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8 St. Louis Police Officers Honored For Assisting In Lake Ozark Strip Shooting

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A number of St. Louis County Police officers who stepped in during the shooting on the Bagnell Dam Strip last July are being honored.

Sergeant Shanna Ostendorf, along with Officers Michael Deck, Kyle Embrey, Dawn Neuman, Justin Bryant, Robert Tosie, John O’Neill, and Kristin Engle all received the “Back the Blue” award, presented by Attorney General Eric Schmitt.

The officers were at a nearby restaurant when the gunfire went off in Lake Ozark and they quickly sprang into action, assisting the Lake Ozark police department in bringing the shooting to a stop.

In total, one person died and four others were injured in what was later determined to be a brawl between rival biker groups.

Tonka Way-Con Ponder of Hickory County was taken into custody in the shooting and he is facing numerous charges.

Two Bodies Found In Pulaski County On Friday – Investigations Underway

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An investigation is underway after a body was recovered in a Pulaski County River.

The Waynesville Rural Fire Department says they were called in to locate missing people who disappeared Friday on the Big Piney River.

One person was located safe with several bruises, but a second person was removed from the water and taken to a local funeral home.

The discovery follows another body that was found at the 11,000 block of Highway MM, north of Dixon, on the same day.

That fatality is also under investigation from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s office.

No further details are being released at this time on either case.

Non-Compliant Sex Offender Arrested In Miller County Drug Bust

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A non-compliant sex-offender and another woman are facing charges after a drug bust in Miller County.

The Sheriff’s Office says deputies and members of the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force went to a home on Castle Road in Brumlee on a drug complaint.

The deputies say they got permission to search the home and when doing so they found meth and other drugs.

Investigators say Brian Burd and Rebecca Webster were both arrested and taken to the Miller County Jail.

The Sheriff’s Office says Burd is the non-compliant sex-offender and he’s charged with failure to register and also possession of a controlled substance, among others.

Webster was taken in on felony warrants and is also charged with delivery of a controlled substance.

Brian Burd

Four Drug Arrests Made In Laclede County This Week

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Four drug arrests now reported by the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office and Lebanon P-D, but all in one day.

With help from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group, 60 grams of meth and suspected fentanyl are off the street.

Deputies served a search warrant on Driftwood Drive in Lebanon Tuesday, and around $6-thousand dollars worth of meth was recovered.

Two suspects were taken from the home located close to Ester elementary School.

Later that day, Lebanon police pulled over a car and a following search turned up close to 100 fentanyl pills valued at around $25-hundred dollars.

Two more suspects were arrested.

The Lebanon police officers were assisted by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.

 

****More details:

The Lebanon Police Department, Laclede County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group, made four arrests and seized 60 grams of methamphetamine and suspected fentanyl on Tuesday. The arrest were unrelated.

On Tuesday officers served a search warrant on Driftwood Drive in Lebanon. During the search an excess of 60 grams of methamphetamine was found. Two suspects were arrested at the scene and taken to the Laclede County Jail. The street value of the methamphetamine is approximately $6,000. Driftwood is located in close proximity to Ester Elementary School in Lebanon.

Local officers then made a traffic stop and seized nearly 100 fentanyl pills. The local officers were assisted in the investigation by the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. The estimated value of the fentanyl is $2500. Two suspects were taken into custody as a result of the traffic stop.

“LANEG will present cases to the prosecutor in regards to these,” Sheriff David Millsap said. “Three of the suspects arrested in the enforcement action on Tuesday have lengthy involvement in criminal activity in Laclede County,” Millsap added.

“Methamphetamine continues to be the common element in most of the criminal activity in our County. However, over the last couple of years we have seen fentanyl, and heroin, become an issue in our community,” Millsap said the most concerning with the introduction of fentanyl in the community is the rise of drug overdose resulting in death. “Our investigative target are those in our community, and outside are community, who are distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl. The work of LANEG to address this issue, and coordinate our investigative efforts among the local agencies, and other agencies is vital to our efforts to put drug dealers in prison.”

MO Highway Patrol Celebrates 90 Years Of Service

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol is turning 90 this year.

It all started in 1931 with a superintendent, six captains, 55 troopers and a few civilians, each getting credit for launching the history of service and protection offered by the ‘Patrol.

“Even though we’ve grown and changed over the last 90 years, our focus is still keeping our State a safe place. We focus on traffic safety, reducing the number of severe traffic crashes and we try to keep fatal traffic crashes from occurring” says Lieutenant Eric Brown, “When you look back to the first fleet of vehicles we had, it was 36 new Model A Ford Roadsters, 1 Ford Sedan, 1 Plymouth Sedan, An Oldsmobile, 1 Buick, 3 Chevy’s and 12 Harley’s.”

Brown tells KRMS the Highway Patrol has added more departments and responsibilities over the years, like crime labs, driver testing, criminal records, gaming enforcement and others.

He says Troopers don’t even need paper to write a ticket “They use a computer and a printer in the car. The cameras in the cars, which capture footage inside and outside the car, are very high tech and digital now.”

Today, the ‘Patrol has close to 12-hundred members.

*****More info:

EMPHASIS: MSHP Marks 90 Years Of Service & Protection

A letter from Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol:

For nine decades, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has answered the call to serve and protect the citizens of this great state. In 1931, a superintendent, six captains, 49 troopers, and a few civilians launched the legacy of exceptional service and protection that remains. From these humble beginnings evolved the full-service law enforcement agency you know today. Our employees have embraced each additional responsibility–the crime laboratory, driver testing, criminal records, commercial vehicle enforcement, motor vehicle inspection, criminal investigation, gaming enforcement, and marine operations, to name a few. Numerous natural disasters and serious incidents, increasing social unrest, and most recently, the coronavirus pandemic inspire us to continue being Missouri’s beacon of integrity, professionalism, and compassion. Throughout our history, the Patrol has endured crises, emergencies, and challenges that consistently revealed the true quality of our people and our mission.

Patrol employees have shown the public we are ladies and gentlemen who serve and protect one contact, one stakeholder at a time for 90 years. Our employees have been and will continue to be connected to the community in which they live. We are your neighbors, school board members, and local volunteers.

As we recognize how far we’ve come since 1931, we are creating a vision for our future. Our vision is simple: We are committed to being professional, courteous, compassionate, resourceful, and responsible. We will hold ourselves to the highest degree of integrity and show respect to all people. We will excel as a criminal justice leader and to help ensure Missouri is a safe place to live or visit. The Patrol’s 1,191 members, 524 uniformed civilians, and 544 civilians are living examples of its vision, mission, and core values. We are honored to serve and protect the people of this great state.

More Details Continue To Come In About Kaiser Homicide Case

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We’re learning more about the homicide case in Kaiser.

According to the Miller County Sheriff’s office, deputies responded to a welfare check for Pam and Dan Stephan, after a friend told deputies their lack of response was “out of character” for the couple.

Court documents show the officer who responded found the couple deceased from a gunshot to the head.

Evidence taken from the home included two bullet fragments & bullet casings, a cell phone, a tablet, and some of the victim’s hair.

A motorcycle was also found behind the Stephan’s house, one that suspect J.T. McLean is suspected of ditching.

An autopsy was scheduled on Monday for the Stephan’s.

 

****Additional information on the cases:

**Update Homicide Investigation**
Autopsies are scheduled Monday 09/13/2021 for Daniel and Pam Stephan at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Results of those autopsies may not be available for several weeks. The Union County Sheriff’s Office has executed a search warrant and obtained several items of interest. Detectives will be traveling to South Dakota next week along with Boone County and Highway Patrol Investigators. Out of respect to the family, limited information is being released until the investigation is complete. Additional press releases will follow in the next several weeks. We want to thank the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Union County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this joint investigation.

***Homicide Investigation Update***
On 08/22/2021, at about 10:58 pm, Boone County Joint Communications received a call from a concerned subject reporting they had been unable to contact Allison Abitz and her daughter Jozee Abitz, who both resided in the 7500 block of Lavender Drive south of Columbia.
Boone County deputies responded to the residence on Lavender Court and once inside located Allison, age 43, and her daughter Jozee, age 11, deceased.
Evidence suggested Allison had been strangled and Jozee had been drowned.
Investigators soon identified JT McLean as the long-term boyfriend of Allison and developed probable cause to believe McLean murdered Allison and Jozee. The motive for the murder of these victims is still unknown. Investigators soon discovered a burn pile at McLean’s last known address in Callaway County and within that burn pile they found electronics to include cellular phones and computers. All the vehicles known to belong to McLean were accounted for; however, McLean’s whereabouts were unknown. It was apparent at that point McLean was attempting to evade apprehension and not be tracked.
On 08/25/2021, the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney charged JT McLean (age 45) with two counts of Murder in the 1st Degree. A warrant for the arrest of McLean was then issued in the 13th Judicial Circuit Boone County, Missouri. McLean’s bond for these charges was set at $1,000,000.00 cash only.
Due to the murders of Allison and Jozee, as well as the allegations of prior threats of violence, we believed McLean could be a threat to anyone; however, we knew of no current specific threats or details regarding danger to the public or any specific individuals.
During the investigation of the homicides of Allison and Jozee, investigators received information that McLean had recently acquired a dark colored motorcycle, which was not titled or registered in his name and the make, model and type of motorcycle was unknown. Based on that information, we believed McLean likely fled the area on the motorcycle, so we pushed that information out on social media on 09/08/2021.
On 09/08/2021, at around 7:45 pm, we received information from the Miller County Sheriff’s Office that they were investigating a double homicide at a residence that was possibly related to our investigation. We then learned the two victims in Miller County, were related to one of McLean’s ex-wives, an unregistered motorcycle had been found near the victims’ residence, and a vehicle belonging to the Miller County victims was missing.
Our investigators began collaborating with the Miller County Sheriff’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and agencies in the Sioux City area to include the Union County Sheriff’s Office, in Elk Point, South Dakota.
With the assistance of OnStar, the vehicle belonging to the Miller County victims was located and disabled in a hotel parking lot in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, which is an unincorporated community just outside of Sioux City. This was concerning as we learned relatives of the Miller County victims were also somewhere in the greater Sioux City area and could be in danger. Law enforcement personnel contacted the relatives and they were moved to a safe location.
Local South Dakota law enforcement personnel were also able to locate the vehicle in the hotel parking lot. According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, non-lethal means were used, and officers received no response from McLean. A drone was then deployed over the vehicle and TJ McLean was found deceased inside the vehicle from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
At this time, we will forward questions regarding the homicides in Miller County or the investigation into the death of JT McLean in Union County South Dakota to the Miller County Sheriff’s Office or the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation into the deaths of Allison and Jozee Abitz is still active and ongoing; however, at this time we believe JT McLean, now deceased, was the person who murdered Allison and Jozee.
**PRESS RELEASE**
REFERENCE: Double Homicide
On 09/08/2021, Miller County deputies were dispatched to an address in the 300 block of Route D in Kaiser for a well-being check. Upon arrival, deputies located two deceased individuals, one male, and one female. The victims’ have been identified as Daniel Stephan, 74 and Pamela Stephan, 64, both of Kaiser. The case is being investigated by detectives as a homicide. The preliminary investigation has identified a male, JT Mclean, as a suspect. During the early morning hours of 09/09/2021 JT Mclean was found deceased by the Union County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This is an on-going investigation and the Sheriff’s Office is being assisted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control.

Bulldogs Bartender Loses Battle For His Life After UTV Crash

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The lake area is mourning the loss of a treasured bartender.

According to Bulldogs Beach House in Sunrise Beach, 65-year-old JT Keating, aka “The Captain,” passed away while battling for his life at University Hospital in Columbia.

Keating was struck by 78-year-old Gerald Alvey of Camdenton, who was driving a UTV in the parking lot at Bulldogs on September 3rd.

That driver also hit a parked car, a building and is currently facing DWI charges.

Bulldogs closed for several days following the crash, while Keating battled his critical injuries.

The investigation into the crash remains ongoing and additional charges are expected.

 

Here is a statement posted to Facebook from the team at Bulldogs:

As many of you already know, there is a big hole in the Bulldogs family as we lost our co-worker, mentor and most of all dear friend.

JT “the Captain” Keating was our “grumpy old man” with a heart of pure gold.

He will be missed by so many and Bulldogs will never be the same without him.

We were so blessed to have him apart of our family here for so many years.

We are heart broken, continued prayers for all involved are greatly appreciated.

Rest In Peace Captain we all love you.

Autopsy Scheduled For Double Homicide Victims In Kaiser

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Autopsies are scheduled for two people found dead in Kaiser on Wednesday, the Miller County Sheriff’s Office calling it a double homicide.

Daniel and Pam Stephan were found dead at a home on Route D.

The suspect in case was also wanted for two murders in Columbia, and Union County Sheriff’s Deputies in South Dakota found JT Mclean in a car early Thursday morning.

Investigators say Mclean had shot himself.

The Miller County Sheriff’s Office says there’s no timetable for the results of the autopsies, but it could take weeks before there’s new information on how the Stephans were killed.

The two people murdered in Columbia in late August were a schoolteacher in the Fulton School System and her 11-year-old daughter.

Route D Homicide 3

Lake Realtor Bauman Faces Bond Violation After THC Is Found In Her Body

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Lake Realtor Leigh Ann Bauman is facing more troubles after she’s found with T.H.C. in her system, a violation of her Bond agreement.

She claims the T.H.C is medical cannabis from a St. Louis doctor and that she has a “prescription” for it.

Bauman is accused of attempting to hire a hitman to kill her ex-mother-in-law and this is the 2nd time she’s violated the terms of her bond.

One of the requirements she has was to avoid contact with her children, which she violated when she attempted to order birthday gifts.

Bauman has a trial date set for February of next year.

Missing Benton County Mom Echo Lloyd’s Photo Published In People Magazine

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A missing mother from Benton County now has her face on People Magazine.

In an issued soon to be published, Echo Lloyd is listed as 1 of 8 mother’s who’ve gone missing across the United States.

Lloyd has been missing since May of this year, after she was last seen in the Climax Springs area.

Benton County Sheriff Eric Knox told KRMS that she doesn’t have her medications, her wallet or her cell phone…they were all left behind when she vanished.

You can see the article here: https://people.com/crime/missouri-mom-missing-since-mothers-day-we-suspect-foul-play/

Double-Homicide In Kaiser Linked To Possible Suicide In South Dakota

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The KRMS News room is getting details on a double-homicide followed by a possible suicide.

The Miller County Sheriff’s Office is reporting two people dead after deputies found the bodies at or near a home in the 300 block of Route D in Kaiser.

But the suspect, JT Mclean, was found dead in a car early Thursday morning in South Dakota.

“We located it at a motel in the southern part of our county. We had several agencies involved” says Dan Limoges with the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

But when they found him inside and unresponsive…the used a drone to investigate “flew the drone right through the windows and we were able to see the subject in the back seat was deceased.”

