns and ammunition from the Montana home of a man they suspect of carrying out bank robberies in five states, including Iowa.  An inventory of the property seized from Richard Gathercole’s home in Roundup shows that agents also took sheriff’s badges and patches, a sheriff’s vest and an ammunition vest, a military style helmet, an organic chemistry book and material to make identification badges.

The inventory list was filed with U.S. District Court in Billings on June 27.  Authorities believe Gathercole is the man they call “the AK-47 bandit” who held up at least six banks since 2012.  Gathercole is being held in Lexington, Nebraska, where he is accused of stealing a truck and guns and firing on a Kansas state trooper last month.

He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A man who collected a Wisconsin Lottery jackpot that was rigged by his friend has admitted using the windfall for an investment scheme that produced another wave of undeserved government money. Court records show Robert Rhodes recently testified that he used the $783,000 payout to receive an additional $180,000 in bogus tax refunds.

The Texas businessman sent $450,000 to the Caribbean to buy an insurance policy for a corporation that never did any business – except receive the lottery prize. He claimed the policy as a tax-deductible “business expense,” receiving refunds from the U.S. government and Wisconsin.

The St. Lucia-based insurer where Rhodes sent his cash was later accused of duping investors. Rhodes says the company “absconded” with $150,000. Rhodes and former lottery contractor Eddie Tipton pleaded guilty to rigging the 2007 Megabucks drawing.

Police in Harlan, Sunday, arrested a woman for allegedly assaulting a peace officer, and other charges. 39-year old Kari Jean Elizabeth Nordby, of Harlan, was taken into custody for the assault charge, along with assault on a jailer, Public Intoxication/2nd offense, and disorderly conduct. Her arrest followed a report of an intoxicated female in the 1000 block of Chatburn Avenue.

Harlan Police say two other people were arrested over the past week, and two were cited for various offenses. 51-year old Timothy Evans, of Avoca, was arrested Sunday following a traffic stop in Harlan. Evans was charged with Driving While Revoked, and cited for having dark windows on his vehicle. And, 36-year old Chad Laverne Anderson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested June 30th, following a traffic stop. Anderson was charged with Driving While Suspended.

Two other people, 48-year old Clinton Joseph Scheffler, of Harlan, and 31-year old Terri Lynn Hallas, of Shelby, were cited June 28th and July 4th respectively, for Driving While Suspended.