Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a Cass County man was arrested Monday evening on assault and other charges. A deputy was dispatched at around 7:45-p.m. to 412 Park Street in Oakland, to follow-up with a woman for Cass County, with regard to an earlier road rage incident on Highway 6, with several of those involved still having been in the Atlantic area.

After contact was made with the woman, it was determined a domestic assault had possibly occurred. Following an investigation, 19-year old Evan Matthew Smith, of Atlantic, was arrested for Simple Domestic Assault (of his ex-girlfriend), Theft in the 5th Degree (for an allegedly stolen cell phone), and Harassment by Personal Contact.

Officials with the Creston Police Department say no injuries were reported following two accidents last Thursday and Friday. One of the accidents happened at around 6:40-a.m. Thursday, when a 2000 Oldsmobile driven by 22-year old Paul Raymond Harpin, of Creston, failed to stop at the intersection of N. Birch and E. Prairie Streets. Harpin’s car collided with a 2007 Chevy SUV driven by 24-year old Jasmine Jaylene Ellis, of Creston, causing a total of $15,000 damage. Harpin was cited for Failure to Obey a stop Sign.

The second accident happened at around 12:50-p.m. Friday, at the intersection of Lincoln and Townline Streets. Creston Police say 19-year old Colette Marie Eggleston, of David City, NE., was traveling westbound on Townline Street and talking with her passenger, when the 2007 Ford 500 she was driving ran a red light and collided with a 1996 Toyota Corolla driven by 42-year old Velma Raedeanne Blazek, of Fontanelle. Damage from the crash amounted to $4,300.

In an update to our earlier report, Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen confirms one person was injured, but did not require transport to the hospital, following a fire that destroyed a mobile home at around 4-a.m., today (Tuesday). Bissen said the blaze at the West Ridge Acres Mobile Home Park (3002 12^th Street), Lot 15, started with an unattended candle.

Bissen told KJAN News the homeowner had a candle burning when he fell asleep. The candle caught a chair on fire. The resident tried to take the burning chair outside, but it became jammed in the door. The resident managed to get out of the home, but suffered a laceration to his hand in the process. He was treated at the scene.

Harlan Fire and Rescue was on the scene for about 2-hours. No other injuries were reported. The mobile home was a total loss.

Memorial Day marked the unofficial start of summer and the start of door-to-door summer scams. Jim Hegarty, with the Better Business Bureau in Omaha/Council Bluffs, says they’re already getting complaints about one group knocking on doors in the region.  “They claim to be raising money for veterans and active soldiers,” Hegarty says. “We’ve investigated the company they claim to be representing and they have an ‘F’ rating. They’ve been the subject of law enforcement investigations down south.”

Young people are sometimes recruited by crooks to take part in bogus fund-raising schemes. “There’s going to be kids showing up at our doors selling magazines or candy bars to fund mission trips or going to camp,” Hegarty says. “In some cases, it could be legitimate but it really is wise to just take some information from them and let them know that if you’re able to check them out and find out that it’s reputable and worthwhile, then you’d be happy to maybe make a contribution.”

Another door-to-door scam that’s bringing complaints in the region involves home security systems.  “They may say they’re with ADT or Protection One or another well-known company,” Hegarty says. “What we’re learning is, a lot of times, the bad actors use reputable names like ADT just to get a foothold, get in your door and get you to switch contracts and get you engaged in a deal that’s not going to be favorable to you.”

He says to also watch out for fly-by-night offers from traveling scam artists who offer to do home repairs, tree trimming or seal your driveway. Don’t make on-the-spot decisions. To make a contribution to real charities, he suggests donations can be made online at “give.org”, a service offered by the BBB.

(Radio Iowa)

The number of people killed in traffic crashes in Iowa climbed over 100 earlier this month and now the busy summer driving season is here. Dennis Kleen tracks crash data for the Iowa Department of Transportation. “Once summer gets here, you’ve got people on vacation and a lot more people driving during the summer,” Kleen says. “Put the phone down and buckle up. Those are a couple of the best things you can do.”

There were 320 people killed in traffic crashes in Iowa in 2015. Last year, that number rose to just over 400. Kleen suspects distracted drivers, people who are texting or doing something else with their phone, are causing more crashes. “It’s hard to prove that someone was distracted in a fatal crash…unless there were actual witnesses and a lot of times, there aren’t (witnesses) in many of these crashes,” Kleen said. “But, we’ve all seen people using their phones as we’re driving, so we know distracted drivers are a big part of these crashes.”

The Iowa legislature this year passed and Governor Branstad signed a bill in to law that will allow police to pull over drivers who are looking at their cell phone rather than the road. The fine for a texting-while-driving ticket will be $30 when the new law takes effect on July 1.

(Radio Iowa)