He tells KRMS News Mclean’s car was tracked with the help of OnStar and that he might have been heading that way to get closer to family members.

The two people found dead in Kaiser are identified as 74-year-old Daniel Stephan and 64-year-old Pamela Stephan.

Boone County Sheriff’s Department investigators said J.T. McLean was also wanted for the murder of his girlfriend Allison Abitz and her 11-year-old daughter Jozee in their home on Lavender Drive on August 22.

Few other details are available right now, but we’ll pass along more when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

Route D Homicide 2

BREAKING: Weapon Believed To Have Been Used In Vonza Watson Shooting At Lazy Gators Found

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***Updated story:

 

Investigators with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office think they’ve found a gun that might have been used in the shooting death of 27-year-old Vonza Watson at Shady Gators over Memorial Day weekend.

“With the help of a dive team, that firearm…we believe…has been recovered. That will be sent to the lab for testing and once ballistics have confirmed that, that will be used in the case and there will be additional charges…I expect…as officers continue their investigation” says Camden County Prosecutor Caleb Cunningham.

He tells KRMS News there’s no timetable for ruling the gun in or out as the murder weapon.

Two suspects have been charged in Watson’s murder, and one of them could be facing the death penalty.

This is a developing story and we’ll pass along more details when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

 

***Previous story:

Investigators with the Camden County Sheriff’s office believe they have found the gun used in the shooting death of Vonza Watson of Jefferson City at Lazy Gators on Memorial Day Weekend.

Divers were on scene after 9AM Thursday Morning and they recovered a gun in about 2 feet of water near a dock at Shady Gators.

This is a developing story and we will have more details as soon as possible on News/Talk KRMS.

 

Here are some photos from the scene:

Here is the audio from the Press Conference held shortly after the discovery:

      09-09-2021 CALEB CUNNINGHAM PRESSER LAZY GATORS GUN - 9th September 2021

Two Women Picked Up On Drug Related Charges In Camden County

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A Sunrise Beach woman is facing numerous drug charges following an arrest on Wednesday.

The Highway Patrol reports that 27-year-old Kara Yowell was picked up for possession of heroin and meth, but also for tampering with evidence in a felony case and not wearing a seat belt.

Yowell has multiple felony warrants in both Miller and Pulaski Counties and she’s being held in the Camden County jail on no bond.

Another woman, 42-year-old Allison Chitwood of Harrisonville was also picked up during a traffic stop in Camden County.

She’s facing charges of being in possession of meth, drug paraphernalia and tampering with evidence.

Kaiser Post Office Hit By Car

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An investigation remains ongoing after a car slams into the United States Postal Office in Kaiser.

Officials say damage was done to the entryway of the building; however, it was not significant enough to close down the office at this time.

It remains unknown who hit the building, or if there are any charges being filed with the Miller County Sheriff’s office at this time.

Quarter Cent Sales Tax For Camden Sheriff Won’t Start Sending Money Until March 2022

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A quarter-cent sales tax increase is coming for Camden County.

But when will you start paying it?

“This sales tax will start being collected on January 1st of 2022” says County Auditor Jimmy Laughlin, and he tells KRMS News money for the Sheriff’s Office won’t start coming in until March of next year.

He says the county has notified the state the sales tax increase was passed and the deadline for that is October 1st “As long as it’s filed by then, the sales tax will start being collected in the 2nd quarter following.”

But the month of January has to pass and then retailers have to file their taxes by mid-February “So in March we’ll get our first check for that sales tax.”

Camden County voters approved the quarter-cent sales tax increase in August so Sheriff Tony Helms can give raises to the deputies he has and also to hire more deputies.

The County Commission gave the Sheriff’s Office more than $200-thousand dollars in advance to start pay raises in September rather than wait for the tax to kick in next March “We’re having 2 record years of people coming down here, so we have some extra money and so, in the end of the year we can adjust for some of that.”

Stoutland Man Accused Of Burglary Pleads Not Guilty

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closeup photo of gavel

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

A Stoutland man is pleading not guilty to burglary, stealing and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Joshua Healey is accused of kicking in a door to a home in Stoutland over the past week.

Investigators say he took jewelry, coins and guns from the residence.

During a motorist assist on Highway T, Camden County Sheriff’s deputies discovered the missing items inside a truck on the road that was registered to Healey.

He was taken into custody and placed on a $75,000 bond.

MSHP Numbers For Labor Day Weekend Down Compared To 2020

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Nobody died on the road or on the water in Lake of the Ozarks over Labor Day weekend, but the Missouri State Highway Patrol says there were deaths around the state.

Seven people died in car crashes between 6 o’clock Friday night and 11:59 Sunday night.

The lone death on the water happened on Table Rock Lake in Stone County when a 14-year-old was ejected on a PWC by another PWC.

There 351 crashes around Missouri, 108 DWI arrests and 6 BWI arrests.

The seven deaths on the road are down from last year’s total of 18 over Labor Day weekend.

 

****Full release:

EMPHASIS: MSHP Releases Labor Day Holiday Statistics

Seven people died in traffic crashes during the 2021 Labor Day holiday weekend. Last year, there were 18 fatalities. The 2021 counting period for the Labor Day holiday ran from 6 p.m., Friday, September 3, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, September 6.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following enforcement activity during 2021 Labor Day Holiday:

MSHP Traffic Statistics (preliminary):

Crashes ¯ 351
Injuries ¯ 103
Fatalities ¯ 7
DWI ¯ 108
Drug Arrests ¯ 71

MSHP Boating Statistics (preliminary):

Crashes ─ 7
Injuries ─ 4
Fatalities ─ 1
BWI ¯ 6
Drownings — 0
Drug Arrests ¯ 18

(Note: During the 2020 counting period, the Patrol investigated 278 traffic crashes, which included 140 injuries and 11 of the 18 fatalities. Troopers made 146 arrests for driving while intoxicated last year. Also, over the Labor Day holiday 2020: Troopers investigated 20 boating crashes involving six injuries and one fatality; and arrested seven people for boating while intoxicated on the state’s rivers and lakes. There were no drownings over the 2020 Labor Day holiday weekend.]

Troopers investigated all seven of the fatal traffic crashes over the 2021 Labor Day holiday weekend. Three of the fatal traffic crashes occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring, MO, area; two fatal traffic crashes occurred in the Troop I, Rolla, MO, area; and one traffic crash fatality occurred in both Troop A, Lee’s Summit, MO, area, and the Troop F, Jefferson City, MO, area. The boating fatality occurred in the Troop D, Springfield, MO, area.

One boating fatality occurred on Saturday, September 4, 2021. A 14-year-old female from St. Louis, MO, died when a personal watercraft struck the personal watercraft she was operating on Table Rock Lake in Stone County. The 14-year-old was ejected. Dr. Pallohusky pronounced the juvenile deceased at Mercy Hospital. The juvenile operating the other personal watercraft sustained minor injuries. Both operators were wearing life jackets at the time of the crash.

Three traffic fatalities occurred on Saturday, September 4, 2021. Godfrey G. Gitau, 35, of Hazelwood, MO, died when the vehicle he was operating traveled off the roadway and struck a guardrail end cap. Gitau was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. The crash occurred in St. Louis County on Interstate 170 south of Interstate 270. Hazelwood EMS personnel pronounced Gitau dead at the scene.

Jaswant Singh, 31, of Fremont, CA, died when the commercial vehicle in which he was a passenger traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck a guardrail, an embankment wall, and then overturned. Singh was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Crawford County on Interstate 44 at the 214.8-mile marker. Deputy Coroner Nikki Bussell pronounced Singh deceased at the scene. The driver of the commercial vehicle was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash; he sustained minor injuries. The Crawford County Sheriff’s Department and the Bourbon, MO, Police Department responded to the scene.

Renee D. Honor, 47, of Detroit, MI, died when the vehicle she was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned. Honor was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Callaway County on Interstate 70 at the 146.6-mile marker. Dr. Salman Ahmad pronounced Honor deceased at University Hospital in Columbia, MO. A juvenile passenger in Honor’s vehicle sustained minor injuries. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Three traffic fatalities occurred on Sunday, September 5, 2021. William C. Moore, 28, Lyons, KS, died when the driver of the commercial vehicle in which he was a passenger attempted to exit the roadway causing its load to shift and overturn into the median. Moore was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Jackson County on Interstate 470 at Missouri Highway 291. Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office Investigator Amanda Bogacz pronounced Moore deceased at the scene. A second passenger in the commercial vehicle sustained minor injuries. She was wearing a seat belt. The driver of the commercial vehicle was not injured; he was wearing a seat belt. The Lee’s Summit Police Department also responded to the scene.

A 13-year-old male from Cedar Hill, MO, died when the driver of the vehicle in which he was a passenger lost control. The vehicle began sliding, traveled off the roadway, struck a tree, continued to travel northbound off the roadway, and struck a second tree. The juvenile male was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Jefferson County on Engledow Road south of Blackwell Road. Valle Ambulance District personnel pronounced the juvenile deceased at the scene. The 17-year-old driver of the vehicle sustained minor injuries; he was not wearing a seat belt. A 13-year-old passenger sustained serious injuries; he was not wearing a seat belt. A third juvenile passenger, age 16, sustained serious injuries. He was wearing a seat belt.

Matthew W. Hedrick, 27, of Aledo, IL, died after falling off the tailgate of a pickup truck when the vehicle hit a bump while negotiating a curve. When Hedrick fell from the tailgate, he then struck the ground. The crash occurred in Crawford County on a road within the Bass River Resort. Dr. Srivastava pronounced Hedrick deceased at Mercy Hospital Creve Coeur. The driver was not injured in the crash; he was wearing a seat belt.

One traffic fatality occurred on Monday, September 6, 2021. Mark W. Higginbotham, 54, of Farmington, MO, died when the motorcycle he was operating traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned, ejecting him. The vehicle then collided with the median cable barrier. Higginbotham was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in St. Francois County on U.S. Highway 67 south of Missouri Highway 8. St. Francois County Coroner Jason Coplin pronounced Higginbotham deceased at the scene.

NOTE: The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, if other departments report fatal traffic/boating crashes after this news release was published, or if a fatality is determined to be caused by a medical condition rather than traffic/boating incident.

2nd Suspect Arrested In Laclede County Child Rape Case

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Another suspect is facing charges as an investigation into child rape continues in Laclede County.

28-year-old Cody Staggs of Lebanon was arrested and charged with statutory rape after it was announced his half brother was charged with child sodomy last week.

“In the process of investigating the Marcus Hill case, we were dealing with some children…all related…that led us to Cody Staggs also being a perpetrator” says Sheriff David Milsap, “That led to his arrest on Thursday night and a search warrant that was served at his residence in Laclede County on Friday.”

Milsap tells KRMS News that while the number of suspects is growing, so is the number of possible victims “We think we have at least 10 victims. It’s not unusual in this types of cases, once you get involved in the investigation….to see that number of victims to start to mushroom.”

Milsap says some of the victims now coming forward are women in their early twenties who are talking about abuse they endured when they were children “We have some victims who are no longer children, they’re now in their early 20’s, who have come forward and are wanting to talk to us about having been assaulted when they were younger.”

This is a developing story, we’ll passing along the latest when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

 

****Press release:

A 28-year old Lebanon man is in the Laclede County Jail facing three counts of Statutory Rape. Cody Lee Staggs was arrested on September 2, 2021 regarding the sexual assault of a 10-year old girl in Laclede County. The investigation into Staggs’ assault of the 10-year old began as part of an investigation which led to charges being filed last week regarding Staggs’ half-brother Marcus Hill.

“While charges have been filed, in these particular cases, we are continuing to investigate similar complaints on both suspects. We believe, at this point, we may have as many as 10-child victims, or children at the time of the assault. As these cases develop we will have better idea if we will be able to present  further information to the Prosecuting Attorney,” said Sheriff David Millsap.

On September 3, 2021 detectives from the Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at the Staggs’ residence located in Laclede County. “Evidence seized in the search warrant will be examined at the Missouri State Highway Patrol crime lab in Springfield,” Millsap said.

Wanted Sex Offender Captured During Chase In Miller County Hayfield

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A wanted man accused of driving stolen vehicles through numerous fields in Miller County is in jail facing more charges.

The Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to a location off Highway 52 in St. Elizabeth on report of a theft in progress.

Investigators say they were told by a property owner a man had walked onto his property and stole a struck.

45-year-old Kenneth Goldsberry of Montreal got stuck in the bean field and took off.

Investigators say Goldsberry then stole an ATV and was later caught in a hay field.

Records show Goldsberry’s a non-compliant sex-offender with warrants out of Camden and Pike County.

Kenneth Goldsberry

Bulldogs Beach House Bartender In Critical Condition After UTV Crash

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A 78-year-old man is facing DWI charges after his UTV strikes the Bartender at Bulldogs Beach House in Sunrise Beach.

According to the Highway Patrol, Gerald Alvey of Camdenton was in a 2006 Polaris Ranger when he struck 65-year-old Jeremiah Keating of Roach, who’s also known as JT, while he was in the parking lot.

Troopers say Alvey also struck a parked car and hit a home as well.

Keating was flown to University Hospital in Columbia where he remains in stable but critical condition.

Officials with Bulldogs Beach House say they’ve decided to remain closed through the holiday weekend to focus on JT’s recovery.

Human Remains Found In Pulaski County Identified As Missing Man

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Human remains found on Highway 28 in Pulaski County last week are being identified by the Sheriff’s office.

Officials say they are the remains of Shaun Etherdige, who’d been missing since earlier this summer.

Sheriff Jimmy Bench says Etheridge was last seen June 20th near the area of Hampton Drive and Highway 28.

An autopsy is being performed to determine the cause of death.

Miller Sheriff Arrests 5 People Over The Past Week Involved With Drugs

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There were numerous drug arrests made by the Miller County Sheriff’s office over the past week.

Officials say on Wednesday they picked up a Jefferson City man who had cocaine in his position while driving in Lake Ozark.

Then on Thursday four people were picked up following a drug raid at two separate homes.

Deputies say the first one happened on Noel Road just outside of Eldon and shortly after another raid took place at Lakeview Drive.

During those raids the Sheriff’s office found meth, pills, other narcotics and illegal firearms.

Full details on all of the arrests can be found below:

Donald Shawler
 De Aaron Knowles

Multiple Agencies Conduct Large Meth And Cash Bust In Camden County

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Three law enforcement agencies working together are getting credit for a drug bust at a home in Camden County.

A search warrant turned up more than 300 grams of meth with a street value of well-over $16-thousand dollars.

Three guns were also seized by police.

The Camden County Sheriff’s Office says two white men were arrested and taken to the Camden County Jail.

Their names are not being released at this time, but formal charges are expected from the Camden County Prosecutor.

This is a developing story and we’ll have more when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

 

****Press Release:

On September 1, 2021, members of the Camden County Sheriffs Office, Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group, and the Drug Enforcement Agency executed a search warrant at residence in Camden County, Missouri.

As a result, officers located and seized 304 grams of methamphetamine, $16,775 in United States Currency, and three firearms.

Two white males were placed under arrest for the aforementioned charges, transported to the Camden County Jail, and placed on a twenty four hour hold pending the filing of formal charges by the Camden County Prosecutor.

MSHP Prepares For Labor Day Weekend On Land And Water

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Labor Day coming up Monday and the Missouri State Highway Patrol is getting ready.

“We’re advising people…if you have a destination you need to be at, leave with enough time…trying to speed through traffic, you’re not going to save much time at all and you’re going to increase the risk of a crash” says Corporal Kyle Green with the Patrol.

He tells KRMS News Troopers will be watching for drunk drivers on the roads “one of biggest problems you have when you have increased traffic on the roadways is road rage itself….you know you got someone cuts you off, or is tailgating you and things like that and you never know these days what people may do with retaliation. So, just let them go down the road…go about your own way…and if it becomes a bigger issue, just contact *55 and that will put you in connection with the highway patrol.”

The Patrol will also be out on the water as well

“We have 14 full time trooper spots at the Lake of the Ozarks. Every now and then we’ll even bring in other Troopers that work different waterways within Troop F, like we did for the Shootout” says Trooper Brian Geier.

He tells KRMS the importance of wearing a life jacket while on a boat or even near a dock “in almost every drowning we’ve dealt with here at the lake, no one is wearing a life jacket. Someone goes down to the dock…to do whatever, fish, swim or drink…we see a lot of alcohol consumption here during these kind of weekends and those sorta things don’t mix too well.”

The Patrol reports five drowning deaths on Lake of the Ozarks for the month of August, and each person who drowned was not wearing a lifejacket.

More Details Released About Lebanon Man Facing Sodomy Charges

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Details emerging after the arrest of a Lebanon man who’s facing charges of child sodomy in Laclede County.

“A mother and a stepfather brought in a 15-year-old female, daughter, in reference to a sexual assault and the suspect is the uncle of the child. That’s how the report started with the parent having received the disclosure from the 14-year-old” says Sheriff David Milsap.

He tells KRMS News 34-year-old Marcus Hill is being held on no bond.

He also says Hill has extensive criminal history as a 10-time convicted felon “we worked a number of cases regarding him, even in the last couple of years, some of those have not been filed on…a lot of them have to do with business practices at his car dealership. Has fraudulently sold vehicles to people, did not provide them with titles….those sorts of things.”

Hill has a bond hearing September 7th and a preliminary hearing September 29th.

The victim tells investigators Hill would engage in sexual contact with her a few times per week.

Sheriff Milsap says the investigation is ongoing and there could be more victims and charges filed against Hill.

Springfield Armory Donates Guns And Equipment To Lake Ozark Police Department

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Police in Lake Ozark now have new equipment thanks to a donation and some discounts from Springfield Armory.

It all started with a recent phone call from a representative for CEO Dennis Reese.

“Basically a few weeks ago a local representative for lake shore holdings, which Mr. Resse owns, reached out to me and just inquired if there was anything they could do to assist the department with equipment needs….or anything that may be helpful to our department” says Chief Launderville.

He tells KRMS that lead to his department getting 17 new 9 millimeter pistols, red dot optic gun sites and holsters, but there was more “Two new rifles, AR-15’s, for the price of one.”

Chief Launderville says training will also be provided for officers in Lake Ozark, and the value of everything is around $23-thousand dollars, or more.

 

****More info:

Springfield Armory® Donates Firearms and Equipment to the Lake Ozark Police Department

 

GENESEO, ILL. (09/03/21) – Springfield Armory® is proud to announce the donation of guns and equipment to the City of Lake Ozark Police Department.

 

Spearheaded by Springfield Armory CEO Dennis Reese, this donation equips every officer of the Lake Ozark, Missouri police department with the gear necessary to help ensure they can effectively perform their duties protecting its citizens.

Dennis Reese and his wife, Jane, have long-time ties and deep connections to the area, and are very involved in the development of the historic Bagnell Dam Strip — known as “The Strip” to most.

“Lake of the Ozarks is a very important place to my family,” said Dennis Reese. “My wife Jane and I raised our kids here during the summers and throughout much of the off-season, so the area has a lot of great memories for us. We wanted to do our part giving back to the area, helping to protect the Strip for families to enjoy. When we found out that the Lake Ozark Police Department needed support, it was a no-brainer that Springfield Armory could be a solution.”

Pistols provided to the department are from the highly capable 9mm XD-M® Elite OSP™ family. Also provided with the pistols were Springfield Armory’s HEX™ Dragonfly™ red dot optics. In addition, Springfield Armory donated Dara Holster Systems capable of accepting the pistols with the red dot optics installed.

Additionally, the department acquired two SAINT® Victor B5 5.56mm rifles, also equipped with HEX Dragonfly red dot optics. This provides the officers with additional firepower should it be required in the course of their duties.

“When the Reese family learned that our department was looking to replace its current firearms, Dennis Reese reached out to me immediately,” said Lake Ozark’s Chief of Police, Gary Launderville. “Our current firearms were nearly 15 years old and in need of replacement, but we did not have the budget to accomplish this. Mr. Reese determined what we needed and made it happen. He has been awesome.”

“Springfield Armory could not be more proud to support the Lake Ozark Police Department in their efforts to keep their community safe,” said Fred Mincks, Springfield Armory’s LE Sales Manager. “We support the efforts of the law enforcement community and are happy to have been able to do this for the Lake Ozark Police Department.”

For more information on Springfield Armory, visit www.springfield-armory.com.

 

About Springfield Armory®

In 1794, the original Springfield Armory began manufacturing muskets for the defense of our young, free Republic. The Armory functioned as a firearms supplier for every major American conflict until 1968 when the government sadly closed its doors. In 1974, nearly two centuries after its inception, Springfield Armory Inc. in Geneseo, Ill. revived the iconic heritage of the Armory to carry on its legacy.

We strive to honor this responsibility as guardians of the original Springfield Armory legacy by manufacturing the highest quality firearms to enable responsible citizens to preserve their right to keep and bear arms in the defense of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

With an unmatched emphasis on craftsmanship, performance and exceptional customer service, our mission is to forge superior firearms and provide the tools necessary to defend individual freedoms and equality for those who embrace the rights and principles secured by our Founding Fathers. For more information, please visit us at: springfield-armory.com.

Camden County Sheriff Talks About Deputy Raises

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Sheriff Tony Helms

A quarter-cent sales tax increase in Camden County will bring in more money for the Sheriff’s Office, but deputies already on staff are getting a bump in pay before the end of the year.

“The money that the commission gave us is going strictly to raises, nothing else. We took them up to $19.25 to $19.50 an hour…that happens the 5th of September” says Camden County Sheriff Tony Helms.

He tells KRMS News the Sheriff’s Office got a quarter-million dollars from the Camden County Commission to start the process of giving raises “everyone needs to understand that you’re not going to see a drastic change, other than the wages, overnight. I have to wait for the money to come in before I can spend it to hire people.”

After January first, Sheriff Helms wants his deputies making an even 20-dollars per hour.

Sheriff Helms was interviewed by Christian Blood on the KRMS Morning Magazine.

Human Remains Found In Pulaski County

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An investigation is now underway after human remains were found in Pulaski County.

According to the Sheriff’s office, the remains were located at the 20,000 block of Highway 28 on Tuesday morning.

The Sheriff’s office say they believe they know the identity of the remains, but no names have been released at this time.

Officials say a medical examiner is now working on a positive identification.

This is a developing story and we’ll bring you more information as it comes in.

Convicted Felon From Lebanon Arrested In Child Sodomy Case

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A Lebanon man is now facing charges of child sodomy and is being held behind bars without a bond.

Officials say that man, Marcus Hill, is a 10-time convicted felon.

They say his arrest stemmed from an investigation, after a woman told police that when she turned 14-years-old, Hill would have sexual contact with her at least 2 or 3 times a week.

During the investigation, police discovered that Hill often took the girl and her brothers to get donuts, but would leave the brothers and would rape the girl in the car.

One report showed that someone caught Hill in the act, but he was able to escape during a foot pursuit.

This investigation remains ongoing and you’re asked to contact police if you have any further information.

Stolen SUV From Lake Ozark Found – Two People Arrested

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Two Pulaski County residents are facing charges after deputies discover a stolen SUV from Lake Ozark.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, residents Devin Curry and Michelle Williams were arrested after a search warrant resulted in the recovery of the stolen Toyota at the 19000 block of Basin Road.

Officials say they also located 14 items that were stolen as well, 10 of which were worth $1,000 each.

Additional charges are expected to be filed and the Lake Ozark Police Department has been notified of the found SUV.

Curry is being held on a $100,000 bond while Williams’ bond was set to $15,000.

Rolla Man Arrested In Burglary

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Evidence at the scene of a Burglary is landing a Rolla man in jail.

Investigators with the Rolla Police Department say officers were called to a business and they say it was clear someone had broken in and they say a large sum of money had been stolen.

But physical evidence left at the scene lead them to 34-year-old Harland Frohmader.

Police got a search warrant for his house and investigators say more evidence and money was found before Frohmader was arrested and taken to the Phelps County Jail.

He’s charged with Burglary and Stealing and was given a bond of $150-thousand dollars.

Burglary

Osage Beach Police Stats For Last Week Of August

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Seven arrests and 23 traffic stops now reported by Osage Beach P.D. during the final full week of August.

Four warrants were served and there were six reports of assault.

Officers responded to 18 alarms, performed 65 building checks and followed up on 21 calls.

There were six reports of stealing, 3 calls about suspicious activity, two welfare checks and 5 calls for animal control.

Two people called 911 and hung up.

WEEKLY SUMMARY_NEWS RELEASE 20210823_20210829(002)

New Laws Going Into Effect Change How Your Charged For Vandalism

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closeup photo of gavel

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

If you’re caught vandalizing any public monument or structure in Missouri, it’ll now be a felony charge as opposed to a misdemeanor.

That change in the law could mean more jail time and a higher fine if you’re convicted.

It’ll be a new Class D misdemeanor if you ‘willfully or recklessly’ interfere with an ambulance or other first responder, after complaints were given over some protestors who gather in streets, roads or highways.

Another new law makes it a misdemeanor crime to point a laser pointer at police or other first responders.

Justice For Survivors Act Works To Improve Resources For Victims Of Sexual Assault

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The Justice For Survivors Act is one of four pillars of new legislation in Missouri that’s working to improve resources for the victims of sexual assault.

This includes making a forensic exam easier to get to, for some victims.

“What the Justice for Survivors Act does, is it establishes a statewide telehealth network…for that forensic exam…so that they can do it in their hometown” says Republican State Senator Holly Rehder, “we have people from law enforcement, people from forensic labs, we have lawmakers, we have medical professionals….what we wanted to is assemble a group of folks that touch these areas.”

She tells KRMS News before the legislation passed in Missouri last year, victims sometimes had to travel two hours to get a forensic exam.

She also says girls and women aren’t the only victims of sexual abuse “for a whole mired of reasons, Men don’t tell…more so than Women don’t, or boys more than girls.”

Rehder says work’s being done to make sure rape victim Collection Kits stay current.

She’s on the 13-member Missouri Rights of Victims of Sexual Assault Task Force.

Rehder is conducting a Survey at surveymonkey.com/r/MORightsTaskForce

 

******Message from the Senator.

#metoo

I’ve stopped sleeping at night. Our constant news cycle bringing the realization of all that’s been going on in the entertainment industry has kept my brain from any possibility of rest. Don’t get me wrong, the exposure of sexual abuse is exactly what’s needed. My sleeping problems seem to be because I know there’s so much more than the entertainment industry that must be addressed to bring healing and change. My own past and the non-traditional way that I was raised begs me to speak to other areas holding this great evil.

As a child, we traveled a lot. Moving so frequently that my age is usually foggy in memories. I seem to judge time better by which town we lived in and what grade I was in at the time. Because of this, summer months are particularly difficult to really pin down.

The summer I was 10, I believe, we lived in a trailer in Morehouse. My mother didn’t drink, smoke, or do illegal drugs, but she would hang out in the bars with my aunt a lot because the bars had air conditioning and kind men would buy her a Pepsi. She was incredibly beautiful but very much needed the attention.

She always had a boyfriend. Most of the time they lived with us and she went from one to the next, typically breaking the heart of the one who was headed out. Almost always turning into fights of valor for all in the trailer park to see. I was usually glad to see the old one leave, but never excited about the new one. Morehouse was worse than usual.

It seems like it was mid-day, Mama was up at the bar and my sisters and I were just hanging out in the trailer. My older sister is two years older than me so if I was 10, she was 12, our birthdays fall on the same day. We lived in a much different culture, at this age she had already begun smoking weed and trying different things.

I will never forget this day. My mother’s boyfriend shows up, his name was Jesse, and I remember thinking it was odd because I couldn’t imagine one of her boyfriend’s letting her sit up at a bar without them.

Jesse was a big guy. He seemed to tower over us and was just larger than her typical picks. He told my sister he had just picked up some new pot and wondered if she wanted to go walking and smoke some, to which she happily agreed.

My mother returns sometime after this and asks where my sister is. I explain she left with Jesse and she freaks out. Apparently, she had broken up with him earlier at the bar because there’s someone else on the line and now demands to know why my sister went with him?

 

Well….we didn’t know.

And I wasn’t about to tell her she was off smoking pot.

Soon after my sister returns. Alone. And crying. Very roughed up as if she’s been in a fight in the dirt and weeds. I remember the cockleburs stuck throughout her hair.

Jesse had taken my sister walking, down the railroad tracks, where he raped her to get back at my mother.

I remember the police. I remember them talking about the hospital to have her checked and I remember them using the word “sodomy” a lot. I didn’t understand why they didn’t just go arrest him? We knew who he was. It was clear what he did to her. My young brain simply could not understand.

I had so many questions. What was “sodomy”? If she had not been high would she have been able to run? Why didn’t they just go arrest him? My mother was always over the top with emotions and this was off the charts for multiple reasons. Asking questions would only add to our trouble so I didn’t.

I looked “sodomy” up in our dictionary and then knew what all she went through. My heart broke for her.

 

We packed up and moved soon thereafter so to my knowledge, he was never arrested. She told. Yet there was no justice.

The summer that I was 13, my mother worked at a local club as a waitress. My little sister and I would walk to the city swimming pool everyday as Mama had some dollars from tips to keep us busy during her day shift.

Turning down our street on our walk home one day, an old brown car ripped around the corner, scaring us both, and drove very recklessly past. Before I could yell in response, they squeal to a stop in front of our house. I remember so vividly as the car door flew open and I heard my mother’s screams as they kicked her from the car into our front yard.

I ran towards the house as they peeled off and squealed down the street. I don’t remember much more than just sitting in the front yard and holding her as she screamed and cried. I’m sure the police came. I’m sure she filed a report. But she didn’t know the men who had done this to her.

Someone must have put something in her Pepsi before she got off her shift. She had started feeling disoriented as she began the walk home. Some men she had been waiting on offered her a ride instead. They didn’t take her straight home. They took her somewhere else where multiple men raped her. Then they brought her home.

 

To this day, I would know the car if I saw it. These are moments that never leave. They are burned into your soul.

Again, she told, yet there was no justice.

The most painful abuse to me personally came at the hands of someone I loved, and honestly, the only person in my world that I trusted. My pillar. My security. So what happens when your perpetrator is someone you’ve loved and admired your entire life?

The summer I was 11, I would eat at the DEAOC lunch program every day. Through this program two of us were selected for an area trip to 6-Flags, which was in fact, the coolest thing of all time.

Only caveat was you had to have a ride to and from a town 30 min from my home to catch the bus. I contacted my Papa and explained that I had been chosen but I had to have the ride to the bus and back. He agreed to make that happen even though we had to arrive very early and we would be getting back pretty late.

When we pulled into town it was very late and I was exhausted from a super exciting day. He told me we would just stay the night at his house before taking me the next morning the rest of the way home. No big deal. My Papa and his house had been my only steady my entire life.  Being there was a good thing.

We got home, I went to my grandmother’s old room that I’d slept in on and off for years and was out like a light.

I’m not sure how long I was asleep. All that I know was it was very dark when I woke up to all that was going on to me and around me. I prayed. I kicked and I squirmed as I felt like every ounce of air had been stolen from my lungs. He left the room apologizing. I just laid there and quietly cried the rest of the night. My only security in life was not. My safe place was no longer safe. My whole world had crashed down around me and my heart was ripped in pieces lost somewhere in the rubble.

As soon as the sun came up I washed my face and brushed my hair. My things gathered from my fun day no longer brought a smile. With a stern face and a completely hollow chest I announced I had to go home right now. It was the longest, quietest drive we had ever taken.

He took me to my great aunt’s, his cousin, where I had been staying temporarily. My mother had moved to Kansas, or maybe it was Indiana. I honestly just don’t know.

Much can be said about the way my mother raised us. For someone who suffered with mental illness from many reasons, I think she probably did the best she could. She loved us. What I did learn from watching her though was that I would never be their victim. They had broken her. Mentally she succumbed to the pain of her past daily. That would not be me.

I told. I told my great aunt when I got home. Turns out she had been his victim too. When my sister called, I told her. Another person was staying at my aunt’s at the time, I told him. Neighbors who lived behind us? Yes. Told them too. Our family’s little secret was no longer in the shadows, and I be damned if he would ever feel comfortable enough to lay a hand on me – again.

 

But he was my Papa. And I loved him with my whole heart.

When these things happen at the hands of someone you love. You trust. It’s hard to mentally walk the landmine of feelings. I’m sure it’s different for everyone. He agreed to get help, so I agreed to quit telling. I eventually forgave him. But I never allowed my daughter to be alone with him. When he became ill with cancer, I moved in and cared for him. I know he loved me.

Should I have known and protected myself? Probably. I’m not sure how old I was when I started hearing about my mother’s sexual abuses but it always seemed to be a narrative in our home.  She had been raped by and uncle and her brother since she was 4. Her mother passed at about 9 and she was put in an orphanage. She was then adopted by her great uncle and his wife. He also sexually abused her. That was my Papa. So yes. I guess I should have known. But I was 11, and in the crazy world I grew up in, he was my solid and I never once feared him.

Maybe I thought he’d found forgiveness. Looking back there were many things I now know were wrong and flashing signs. But I was a child and children trust and love unconditionally.

I grew up that day. I now understood things my mother’s words could never explain, but a story her actions told daily.

These are a few of these moments in my childhood. I’ve explained them to say I have seen and felt the devastation of sexual abuse; as a sister, as a daughter, from my own experiences, and even from the insurmountable guilt as a mother who failed at protecting my own daughter. One day maybe she will tell her own story.

I know my experiences pale in comparison to what so many go through.

We carry so much guilt and shame wondering if we would have done this or that, could the outcome have been different? There is no right or wrong response to sexual abuse. Survival comes in many forms.

 

I write this to say, it’s up to those of us who have been there to speak up so that the others in our lives can see they are not alone. Just as we have seen in the entertainment industry this month.  When we speak up, we become a beacon of light, that safe place maybe, to those who need it. A place that maybe you didn’t have. You can now be for someone else.

There’s power in telling. Whether you receive justice or not. It’s a cleansing for your soul that words simply cannot explain. You will stand a little taller knowing that it’s no longer protected by the darkness.

For every person out there, young or old, what you are going through, or what you have been through, does not define you. Find your voice. Tell someone. Even if your abuser is someone you love. Their power lies in our silence.

 

But for all who simply cannot yet…for you, I say #metoo.

Investigation Continues Into Another Soldier’s Death At Fort Leonard Wood

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An investigation remains underway in the death of an 18-year-old Army Solider stationed at Fort Leonard Wood.

Officials say Private Jamal Rogers of Conyers Georgia, was found dead from a gunshot wound on August 20th inside of a barracks complex.

It’s unknown at this time how he received that gunshot wound.

Rogers entered the Army in July of this year, assigned to the 2nd Battalion and the 10th Infantry Regiment.

Both the Fort Leonard Wood Law Enforcement team and the US Army Criminal Investigation command are investigating, however both agencies say no foul play is suspected at this time.

Just a few weeks ago another Solider died, after going on a Kayaking trip on the Gasconade river.

His body was recovered several days after he had been reported missing.

 

******Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Aug. 24, 2021) A Fort Leonard Wood Soldier was found unresponsive Monday, Aug. 23, at approximately 3 p.m. at a training area here, according to Fort Leonard Wood’s Directorate of Emergency Services.

Emergency personnel arrived on scene within minutes and transported the Soldier by ambulance to the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital where the Soldier was pronounced deceased at 7:32 p.m. by GLWACH personnel.

The Soldier, Staff Sgt. Robert Early, 34, whose home of record is listed as Gifford, Illinois, was a combat medic with Fort Leonard Wood’s General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our teammate, Staff Sgt. Robert Early. As a committed Soldier, medic, friend and valued member of our team, his loss is not just felt within our formation, but across the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, Fort Leonard Wood and our Army,” said Maj. Gen. James Bonner, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general. “As we mourn Staff Sgt. Early’s passing, our sincere thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and the GLWACH team during this difficult time.”

An investigation surrounding the circumstances of this incident is ongoing.

Two Separate Murder Trials Continue In Laclede County

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closeup photo of gavel

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

Two separate murder trials are still underway in Laclede County.

In the trial of 31-year-old Shane Patrick Norman, accused of murdering Nathan Young in October 2020, a case review has been scheduled for October 18th.

Norman plead “not guilty” during his arraignment back in May.

In the trial of Kevin Ryan Kayden, accused of killing his girlfriend Laquita Williams, a trial date has been set for November 29th.

Kayden was scheduled to have a trial this past Monday, however the state prosecutor requested a continuance due to contracting COVID 19.

Former School Resource Officer Faces Charges Of Sexual Contact

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Charges of sexual contact with a student are now filed against a former Lake Area school resource officer.

KRMS News can confirm the case against Jenna Jackson started in January after accusations she gave pornographic material to a minor and had sexual relations with a student who graduated last year.

Investigators say Jackson also went to parties where students were hanging out and she’s accused of sending nude pictures of herself via social media and trying to hide a relationship from her fiancée.

This is a developing story and we’ll pass along more details when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

Osage Beach Police Capture Numerous Fentanyl Pills / Ammo In Multi-jurisdictional Capture

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Police in Osage Beach say a man’s in jail facing numerous charges after a tip lead to a search that turned up drugs, cash and bullets.

It all started when police were told Nickolas Lombardo would be driving through Osage Beach in a black Dodge Challenger.

After spotting a car matching the description, they pulled it over on a traffic violation and officers say they asked Lombardo about drugs.

Investigators say he gave police permission to search the car and they found marijuana.

After Lombardo was arrested, police say he gave permission for a search of the room he was staying in at the Ozark Inn and Suites.

Officers say there they found more than 250 pills believed to be fentanyl, 340 grams of pot, baggies, a scale, two 9 millimeter magazines loaded with bullets and just over $700 dollars in cash – and other items and drug paraphernalia.

Lombardo was taken to the Camden County Jail and he’s now charged with 1st Degree Drug Trafficking, among other charges.

Police say the bust was a collaborative effort between police in Osage Beach and Lake Ozark, the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force and the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Drug Arrest 20210824 2

Two Men Face Robbery Charges In Osage Beach

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Two people are facing charges of burglary after stealing coolers at Formula Boats in Osage Beach.

According to the Osage Beach Police, officers were called out to the marina around 1 AM on August 13th, for a call of Trespassing.

Upon arrival, officers noted a Ford Ranger pickup that pulled out from a dirt road.

The driver, later identified as Robert Monnahan, stopped the truck in the road to speak with the officers, who noticed alcohol on the seat and several coolers in the truck bed.

At first, Monnahan told officers that he and his friend Devinn Reed had been jogging by the docks, however he changed his story and later confessed to stealing numerous alcohol bottles and coolers from various boats.

Both Monnahan and Reed were taken to the Camden County jail and are facing charges of first-degree burglary and stealing.

Osage Beach Police say this remains an ongoing investigation and they ask anyone else who may have been a victim to please come forward.

Lebanon Attorney Pleads Guilty To Tax Violations In Federal Court

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A Lebanon Attorney with ties to the Lake Area is pleading guilty in Federal court, to charges of tax and labor violations.

According to court documents, 35-year-old Meagan Howe admitted that she withheld just over $15,000 in federal taxes from her employees’ paychecks at Garner and Howe Law Firm and Missouri Law Firm in 2019, but failed to turn that over to the IRS.

She also admitted that she failed to pay an additional $10,285 in employment taxes.

Additionally, Howe stated she falsely prepared and submitted 2018 tax returns for herself and her husband.

Howe accepted a plea deal, in which she must pay restitution to the IRS, the Missouri Department of Revenue and the individual victims in her case.

She also faces up to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

 

****Release from the FEDS:

Lebanon Tax Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax and Labor Violations

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Lebanon, Missouri, attorney has pleaded guilty in federal court to tax and labor violations.

Meagan M. Howe, also known as Meagan M. Hasty, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Thursday, Aug. 19, to one count of failure to pay employment tax and one count of making a false representation related to an employee benefit plan.

Howe owns and operates Conquer the Divide, LLC. She is also the past owner and operator of Garner and Howe Law Firm; Missouri Law Firm, LLC; and Just Ask Howe Tax Advocacy Services, LLC.

Howe admitted that she withheld a total of $15,019 in federal taxes from her employees’ paychecks at Garner and Howe Law Firm and Missouri Law Firm, LLC in 2019, but failed to turn them over to the IRS. Howe further admitted that she failed to pay an additional $10,285 in employment taxes for the businesses in 2019.

Howe also admitted that she falsely prepared and submitted 2018 tax returns for herself and her husband. By filing separate returns that each claimed “Head of Household” status, she was able to fraudulently receive $3,775 earned income tax credits.

Howe also admitted that she failed to transmit $3,111 in contributions to an employee pension plan. Howe then falsely reported there was not a failure to transmit contributions to her employee pension plan.

Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Howe must pay restitution to the IRS, the Missouri Department of Revenue and individual victims.

Under federal statutes, Howe is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Missouri Department of Revenue.

Campground Law Could Protect Owners And Employees In The Future

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Photo by Hanson Lu on Unsplash

A new law that’s going into effect next week will be giving Campground owners more protection.

The law slated to start August 28th says that “If an injury or death occurs from an inherent risk of camping, campground owners and employees will be protected from lawsuits.”

The law however would not protect a campground, or its employees, if there is a lack of warning signs.

****Full details:

The Missouri Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (MOARC) and the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) announced the signing of Missouri House Bill 369, which both groups supported, into law by Mo. Gov. Mike Parson.

The “inherent risk” bill specifically offers owners, operators and employees of campgrounds and RV parks protection from frivolous lawsuits when an injury or death occurs as a result of an inherent risk of camping. The bill does not shield a campground or its employees when injuries result from willful or wanton disregard for safety, and clearly outlines the types of warning signs that operators are required to post.

ARVC supplied MOARC with the model language for the bill that was amended as it went through the process. ARVC and MOARC leaders also testified before the Senate Committee and negotiated with trial attorneys and insurance associations, reaching a compromise on wording that alleviated possible opposition, adding an exception if a park “fails to use that degree of care that an ordinarily careful and prudent person would use under the same or similar circumstances.”

“This is industry unity at its best! It is a big win for our industry and shows the strength of state organizations and National ARVC working together,” said Paul Bambei, ARVC President and CEO. “This bill is an extremely important piece of legislation for our industry, and it couldn’t have happened without the hard work of everyone involved. I want to especially thank Larry Helms for leading this campaign for the campground owners in Missouri, Kyna Iman for her insightful lobbying efforts and our own Jeff Sims for his tireless effort to bring this legislation to fruition.”

Wisconsin was the first state to pass an inherent risk bill in 2016, and that bill has served as a guide for other states looking to pass similar legislation. Other inherent risk bills introduced in 2021 that ARVC is supporting are in Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Ohio and Texas.

Lebanon Man To Be Arraigned Next Week In Woman’s Murder Case

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A man accused of Murder in Lebanon will be heading to court next week.

Officials report 61-year-old Mark Tampow will be arraigned in Laclede County Court on August 23rd for his role in the murder of 53-year-old Brenda Rogers.

Rogers was found dead from a gunshot wound at the 500 block of Polk Street on Friday night.

Investigators say during questioning, Tampow told officers he “dropped the gun” causing it to fire, shooting Rogers in the head.

As the investigation continued, officers determined that was a false statement and Tampow now faces first-degree murder and armed criminal action charges.

He’s currently free on Bond.

Numerous New Laws Set To Go Into Effect Across Missouri

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closeup photo of gavel

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is offering details on several new laws that are about to go into effect in the Lake Area and around Missouri.

Beginning August 28th, respiratory chokeholds are being prohibited by law enforcement officers, unless they’re defending themselves or another person from serious physical injury or death.

Starting March 1st of next year, law enforcement agencies will be reporting use-of-force incidents involving police officers to a data base run by the FBI.

On March 1st 2023, the Department of Public Safety will then report the data on use of force incidents to the public.

New laws are also set to go into effect that will require law enforcement officer to have their mental health examined once every three to five years.

The Critical Incident Stress Management Program will also offer services to law enforcement officers who have responded to a critical incident or emotionally difficult event.

A fund for those resources is being set up within the State Treasury to help pay for consultation, risk assessment, education and any other crisis intervention measures necessary.

Also, if you’re convicted of human trafficking in the state of Missouri, you will not be making a living by driving a commercial vehicle.

A lifetime ban for all human trafficking convicts goes into effect August 28th.

And a Missouri fuel tax of 2.5 cents per gallon goes into effect in October, and that will keep going up another 2.5 cents each fiscal year until it reaches 12.5 cents by July 1, 2025.

Two Miller County Residents Convicted Of Drug Charges Lose Over $46,000 Dollars

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Two people convicted of drug offenses in Miller County are learning crime does not pay behind bars.

Ricky Distler and Kelley Raney are losing a combined $46-hundred fifty-six dollars and change because of a statute in the state of Missouri.

“The money is seized during a search warrant, or a traffic stop. Under Missouri law we’re able to take that money and seize it through a separate civil action. That money gets distributed back to the state and it’s sent to schools and places like that” says Miller County Prosecutor Benjamin Winfrey. , “So the money had been seized for some time…but what just happened is the judge finally granted our request to forfeit that money…so that it’s taken from those defendants, forever, and then distributed back into the community.”

He tells KRMS News similar statutes are found in other states in the U-S and there’s also a Federal version of Missouri’s Criminal Activity Forfeiture Act.

Distler will be losing more than $21-hundred seventy dollars.

Raney will forfeit just over $24-hundred dollars.

Winfrey says only money connected to drug convictions can be taken by the state via the CAFA statute.

KC Man Missing Since Sunday Drowns At Lake Of The Ozarks

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A Kansas City Man who’s been missing since Sunday has been found dead after drowning at the Lake of the Ozarks.

According to the Highway Patrol’s Water Division, 55-year-old James Jensen was found floating in a cove, just off the 9.5 Mile Marker of the Main Channel on Tuesday morning.

No further details as to how he ended up in the water have been released, but an investigation is now underway.

Columbia Man Involved In Wild Chase Identified As Kenneth Rybolt

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Lake Ozark police are releasing the name of a Columbia man accused of trying to steal multiple cars, including a police car, and a PWC on Saturday.

But the whole thing started with a call from Kohl’s Department Store about shoplifting.

“This one was a little bit more bizarre, it involved a lot more people and it was a whole lot more dangerous than a typical shoplifting call” says  Lake Ozark Police Chief Gary Launderville.

He tells KRMS News when officers got to Kohl’s 26-year-old Kenneth Rybolt rammed a police car and headed toward Bagnell Dam before crashing into another car “it just showed he had no regard for anybody’s safety, including his own.”

Rybolt was arrested after the first crash, but he broke free inside the patrol car he was put in – and then took off in that car “we have a plexiglass sliding window in our cage in the car, and he was able to kick that hard enough and was able to get it unlocked. Then he climbed through the window and even once he was able to get away in the police car it was very evident that he wanted to get away because he event tried to steal the jet ski.”

Investigators say Rybolt then crashed the police car near Porta Cima and then tried to steal a PWC before he was found under a dock in the lake.

Rybolt’s facing numerous charges, including First Degree Assault, Resisting Arrest and Escaping from Custody While Under Arrest.

 

*********More info:

Kenneth Rybolt, 26, of Columbia, is facing multiple Miller County and Camden County charges after a wild vehicle chase Saturday afternoon that ended with the suspect apprehended in the lake.
The charges from both counties resulted because the chase began in Lake Ozark/Miller County and ended in Camden County. He is currently being held in Miller County Jail.
Rybolt is facing Miller County charges of:
•First degree assault or attempt – serious physical injury.
•Resisting arrest/detention/stop by fleeing and creating a substantial risk or serious injury/death.
Camden County charges include:
•First degree assault or attempt – serious physical injury.
•Two charges of tampering with a motor vehicle in the first degree.
•Resisting arrest/detention/stop by fleeing and creating a substantial risk or serious injury/death.
•Escaping or attempting to escape from custody while under arrest for a felony.
•Careless and imprudent driving involving an accident.
•Burglary in the second degree.
•Tampering with an airplane/motorboat in the first degree.
•Property damage in the second degree.
The scenario
A little after 3 p.m. today, Saturday, the Lake Ozark Police Department responded to a call of shoplifting at Kohl’s Department Store in Eagles’ Landing.
The reporting party was an employee just getting off work and was in the parking lot when he called the LOPD. The reporting party was being followed by the suspect into the Marcus Theatre parking lot. Two of the LOPD officers arrived, blocked in the suspect car (later determined to be stolen from Columbia a week prior) when the suspect rammed one of LOPD cars and got away.
The pursuit ensued on Bagnell Dam Blvd. where the suspect hit another vehicle in traffic head-on in the Break Time/JB Hooks area. The suspect then left the scene and drove down past the post office and instead of turning into Woods Supermarket, drove straight off the roadway, down an incline and then went off the first layer of the cliff above the Rt. MM highway, stopping just short of going off the cliff onto MM highway.
The suspect got out of car, ran to the MM stoplight, attempted to carjack a car at the stoplight and was finally apprehended by one of our officers and Miller County deputy. The suspect was handcuffed behind his back and shackled around his ankles and placed in the back seat of our car. Somehow the suspect was able to get his hands from behind his back (still cuffed), broke the cage partition and was able to climb in the driver’s seat and took off with the LOPD car over the Community Toll Bridge.
A Miller County deputy and an LOPD officer had to run back up the hill to the Miller County squad car since they did not have sight of the LOPD car. In the meantime, Camden County received a call from a resident in Porto Cima that a LOPD car was crashed and the suspect attempted to steal their car. The suspect also broke into an unoccupied house in that neighborhood, stole a key for a personal watercraft and was attempting to steal that PWC when the Missouri State Water Patrol pulled up. The suspect jumped into the water and was trying to hide under a dock. An LOPD officer jumped into the water and re-apprehended the suspect (still cuffed and shackled).
“Thankfully, no one was injured in this entire incident. We have two cars with damage,” Police Chief Gary Launderville said.
The stolen car from Columbia is totaled and full of property that has probably been stolen, according to the chief. The car that was hit head-on by the suspect has extensive damage. Those people were checked out by medics and released.
Both Miller and Camden County will be getting statements of probably cause from the LOPD and both prosecutors are expected to file numerous charges.
Columbia Police Department has been contacted and is familiar with the suspect.

Lebanon Man Facing Charges Connected To Woman’s Murder

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A Lebanon woman is dead and now one man is facing a charge of First-Degree murder.

Police were called early Friday evening on report of shots fired in a residential area and investigators say 53-year-old Brenda Rogers was found dead in a home in the 500 block of Polk Street.

Sixty-one-year-old Mark Tampow of Lebanon was arrested and also charged with Armed Criminal Action.

There are no other details available right now, but we’ll pass along more when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

8.14.21 Media Release-homicide investigation

Catalytic Converters Stolen From Missouri Department Of Conservation

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More reports of catalytic converters being stolen are coming into the KRMS News room.

This time it was vehicles owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation that were targeted.

Officials say the vehicles that were hit were parked on river accesses in Pulaski and Laclede Counties.

The MDC says law enforcement has already followed up on 11 reports of catalytic converter thefts from MDC access sites in both counties since June alone.

Columbia Man Faces Charges After GTA Style Police Chase Through Lake Ozark

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A Columbia man accused of stealing a police car in Lake Ozark after his arrest is facing numerous charges in multiple Lake Area Counties.

It all started Saturday afternoon when police were called to Kohl’s on a report of shoplifting.

When officers arrived, the suspect took off after ramming one of the patrol cars and headed toward Bagnell Dam, but he crashed head-on into another car and kept going.

Police say the suspect then drove the damaged car, which had been reported stolen, off the road near MM at Woods Supermarket.

He was later arrested after he tried to carjack another car.

But officers say the hand-cuffed man was able to get his arms in front of him before he broke the cage partition in the squad car he was in.

Investigators say the man got into the front seat and drove the police car over the toll bridge, where he crashed it.

Then, he reportedly broke into a house and attempted to steal another car, was unsuccessful, so he broke into another house and stole a set of keys for a PWC.

Lake Ozark police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol Water Division later found the man under a dock in the lake, where he was taken into custody again by Corporal Green with LOPD.

This is a developing story and we’ll pass along more details when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

 

*****Update from Lake Ozark PD:

A little after 3 p.m. today, Saturday, the Lake Ozark Police Department responded to a call of shoplifting at Kohl’s Department Store in Eagles’ Landing.

The reporting party was an employee just getting off work and was in the parking lot when he called the LOPD. The reporting party was being followed by the suspect into the Marcus Theatre parking lot. Two of the LOPD officers arrived, blocked in the suspect car (later determined to be stolen from Columbia a week prior) when the suspect rammed one of LOPD cars and got away. The pursuit ensued on Bagnell Dam Blvd. where the suspect hit another vehicle in traffic head-on in the Break Time/JB Hooks area. The suspect then left the scene and drove down past the post office and instead of turning into Woods Supermarket, drove straight off the roadway, down an incline and then went off the first layer of the cliff above the Rt. MM highway, stopping just short of going off the cliff onto MM highway.

The suspect got out of car, ran to the MM stoplight, attempted to carjack a car at the stoplight and was finally apprehended by one of our officers and Miller County deputy. The suspect was handcuffed behind his back and shackled around his ankles and placed in the back seat of our car. Somehow the suspect was able to get his hands from behind his back (still cuffed), broke the cage partition and was able to climb in the driver’s seat and took off with the LOPD car over the Community Toll Bridge.

A Miller County deputy and an LOPD officer had to run back up the hill to the Miller County squad car since they did not have sight of the LOPD car.  In the meantime, Camden County received a call from a resident in Porto Cima that a LOPD car was crashed and the suspect attempted to steal their car.  The suspect also broke into an unoccupied house in that neighborhood, stole a key for a personal watercraft and was attempting to steal that PWC when the Missouri State Water Patrol pulled up.  The suspect jumped into the water and was trying to hide under a dock.  An LOPD officer jumped into the water and re-apprehended the suspect (still cuffed and shackled).

“Thankfully, no one was injured in this entire incident.  We have two cars with damage,” Police Chief Gary Launderville said.

The stolen car from Columbia is totaled and full of property that has probably been stolen, according to the chief. The car that was hit head-on by the suspect has extensive damage. Those people were checked out by medics and released.

Both Miller and Camden County will be getting statements of probably cause from the LOPD and both prosecutors are expected to file numerous charges. Columbia Police Department has been contacted and is familiar with the suspect.

UPDATE: Columbia Man In Custody Following 2 Car Chases – One Involving A Stolen Lake Ozark PD Vehicle

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***Update:

A Columbia man is facing numerous charges following a wild chase through Lake Ozark.

Officials say it started at the Kohl’s parking lot, when Lake Ozark Police responded to a shoplifting call.

Once there, officers were forced to give chase when the man commandeered a stolen car and drove to Bagnell Dam BLVD, where he was involved in a head-on collision.

He then proceeded to go to Woods Supermarket and went over the cliff at the parking lot.

He was apprehended and placed into a Lake Ozark Patrol vehicle, where he was able to break out of the cage and stole the police car.

Another pursuit took place across the Toll Bridge into Porto Cima, where he jumped from the car, ran into the Lake and was eventually captured by Corporal Green of the LOPD.

The man is being held in the Miller County Jail on a number of charges and 2 LOPD Vehicles were damaged in the pursuits.

This remains a developing story and we will bring you the latest as it comes in.

 

**** From the city of Lake Ozark:

A Columbia man is in custody after a rather bazaar incident late Saturday afternoon.
It all started in the parking lot at Kohls in Eagles’ Landing when the Lake Ozark Police Department received a shoplifting call. A pursuit began there and went to the parking lot at Marcus Theatre. From there, the suspect, who commandeered a vehicle taken from Kohl’s that turned out to be stolen – took off to Bagnell Dam Blvd. where he was involved in a head-on collision. (No reported injuries)
The vehicle then left the scene, went to Woods Supermarket and then over a cliff At some point, the Lake Ozark Police Department took the suspect into custody and handcuffed the suspect behind his back and put him in the back of the patrol car. While the LOPD officer was tending to the head-on accident, the suspect was able to put his hands in front of him and break out the cage between the backseat of the LOPD and the front seat and the stole the LOPD vehicle.
He then raced across the toll bridge into a Porto Cima neighborhood where he abandoned the vehicle. The suspect entered the lake where he was eventually apprehended by an LOPD officer.
The suspect is in custody in Miller County where he faces a variety of charges.
The LOPD has two damaged vehicles.
The Missouri State Water Patrol, the Miller County Sheriff’s Department and the Camden County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the incident.
More details will be provided when available.
This is a developing story. No additional information is available at this time;

*****Previous Story:

We’re getting word of an accident involving a Lake Ozark Police SUV.

According to sources & comments on social media, it appears that someone may have stolen the Police SUV and during a chase with other officers, crashed it.

That is unconfirmed at this time and we are awaiting more information from the city about the incident.

As soon as the details are released, we will pass them along to you.

16 People Sent To Department Of Corrections Out Of Pulaski County

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16 People are being sentenced to the Department of Corrections following court proceedings in Pulaski County.

Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Hillman tells KRMS News that one of those individuals is Misty Zerr of Dixon, who violated terms of her probation for leaving the scene of an accident and was sentenced to 2 years behind bars.

Another includes Lela Ransome of Crocker, who violated her probation for the possession of a controlled substance.

She will serve a 3-year sentence.

Also sentenced for 7 years was Cody West of Richland, for violating a probation for forgery.

 

***More information on the 16:

PRESS RELEASE
8/12/2021
16 Offenders Sentenced to the Department of Corrections
Kevin Hillman, Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney announces that the following defendants were sentenced to terms of imprisonment in the Missouri Department of Corrections in Circuit Court action over the last two months. Those offenders were:
1. Dirk McGinnie of Kansas City. The defendant was on probation for Burglary in the First Degree. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of his probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke his probation. Judge Beger granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 6 years in the Department of Corrections. The St. Robert Police Department investigated this case.
2. Misty Zerr of Dixon. The defendant was on probation for Leaving the Scene of an Accident. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of her probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke her probation. Judge Hickle granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 2 years in the Department of Corrections. The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated this case.
3. Lela Ransome of Crocker. The defendant was on probation for Possession of a Controlled Substance. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of her probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke her probation. Judge Beger granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 3 years in the Department of Corrections. The Crocker Police Department investigated this case.
4. Diamarr Keys of Waynesville. The defendant pled guilty to Harassment in the First Degree. Judge Wiggins sentenced the defendant to 4 years in the Department of Corrections. The Waynesville Police Department investigated this case.
5. Lance Baker of Dixon. The defendant was on probation for Resisting Arrest. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of his probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke his probation. Judge Beger granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 5 years in the Department of Corrections. The Dixon Police Department investigated this case.
6. Cody West of Richland. The defendant was on probation for Forgery. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of his probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke his probation. Judge Hickle granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 7 years in the Department of Corrections. The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case.
7. Darius Brown of Tacoma, Washington. The defendant was on probation for Resisting Arrest After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of his probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke his probation. Judge Hickle granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 4 years in the Department of Corrections. The Crocker Police Department investigated this case.
8. Todd Decker of St. Clair, Missouri. The defendant was on probation for Possession of a Controlled Substance. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of his probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke his probation. Judge Beger granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to ten years in the Department of Corrections. The Waynesville Police Department investigated this case.
9. Nicholas Brewer of Waynesville. The defendant was on probation for Burglary in the Second Degree and Possession of a Controlled Substance. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of his probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke his probation. Judge Beger granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 5 years in the Department of Corrections on each count. The St. Robert Police Department investigated this case.
10. Leroy Vanderhoof of Laquey. The defendant pled guilty to Stealing. Judge Beger sentenced the defendant to 3 years in the Department of Corrections. The St. Robert Police Department investigated this case.
11. Jenna Ringwell of Plato. The defendant was on probation for Possession of a Controlled Substance. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of her probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke her probation. Judge Beger granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 5 years in the Department of Corrections. The St. Robert Police Department investigated this case.
12. Billy Rains Jr. of Laquey. The defendant was on probation for Domestic Assault in the Third Degree and Harrassment in the First Degree. After failing to adhere to the terms and conditions of his probation, the Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion to revoke his probation. Judge Hickle granted the motion and sentenced the defendant to 2 years in the Department of Corrections on each count. The Waynesville Police Department and Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department investigated these cases.
13. Donald Copeland of Potosi. The defendant pled guilty to Possession of a Controlled Substance. Judge Beger sentenced the defendant to 4 years in the Department of Corrections. The Richland Police Department investigated this case.
14. Jeremy McAllister of Waynesville. The defendant pled guilty Possession of a Controlled Substance. Judge Beger sentenced the defendant to 4 years in the Department of Corrections. The Crocker Police Department investigated this case.
15. Stephen Hunt of St. Robert. The defendant pled guilty Possession of a Controlled Substance. Judge Beger sentenced the defendant to 4 years in the Department of Corrections. The St. Robert Police Department investigated this case.
16. Joseph Curtis of St. Robert. The defendant pled guilty to Assault in the Third Degree. Judge Beger sentenced the defendant to 3 years in the Department of Corrections. The Waynesville Police department investigated this case.
“We continue to work hard to hold offenders accountable for their misconduct,” said Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Hillman. “I believe that these sentences show that Pulaski County law enforcement officials remain committed to seeing that justice is served.”
These cases were prosecuted by Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Hillman and Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys, Donna Holden, Sherrie Hamner, and Henry Surkamp.
Please direct all questions to Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Hillman.

Former Manager At FT Wood Hospital Pleads Guilty To Fraud

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A former Manager of the Fort Leonard Wood Hospital’s Dining Facility is pleading guilty in federal court, for stealing more than $69,000 from their cash registers.

53-year-old Gregory Arthur Norton of Springfield was employed by Sodexo, a contractor who provides food services to the patients and staff at the General Leonard Wood Hospital.

He worked with the company from 2015 to 2018 as served as General Manager, overseeing payroll, managing the budget and reviewing financial statements.

Officials say they noticed cash discrepancies during an audit in 2018, which matched up to missing cash at the cash registers dating back to 2015 and ending in 2018.

The audit concluded the issue was conducted by one or more Sodexo managers in an attempt to defraud the government, and further concluded Norton was the one working the dining facility during that time.

Under federal statutes, Norton is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

 

****More info:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 12, 2021

Former Manager at Fort Leonard Wood Pleads Guilty to Theft

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The former general manager of the hospital dining facility at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing more than $69,000 from the cash registers.

Gregory Arthur Norton, 53, of Springfield, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of theft of public money.

Norton was employed by Sodexo, Inc., which was contracted to provide food services to the patients and staff of the General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital, from August 2015 to July 2018. Norton’s duties as general manager included managing payroll for the employees, managing the budget, reviewing financial statements and tracking operating expenses for the hospital dining area, the close out of all cash drawers, and the preparation and verification of the daily cash deposit.

Significant cash discrepancies totaling $78,320 were discovered during an audit in November 2018. These discrepancies were identified as being related to large unexplained voids conducted at the cash register Point of Sale (“POS”) systems, which began in November 2015 and ended in March 2018. The report concluded the voids were conducted by one or more Sodexo managers in an attempt to defraud the government. The report further concluded Norton was present and working in the dining facility during the loss of at least $69,025. Multiple witnesses stated that Norton worked unusual hours, often staying at work longer than would be considered normal for someone in his position.

Norton admitted he conducted fraudulent voids at the POS systems from August 2015 to March 31, 2018. Norton used his manager code to authorize the voids and stole the voided amount of cash. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Norton must pay $69,025 in restitution to the government.

Under federal statutes, Norton is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Kempf. It was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Leonard Wood.

Iberia Man Sentenced To 13 Years For Jefferson City Sexual Assault

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An Iberia man will spend the next 13 years in prison for sexually assaulting a Jefferson City woman.

The sentence was handed down by a Cole County Judge after 50-year-old David Gene Lee pleaded guilty to charges of Sexual Abuse.

Lee, a registered sex offender, admitted to the court that he promised to give the 19-year-old victim a “ride home” while at the 500 block of High Street back in January of this year.

Instead, Lee took the woman to a hotel on Jefferson Street and repeatedly assaulted her.

Lee’s record shows a history of assaults and kidnappings, some of which date back to 1988.

Four People Face Numerous Drug Charges After Bust In Miller County

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Four people are facing numerous drugs charges in Miller County.

According to the Sheriff’s office, deputies were attempting to locate Terry Weaver who was wanted on Felony no bond warrants.

During a search at an address off Raindrop Lane in Tuscumbia, Weaver attempted to flee on a boat.

Deputies found him on the banks of the Osage River and he was taken into custody.

Three others at Weaver’s home, including Kenneth Weaver, Randy Helton and Leslie Burgess were also taken into custody.

 

****More details on the arrests:

Weaver Press Release

HWP Makes Numerous Arrests – Several Of Which Are Released Without Bond

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The highway patrol reports seven arrests across the four-county Lake Area over the weekend.

Among those arrests, one person was taken in for violating an order of protection, two people each were brought in for drug possession and failure to appear in court, one for alleged drunken boating and one for violating sex offender requirements.

Four of the seven were released without having to post a bond, including the man accused of violating his sex offender requirements.

Numerous Lake Area Murder Cases Are Being Found “Not Guilty” After Years On The Docket

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closeup photo of gavel

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

The number of murder cases filed in the Lake Area continues to dwindle with, at least, four of the defendants no longer facing charges.

The most recent, Thomas Capps of Stover, was found not guilty in late May of first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Capps had been accused of staging a home invasion, reportedly, as a defense for his son to cover for allegedly shooting Ronald Salmons back in 2015.

Christine Zahn, of the Camdenton area, was also found not guilty by a jury back in March on the same charges after, allegedly, shooting her on-again-off-again boyfriend back in 2018.

Two other Lake Area residents, Tabatha Carter and Larry Matthews, had murder charges filed against them dropped before their trials could begin.

There are five other murder cases plus another four cases of involuntary manslaughter for drug-related deaths which do continue progressing through the courtrooms.

Three Injured In Benton County Multi-Vehicle Crash

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A three-vehicle accident on highway-65 in Benton County sends three people to the ER with serious injuries.

The highway patrol says it happened late Sunday morning when 49-year-old David Perryman, of Edwards, crossed over the center line striking a northbound vehicle head-on driven by 51-year-old Dennis Helt, of Plattsburg.

Perryman’s vehicle then returned to the roadway where it was struck by another vehicle driven by 31-year-old Kristin Ellis, of Sedalia.

All three drivers were seriously hurt…Perryman and Helt were flown to University Hospital in Columbia while Ellis was transported to Bothwell Hospital in Sedalia.

Neosho Man Arrested In Miller County For Oklahoma Embezzlement Case

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A 47-year-old man from Neosho Missouri, wanted on a felony warrant for embezzlement in Delaware County Oklahoma, is now in custody.

According to the highway patrol, Michael Shearer was arrested around 11:00 Saturday night in the Lake Area.

Shearer also had a warrant for not showing up to court almost five years ago for a misdemeanor traffic charge in Newton County.

He was taken to the Miller County Jail.

Name Of Man Arrested In Laclede County Shooting Released Along With More Details

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We now know the name of a man who was involved in a shooting on Wednesday in Laclede County.

According to the Sheriff’s office, Ricard Quiroz Lopez of California Missouri contacted them on his own, indicating he had shot the victim during an altercation at a home on Ripley drive.

The unidentified victim told deputies that he was in the house because he lived there with his ex-girlfriend up until two weeks ago, and that his personal property was still in the home.

Lopez told Deputies he received a “frantic” call from the woman that the unidentified man “wouldn’t leave” and that she was holding him at gunpoint.

Investigators say when Lopez arrived, he apparently took the gun from the woman, asked the man to leave and began shooting at him.

The victim was hit in the leg and was taken to a Springfield hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Lopez is now facing numerous charges.

Most Wanted Man Captured After Foot Chase In Ulman

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The Miller County Sheriff’s office says a “most wanted” man is now off the streets.

According to Sheriff Louie Gregorie, Jody Ray Ash was found on Thursday at a location on Redbird Lane near Ulman.

Ash then took off on foot, forcing Deputies and Missouri Park Rangers to give chase.

Ash is a wanted fugitive with a no bond warrant and a Pulaski County warrant.

He was captures and is being held in the Miller County Jail, facing numerous charges.

20210805145727

Man Arrested In Polling Place Disruption Identified As Corey Coffelt Of Camdenton

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More details are coming in about a man arrested for disrupting a polling place in Camden County.

According to the Sheriff’s office, Corey J Coffelt of Camdenton is now facing charges of Burglary, Armed Criminal action and Property Damage.

Officials say Coffelt entered the Autumn Village polling place Tuesday and disrupted the internet, by damaging a modem and phone lines in the building.

He later broke into the Rippling Waters Resort, where he pulled a knife on an employee and was eventually taken into custody.

Coffelt is facing additional pending charges.

 

****Press Release:

On the morning of August 3rd, Deputies responded to the Voting location at Autumn Village office in Camdenton, where a subject disrupted the internet by damaging the modem and phone lines. The suspect then broke into nearby Rippling Waters Resort where he pulled a knife on an employee and was soon apprehended by Deputies.

The suspect Corey J. Coffelt of Camdenton has been formally charged with Burglary 1st, Felony Endangering the welfare of a child, Armed Criminal Action, 1st degree Property Damage. More charges are pending.

The Camden County Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone that these charges are merely an accusation, and this individual remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law..

Shooting Investigation Underway In Laclede County

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A shooting investigation is underway in Laclede County.

According to Laclede County Sheriff David Millsap, it happened at a home on Ripley Drive just south of Oakland.

The Sheriff says an unidentified victim suffered a gunshot wound to the lower leg during a disturbance at the home.

3 people were involved in the shooting, including one female.

The unidentified victim was taken to a Springfield hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Millsap says the shooter is in custody and additional details are expected to be released soon.

Ewens Faces Death Penalty Following Deadly Shootout in 2020

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Photo by Miller County Missouri . Org

A Lake Area man will face the death penalty when he goes on trial in November.

Miller County Prosecutor Benjamin Winfrey is announcing the State of Missouri will pursue the death penalty for 58-year-old Terry Ewens.

He’s accused of holding three people hostage, one of them a 71-year-old woman who was found dead at the scene when deputies arrived at a home in Rocky Mount in September of last year.

Deputies say Ewens threatened to shoot them before barricading himself in the home.

A 51-year-old woman who called 9-1-1 was able to escape after deputies arrived and an 82- year-old year-old man was later found beaten in the home, but he survived the attack.

Ewens is facing several charges, including First-Degree Murder, First Degree Kidnapping and First-Degree Kidnapping.

The pre-trial is set to begin September 14th.

EwensIntentDP

Man In Custody Following Disruption At Camden County Polling Site

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gray knuckles

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

One person is in custody after causing a disruption at a Camden County voting site on Tuesday.

According to the Camden County Clerk, the unidentified man caused a disruption at the Autumn Village site.

They say he entered the polling site, but when he was asked if he wanted to vote he said no.

Officials say shortly afterward, loud crashing noises were heard from the back of the building and the man attempted to run, before breaking into the office at Rippling Waters and pulling a knife on an employee.

The unidentified man was taken into custody and is now facing pending charges.

More Arrests Expected In Vonza Watson Murder

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Right now there are two people facing charges in the shooting death of Vonza Watson over Memorial Day weekend at Lazy Gators, but the Camden County Prosecutor thinks  more arrests are coming.

And Video footage obtained from the public is part of the reason why.

“We’ve been identifying people in those videos” says Caleb Cunningham, “anybody who was involved….we are looking for you. We’re going to find you, we’re going to charge you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Obviously we’ve got two down and I expect there will be more to come.”

He tells KRMS News there’s no timetable on the announcement of more arrests in the Watson murder case.

23-year-old Craig Hawkins was charged with second degree murder one day after 29-year-old Chad Brewer was charged with First Degree murder.

Brewer could face the death penalty if convicted.

Both suspects are from Jeff City.

Eldon Man Facing More Charges Following Arrest Over The Weekend

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An Eldon man on probation for stealing a vehicle is facing more charges after an arrest over the weekend.

According to the Highway Patrol, an investigation began when troopers responded to Route M in Miller County on a call of a truck that had crashed into a fence, snapping a utility pole and had fled the scene.

Troopers followed a trail of debris and later found the truck on Bax road abandoned.

The truck had previously been reported stolen and Troopers also found a wallet inside, along with 6 vehicle titles, a glass pipe and a black box with a white crystal substance inside.

Troopers later identified the man who had been driving the stolen truck as 30-year-old Randall Ray Shepherd.

He’s now facing numerous charges including possession of a controlled substance and tampering with a motor vehicle.

Camden Prosecutor Receives DWI Hero Of The Year Award

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The Prosecutor of Camden County’s getting some recognition from the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

Caleb Cunningham been named the DWI Hero of the Year

“I was deeply honored to even be nominated” says Cunningham,“some law enforcement nominated me…some Troopers and Sheriff’s deputies.”

He tells KRMS News he’s most proud of the fact law enforcement can now get blood drawn from DWI suspects quicker than before “the fastest time is 11 minutes. Generally in 15 minutes now, we’re able to digitize that process…which has made it a tremendous amount faster, more efficient and more accurate quite honestly.”

Cunningham says the Camden County Sheriff’s Office recorded around 88 DWI’s in the Lake Area in 2020.

But this year that number is up over 140 with the Labor Day Weekend still to come.

Cunningham was interviewed on the KRMS Morning Magazine.

Tuesday’s Election Results Are In – Camden Sheriff Will Get Tax Increase

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Election results from Tuesday are in and it’s a yes vote all across the board.

For Camden County, over 1,800 residents said yes to a tax increase for the Camden County Sheriff’s Office.

The department requested the increase after calls for service shot up nearly 60% over the past year.

It also comes at a time where Camden County was the lowest salaries for deputies anywhere in the state.

In Laclede County, voters also gave a yes nod to the Bond for the Public Water District # 1 and said yes to a one-half of one percent sales tax increase for storm water management and parks in the city of Lebanon.

The sales tax will replace the park tax levy, which was being charged on personal property and real estate.

130_PALL_Election_Summaryfinal
 Unofficial Results-8.3.21-Evening

Benton County Sheriff Eric Knox Worried About Losing More Deputies

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The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is facing a labor shortage, and the Sheriff says it’s not limited to the Lake Area.

“It’s a nationwide epidemic. If you watch the national news, the de-fund the police thing…it’s all across the nation” says Benton County Sheriff Eric Knox, “I’ve lost most of my staff after they’ve been trained and decide to move on to better paying districts…I don’t blame them at all, you have to support your family.”

He tells KRMS News people aren’t lining up to be police officers and fire fighters the way they used to “I’ve had staff that left to go work in factories. The jobs pay well, they have better benefits and you’re not getting shot at.”

Sheriff Knox says one of his biggest concerns is that criminals are becoming more emboldened to commit crimes with the idea law enforcement might not be able to respond in time – or at all.

He says people in rural areas are expressing their concerns and Knox fears some will end up taking the law into their own hands if necessary.

 

More from the Sheriff:

I feel it is my duty to reach out to you, the citizens of Benton County, and let you know that the Sheriff’s Office is short staffed to the point of nearly working only life threatening calls. I accepted the resignation of our seventh deputy recently. I am short two more deputies who have injuries, for a total of NINE (9) down. We have a total of seventeen POST certified positions with three of those serving as court security, transport and administration.
You can do the math…very few of your local protectors to cover a county of 753 square miles, but they are doing everything they can.
I would ask that you please be kind to your dispatchers. I understand that individuals are calling back in, wondering why law enforcement hasn’t made it to their call yet. We must work life threatening calls first and take the remainder in order of receipt. Some will complain about me putting these facts out to you for fear that the criminal element will know how short staffed we are. I would like nothing better than for this information not to be public, but I feel it is important for me, as your elected official, to be transparent with you. You have a right to know what’s going on in your elected offices. Unfortunately, I can also assure you that the criminal element already knows how short we are, who is working and how many are on duty.
Law Enforcement agencies all across the nation are experiencing shortages of staff. If you follow the news, you will see it is more significant in some other areas. Benton County is currently the shortest staffed of the Mid-Missouri Sheriff’s Offices. The latest resignations included a move to factory work; retirement for better benefits, and a young man who was hired by the Missouri State Highway Patrol after being offered a $19,000 pay raise and state benefits. I am actively recruiting to fill the vacant positions as quickly as possible.
On a different note, I try to bring light to our unsung heroes, the dispatchers and our volunteer fire fighters who risk their lives and donate their time for the safety of the community. There is one person that I have only mentioned in passing as I described a crime scene, or talked about a case. I would like to recognize your county coroner, Weston Miller. Weston is a humble man, quiet and professional, his job is as thankless as they come.
Weston responds to every deceased person in our county, often times with no notice, for a salary of just over $17,000 annually. I want to thank Weston for everything he does and for being there for our community. If you should happen to see him out and about, please thank him for doing a sometimes heart wrenching job that no one else wants to do.
Sheriff Knox

Fire At Rolla Apartment Complex Believed To Be Intentional

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Several people are okay after an apartment fire in Rolla.

Fire and Rescue says they were called to the burning building July 16th and they found fire and smoke coming from the second floor.

The fire was quickly put out, but then investigators found the fire was not an accident.

Several days of interviews lead to the arrest of Rolla resident Phillip Doba, who’s now charged with First Degree Arson and First Degree Burglary.

Fire Chief Ron Smith says fire have been happening more often in Rolla, and some of them intentionally.

Phillip Doba - Arson Fire - Bishop Ave - NEWS RELEASE - UPDATED

Man Charged With First Degree Murder In Lazy Gators Shooting

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A charge of First Degree murder is announced by Camden County Prosecutor Caleb Cunningham.

“On Saturday May 29th, 2021….a shooting occurred here at Lazy Gators in Camden County. Vondza Watson, was the target of the shooting and would pass away from his injuries. Following an extensive investigation, my office is charging Chad Tariq Brewer of Jefferson City, with murder in the first degree.”

Cunningham spoke at a press conference Wednesday at the Camden County Courthouse.

He says the penalty for the murder charge Brewer’s facing ranges from a minimum of life in prison without parole to the death penalty.

Cunningham’s not ruling out additional charges for other people who may have been involved in the Memorial Day weekend shooting.

This is a developing story and we’ll pass along the latest on News / Talk KRMS.

Press Release (Brewer)

Versailles Man Arrested In Capitol Protest Faces More Issues Following Shooting Contest

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A Versailles man facing charges in the January 6th Capitol Protest is now facing more problems, after competing in a shooting contest this month.

During a hearing in federal court last week, investigators learned about the shooting contest after Matthew Loganbill released his results on his own website.

Officials say that violates the terms of his release and they’re asking the court he be restricted from this point on, not to have any firearms.

Loganbill is the owner of Tooth and Nail Armory in Gravois Mills and was one of 12 Missourians arrested following the protest.

He is arguing that he also is a firearms trainer at his business, and needs to be able to handle the guns.

The Kansas City Star reports that the recent shooting competition was part of his firing range business, and was held at the range.

Camdenton Man Faces Sexual Misconduct Charges Related To A Children’s YMCA Camp

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A Camdenton man’s facing four counts of Sexual Misconduct with a Child Under 15.

According to the Lebanon Police Department, Gordon Bruce Mitchell is accused of exposing his genitals to four different children ages 10 through 12.

As of this evening, Vinelink shows that he has posted bail and is no longer being held at the Camden County Jail.

Read more from the Lebanon PD:

 

On July 25, 2021, 74-year-old Gordon Bruce Mitchell of Camdenton, Missouri was charged by the Laclede County Prosecutor’s Office with four (4) counts of Felony Sexual Misconduct 1st Degree involving a child under 15 after an incident that occurred at the Lebanon YMCA on July 21, 2021.

Mitchell is currently being held at the Camden County Jail with a $25,000 Cash or Surety bond.

On July 22, 2021, Lebanon Officers were contacted by Lebanon Family YMCA after a report that Mitchell
had been exposing his genitals to children who were attending the YMCA Summer Day Camp. After
further investigation, this behavior was found to have occurred on multiple different occasions.

Mitchell was taken into custody on his warrant by Camden County Sheriff’s Deputies for the above charges on
July 26, 2021 without incident.

The above charges are mere accusation and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of these
charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

Traffic Stop Nets Drugs And Guns

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Several drugs are off the streets in Miller County following a traffic stop by the Highway Patrol over the weekend.

Officials say they pulled over 28-year-old Alexis Barraza-Chavez of Grain Valley, Missouri while traveling on Highway 54.

During a search of the vehicle, troopers discovered cocaine, prescription pills, marijuana, scales and two guns.

Barraza-Chavez was sent to the Miller County Jail and is facing pending charges.

Concerned Women For America’s Alissa Johnson To Speak Tuesday In Camdenton

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Two kids with tablet computer in a dark room. Protection of children against content from the internet concept

Officials with Concerned Women for America (CWA) of Missouri will be hosting a special guest in Camdenton this Tuesday.

CWA of Missouri Legislative Liaison Alissa Johnson is expected to speak at the Key Gathering Place on the Protect Young Minds Online Act.

Johnson says that over forty years ago, lawmakers created a Missouri statute that would make furnishing pornographic material to minors a Class A misdemeanor.

However, that statute does not include the internet.

With so many minors are accessing pornography through their computers and cell phones, Johnson says that statue needs an update.

The event will take place starting at 6:30PM.

 

More about the event:

If you live in or around Camdenton, Missouri, Concerned Women for America (CWA) of Missouri invites you to come to hear CWA of Missouri Legislative Liaison, Alissa Johnson, speak on the Protect Young Minds Online Act (PYMOA), Tuesday, July 27 in Camdenton, Missouri.

The Missouri State Capitol in advocating for the passage of PYMOA – legislation that will require internet service providers in the state to add a filter to protect children from viewing pornography/obscenity online. This legislation is the first and only of its kind and has been vetted and supported by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.

More than forty years ago, Missouri lawmakers created a Missouri statute that would make furnishing pornographic material to minors a Class A misdemeanor. The statute has never been updated to include the internet. Presently, minors are accessing pornography/obscenity via the internet on their cell phones, home computers, friends’ laptops/tablets, etc. The PYMOA will be a partial remedy for that.

According to the testimony of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners in Missouri, they are finding that over 40 percent of perpetrators who assault minor children are minor children themselves – ages 10-14. These assaults by children are attributed to the acting out of what they have observed while watching online pornography.

We Need You! This is the third year that PYMOA has been filed, and movement for its passage made in the Missouri General Assembly. Each year that the PYMOA is not passed, the problem grows exponentially. It will take an active, grassroots outcry to motivate elected members of the General Assembly to pass this bill.

Meeting Details:
When: Tuesday, July 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Key Gathering Place, 1163 Business MO 5, Camdenton, MO 65020
Who: The general public is invited to attend this free event. Men, women, and teens are welcome to attend.

About Alissa Johnson
Alissa Johnson is a member of the CWA of Missouri leadership team. Her duties as a Legislative Liaison include meeting with legislators in both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly to discuss legislation, testify at legislative hearings, pray for and encourage legislators, as well as participate in activities designed to educate lawmakers and communities statewide on important legislation.

We hope to see you there.

Bev Ehlen
State Director

Osage Beach Pull Over More People On The Road

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For the second full week of July, Osage Beach are reporting four arrests, including one for driving while suspended, one for stealing and two others for assault.

Officers reported 54 traffic stops between July 12th and the 18th.

There were eight pedestrian checks, seven noise complaints, nine disturbance calls and police made 83 building and area checks.

There nine traffic accidents reported, fifteen alarms went off and zero hang-up calls to 9-1-1.

Speculation Arises That Biker Bar Fire Could Be Retaliation From Biker Shooting Last Week

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There’s speculation a fire in Kaiser, between Osage Beach and Lake Ozark, could be connected to a shooting that killed one person near Bagnell Dam Thursday, but KRMS News cannot confirm that as fact.

But we do know there was a fire, and the Osage Beach Fire Department helped to knock it down.

“There was a lot of heat and smoke damage in the front portion of the building. Approximately 1,000 gallons of water was used to put the fire out” says Captain Jeff Mellencamp with Osage Beach Fire, “We were assisted by multiple agencies in the lake area, Mid-County, Lake Ozark, Sunrise Beach were all asked to assist.”

Mellencamp says the fire broke out after 11:30 Tuesday night and the cause of the fire is not yet known.

The investigation into what led to the fire is being handled by the Missouri State fire Marshall.

KRMS News has reached out for comment and we’ll pass along more details on the story as soon as possible.

 

****Additional Details:

Osage Beach, MO – The Osage Beach Fire Protection District (OBFPD), responded to a fire in a commercial structure on highway 42 on July 20 at 11:33 p.m.

Upon arrival, crews reported a large metal build with smoke and fire showing from front and side “Alpha/Bravo corner”.

The first-in engine company advanced a 2” handline for search and extinguishment. They were backed up by the second-in crew with an additional handline.

Crews were able to stop the fire before it advanced throughout the building. OBFPD crews were assisted by automatic aid partners, Lake Ozark, and Sunrise Beach Fire Protection Districts.

Crews remained on the scene until 5:00 a.m. this morning awaiting the arrival of the Missouri State Fire Marshall’s investigator who is handling the investigation.

2 Million Dollar Grant Announced By Parson Will Help CADV

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A $2 million dollar grant will be available to help victims of domestic violence in the Lake Area.

“These funds are key to Citizens Against Domestic Violence continuing the be able to operate in this community” says Sheree Keely, the Executive Director of CADV.

She tells KRMS News fundraising and donations alone cannot keep organizations focused on providing resources for victims of domestic violence going “I’ve provided one of the local offices with several packets, over 50, prior to the 4th of July holiday. Right after the Holiday, I got a call requesting more.”

Keely says those the packets given to law enforcement have information on how victims of domestic violence can get the help they need.

Governor Mike Parson announced the grant Tuesday, which includes another $2 million dollars for children who’ve been victims of sexual abuse and receive help from organizations like Kids Harbor in the Lake Area.

LANEG Releases Second Quarter Stats For The Lake Area

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Lines of coke (it is baking powder for the record)

Photo by Colin Davis on Unsplash

The Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group is giving numbers for the second quarter of 2021.

The multi-jurisdictional agency reports 343 grams of meth was seized.

Close to 4-thousand grams of marijuana, 10 grams of Psilocybin mushrooms and 79 doses of fentanyl were also picked up during enforcement efforts.

Twenty-five search warrants were served and 56 people were arrested and charged with 129 drug-related charges.

 

***Additional Details:

 

LAKE AREA NARCOTICS ENFORCEMENT GROUP ANNOUNCES QUARTERLY AMOUNTS OF DRUG SEIZURES

 

The Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group (LANEG) is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force which serves Camden, Crawford, Gasconade, Laclede, and Maries Counties.  Additionally, the task force serves the cities of Lebanon, Bourbon, Camdenton, Cuba, Steelville, Owensville, Vienna, Hermann, and Belle.  The task force encompasses five counties with an approximate population of 142,000 residents.  LANEG employs five (5) Task Force Officers and is coordinated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, who supplies two (2) Troopers to the task force.  LANEG focuses its efforts on drug enforcement by conducting both covert and overt narcotics investigations in the counties and cities they serve.

 

The task force reported the following amounts of drug seizures as a result of its enforcement efforts in the previous quarter (April 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021):

Methamphetamine — 343 grams

Marijuana — 3,945 grams

THC Wax — 156 grams

Pseudoephedrine — 87 grams

Psilocybin Mushrooms — 10 grams

Prescription drugs/pills — 161 doses

Fentanyl — 79 doses

Firearms — 8

 

During the previous quarter (listed above), LANEG seized, one (1) marijuana grow with one hundred forty (140) plants, served twenty-five (25) search warrants, conducted ten (10) consent searches, and arrested fifty-six (56) individuals on one hundred twenty-nine (129) drug related charges.  In addition, LANEG made three (3) arrest for Possession of Stolen Property, two (2) arrest for Felon in Possession of a firearm, seven (7) warrant arrest, these non-drug related charges include but are not limited to the above fifty-six (56) individuals.

 

LANEG credits its success to local and surrounding law enforcement agencies’ and the public’s cooperation.  If you have any information regarding a possible methamphetamine laboratory, growing of marijuana, or other information about the distribution of narcotics, please contact your local law enforcement agency or you can call the following toll-free numbers to reach LANEG.  1-800-351-8477 (TIPS).  All callers have the option of remaining anonymous.

Funding for this project made available by the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG), which is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance and the State of Missouri Department of Public Safety.

Governor Parson Opens Grant Program To Fight Crimes Against Children

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Governor Mike Parson wants to fight crimes committed against children while also helping out the victims of crime.

Starting August 1st, the Crimes Against Children/Sex Crimes grant will open, and $2 million dollars will be available to investigate, prosecute and detect crimes against children.

On September 1st, another $2 million dollars will be available in the Victims of Crime grant that will offer resources to victims of domestic violence and the agencies that serve them.

 

***Additional info:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 20, 2021

Governor Parson Announces $4 million in New Grant Programs to Combat Crimes Against Children and Provide Additional Support to Crime Victim Service Agencies

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – Governor Mike Parson today announced $4 million in new grant opportunities to combat crimes against children and to provide additional funding to agencies that provide services to crime victims.

“The last two years have created hardships and strained resources across the nation, but the reported rise in crimes affecting children and the difficulties experienced by agencies that provide vital services to crime victims is most concerning,” Governor Parson said. “These new grant programs will allow us to better investigate and prosecute criminals who victimize children and support domestic violence service agencies and child advocacy centers who serve our most vulnerable citizens and help bring criminals to justice.”

A total of $2 million in grant opportunities is being made available to assist local law enforcement and prosecutors to combat crimes against children, which rose in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. An additional $2 million in grant opportunities is being made available to support crime victim service agencies, which have reported increases in service referrals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two competitive grants will utilize funds previously allocated to Missouri from the federal Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program (CESF). The U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance has approved the reallocation of CESF program funds to meet emergent needs that were not apparent when the CESF opportunity was originally made available. There is no local match required to access the funding. The grants will be administered by the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

The funding opportunity for the Crimes Against Children/Sex Crimes Grant is expected to open August 1, 2021. Projects may include hiring additional staff to investigate, prosecute, and detect crimes against children.

The funding opportunity for the Victims of Crime Grant is expected to open September 1, 2021. Projects may include providing resource assistance to domestic violence service agencies and child advocacy centers and aiding other entities serving victims from vulnerable populations adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Second Person Facing Charges In Fatal Shooting On The Bagnell Dam Strip

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The name of the person killed in a Thursday night shooting on The Strip is yet to be announced, but we do know a second person has been charged.

The Miller County prosecutor is charging 39-year-old Daniel Kurtzeborn with illegal gun possession.

A probable cause statement shows Kurtzeborn has previous felony convictions, and that means he cannot have a gun in the State of Missouri.

51-year-old Tonka Way-Con Ponder has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting that left one person dead and four others hurt.

2nd Degree Murder Charges Now Filed Against Man Involved In Fatal Warsaw Shooting

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A shooting death in Warsaw has one man facing charges, and some people are saying on social media there’s a connection between that shooting and another fatal shooting in Lake Ozark last week.

“That’s total misinformation. I don’t understand why citizens want to make up their own stories using information that’s just not there” says Benton County Sheriff Eric Knox, “the white noise of social media can affect an investigation like this. If something is put out, people who would come forward….won’t come forward….because they are afraid of what would happen to them.”

He tells KRMS News the shooting death of 28-year-old Lance Lyman of Warsaw is in no way connected to a shooting death on The Strip Thursday night “this is an isolated incident of alcohol and weapons, which don’t mix well together. That’s what this was.”

Deputies took one call about a disturbance early Sunday morning, and later they got another call “a driver of a truck, he said he had a person who had been shot in the back of his truck. He didn’t know who he was but he was on his way out to the ambulance base.”

But Sheriff Knox says Lyman died before Deputies could get there “he knew the female and he tried to intercede in what was actually an attack on her, so he died a hero in my estimation.”

24-year-old John Moreno was later arrested and charged with 2nd Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action and also First Degree Assault against a woman who has not been named.

This is a developing story and we’ll pass more details when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

Homicide Investigation Underway After One Man Killed In Warsaw

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A homicide investigation is underway following a fatal shooting in Warsaw.

According to the Benton County Sheriff’s office, 24-year-old John Morino was taken into custody in connection to the death of 28-year-old Lance Lyman of Warsaw.

Deputies say they responded to a disturbance call near Clearwater Road on Sunday night.

Witnesses at the scene told the deputies that Morino had been beating up a woman outside of a cabin, when Lyman got between Morino and the woman and ended up getting shot.

Investigators say Lyman was able to get into a truck and have someone drive him to a nearby ambulance base, however he later died from his injures.

Officials say they believe alcohol played a major role in the shooting.

Morino is now in the Benton County Jail and is faces pending charges.

St. Robert Man Found Guilty In Maries County Drug Trafficking Case

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closeup photo of gavel

Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

A St. Robert Man is being found guilty of three separate drug charges out of Maries County.

A jury is finding Darius Brown guilty of Drug Trafficking and felony possession.

Prosecutors say Brown had been dealing in Fentanyl, Cocaine and Methamphetamine.

The trial took place in Phelps County on a change of venue.

Brown is expected to be sentenced on September 10th and the prosecutor is asking for 29 years in prison.

Lake Area Man Faces Lifetime Supervision After Admitting To Sex With A Child

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A guilty plea in Miller County will send a Lake Area man to prison for 17 years.

The County Prosecutor’s Office says Luke Lessmeier made admissions in court to having had deviate sex with a girl under 12.

“It ups the ante when a defendant is charged with that type of crime under the statutes. It increases the minimum from 5 years to 10 years, and it also increases the amount of time that a defendant will have to spend in prison to 85% of whatever sentence he is given” says Prosecutor Benjamin Winfrey in Miller County.

He tells KRMS News what led to the investigation “it made a big difference that we had a young child who had the courage to come forward to her own teacher and voice what was occurring to her.”

Winfrey says Lessmeier will be under lifetime supervision as a sex-offender after he’s released.

He also credits several areas for helping with the investigation, including Kids Harbor “to get a plea on Wednesday, was the culmination of a lot of hard work between teachers, TFS workers, Kids Harbor, Child Advocacy center, The Miller County Sheriff’s office and of course my office, in bringing this defendant before a judge and finally receiving a 17-year sentence on one county of statutory sodomy.”

Additional info:

Lessmeier Press Release

Catalytic Converter Thefts Continue To Rise In The Ozarks

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Police in Lebanon continue to make arrests for stolen catalytic convertors.

“As our Chief said a week ago, these thieves don’t care about the damage they cause the vehicle or how much it costs the hardworking citizens time and money to correct what they’ve done, but we are going to continue to aggressively pursue these criminals and take them to jail every chance we get” says Sergeant Kacie Springer with Lebanon P.D.

The arrest of 27-year-old Lucas Filson of Waynesville is the latest suspect for catalytic convertor theft in Lebanon, following another arrest last week “We actually had one on July 10th. Officers responded to the 1200 block of West Elm, for a report of suspicious activity. A Laclede County Deputy observed the suspicious activity at another Elm Street business and also contacted us.”

Sergeant Springer tells KRMS News property damage is on the rise in parts of Laclede County and she recommends making sure your parked car is a well-lit area overnight.

Springer says it can take less than 5 minutes for someone with experience to steal a catalytic convertor.

When it comes to making an arrest, suspects often have some kind of tool bag that ends up evidence.

 

*Additional Info:

7.14.2021 Media Release-Property Damage

 

 

One Dead, Others Injured In Bagnell Dam Shooting – One Suspect Now Facing Charges

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****Update….

Officials have released the name of one person who’s been charged in this shooting.

Accoridng to a report, The Miller County prosecutor is charging Tonka Way-Con Ponder of Hickory County with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

The probable cause statement filed in Ponder’s case says investigators found surveillance video showing a shooting victim identified as B.C. was in a fight outside the bar, when he pulled a gun on Ponder.

Apparently Ponder was fighting with another person at the time, and he preceded to draw his weapon and shoot B.C., who died at the scene.

Ponder and another person identified only as D.K. were also shot in the shootout, both falling to the ground.

The same video also shows Ponder reloading whilw wounded on the front desk of the bar, then firing at a man walking by with his hands up in the air….later identified as T.C.

 

****Previous story

The City of Lake Ozark is reporting one death after a Thursday night shooting on the Bagnell Dam Strip near Casablanca.

One eyewitness near the scene tells KRMS News the first gunshots were mistaken by some as fireworks being set off “We were at the Brickhouse and something sounded like fireworks were going off. A lot of people were scared, they thought it was a shooting outside…but most thought nah, that’s Fireworks” says Travis Higginbotham, “the second round went off and then it was obvious that it was an actual shooting. So we got down, and kind of hid behind a brick for a little while. Once we got up, you could see there were bodies laying around. You couldn’t tell which ones at that point, because they just shown up and the cops were all around.”

As many as four other people were hurt during the shooting that happened during a Bike Night event on the Strip.

 

City officials released this statement later in the evening:

One male is confirmed dead and four other individuals were injured by gunfire in a shooting about 8 p.m. tonight, Thursday, near Casablanca on The Strip in Lake Ozark.

State investigators have been called in to assist Lake Ozark Police and multiple law enforcement agencies.

Several suspects have been detained as part of the investigation. The shooting is believed to be gang related, and officials say the public should not be concerned about their safety.

The names of the deceased, the injured and the suspects have not been released pending further investigation.

Lake Ozark officials were quick to note that this isolated incident is not the norm for the community.

More information will be released as the investigation develops.

 

According to witnesses at the scene, the fight was between two gangs and it’s unconfirmed, but one of the gang leaders may have been killed in the shootout.

Lake Ozark Police are now on high alert ahead of Bike Week, as they worry there could be retaliation for this incident.

Police were on the scene within seconds because a number of officers from across the state happened to be in town for a police convention, and were having dinner at a restaurant across the street.

We’ll pass along further details as they become available on News / Talk KRMS.

BREAKING: Shooting Reported At Casablanca In Lake Ozark

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Update from Lake Ozark:

One person is dead and four others injured in a shooting about 8 pm tonight , Thursday, near Casablanca on The Strip in Lake Ozark.

One or more suspects are being detained.

More information will be released when available.

KRMS has also learned that the response to the shooting was extremely fast, as a number of police officers from across the state are currently in town for a convention and happened to be dining across the street.

The shooting was apparently between two rival biker gangs. It is unconfirmed, but witness reports say the leader of one of the gangs may have been killed.

There continue to be unconfirmed reports from witnesses on the scene of additional injured.

As soon as more information is released, we will bring it to you here.

 

Previous story:

We are getting reports of a shooting on the strip at Casablanca.

Unconfirmed reports from residents on social media indicate 1 person may be dead and the shooter may have a hostage.

We are awaiting confirmation from Lake Ozark Police.

This is a ongoing fluid story and we are researching the reports….

Lake Ozark Police Working On Securing Speed Trailer Thanks To Fundraising Efforts

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It’s a busy summer in Lake of the Ozarks, and one city wants some drivers to slow down.

An Alderman in Lake Ozark says he’s been noticing some high-speed traffic in residential areas since May, and now a mobile speed trailer is one the way.

The units can log the number of cars passing by and it’ll show you how fast you’re going as you pass by the posted speed limit.

The speed trailer was set up recently on Welsh Road on The North Shore and it found 5-thousand cars passing by over a one-week period.

On Monday the unit was set up on Oak Ridge Road.

The reported cost of the demo unit for sale is $10-thousand dollars, a total the city thinks will be met thanks to fundraising.

 

***More info:

For Immediate Release

7/13/2021

 

Speeding on City of Lake Ozark streets – as it is around most of the Lake of the Ozarks — is a constant problem. Posted speed limits are often ignored, posing potentially dangerous situations.

But a Lake Ozark alderman is doing something about it.

Matt Wright, voted into office in April, noticed several cars speeding on Valley Road during the Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals car show in early May. Valley Drive is often used as an alternate route when Bagnell Dam Blvd. is closed for special events. Wright is also a resident on School Road where he’s developing a cluster of tiny homes. Again, he observed motorists speeding, especially when they realize the street is a dead-end street – even though it’s posted as such.

Wright approached Police Chief Gary Launderville about a portable speed trailer that monitors the speed of approaching vehicles and is used as a deterrent to speeding. The chief said buying a unit – which costs between $7,000 and $15,000 – was well beyond the LOPD’s budget.

“Wright took it upon himself to begin a fundraising campaign,” Launderville said.

It’s the intent at this point to buy the speed trailer because of Wright’s fundraising efforts.

After contacts with a speed trailer company, the LOPD discovered a demonstator unit was available for use with the possibility of buying it after a month.

To date, Wright has raised more than $5,000 toward a discounted price of just shy of $10,000. The trailer collects various data including speeds, traffic counts, and more.

The speed trailer was set up on Welsh Road on The North Shore the first week and recorded more than 5,000 vehicles. As of Monday, July 9, the trailer was on Oak Ridge Road. It will be moved to various locations as needed.

“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from the neighborhoods,” Launderville noted.

Anyone interested in making a donation can do so to the Lake Ozark Police Benevolent Association and drop a check off at the LOPD, 3162 Bagnell Dam Blvd.; or through PayPal, Venmo, check or cash. For PayPal, visit paypal.me/lopbal; for Venmo, search @LakeOzarkPolice-Benevolent.

 

Kansas City Man Facing Domestic Assault Charges In Camden County

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A Kansas City man is facing assault charges in Camden County.

According to the Sheriff’s office, deputies responded to the 400 block of Tan-Tar-A drive and found a woman who had been beaten.

Investigators say the woman’s father, Alberto Zunun-Perez, initially told deputies that two men had “forced their way” into the room and assaulted his daughter.

He also gave the deputies a fake name during the interview.

The woman and several witnesses told Deputies that was not the case, instead her father had punched her multiple times and had threatened to throw her from the balcony because she was trying to leave her room.

Perez is currently being held without bond in the Camden County Jail.

Versailles Man Faces Terrorism Charges In Morgan County

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A Versailles man is facing charges of making a terrorist threat at his workplace.

Officials say 33-year-old Yassine Bouyassine told his co-workers he would “blow up” the Gates Corporation in Versailles on July 8th.

Two employees heard the comments and apparently told their supervisor, who reported the incident to the police.

Bouyassine is being held in the Morgan County jail on a $100,000 bond and will have a bond hearing on July 20.

Osage Beach Police Report Less Traffic Stops So Far For July

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Osage Beach Police, Image from Google Images

Fewer traffic stops now reported by police in Osage Beach during the first full week of July.

Officers made 23 traffic stops to go with two arrests from July 5th through the 11th.

Police continue to make numerous building and area checks with 76 logged last week.

Officers responded to 15 accidents, 8 reports of stealing, 7 calls to assist motorists and one person called 9-1-1 and hung up.

WEEKLY SUMMARY_NEWS RELEASE 20210705_20210712(002)

Highway Patrol Continues To Battle Opioid/Human Trafficking Crisis In Missouri

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Troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol are working with out-of-state law enforcement to stop human trafficking and to manage the effects of the boarder crisis.

“This training was put together by the Texas department of safety. We had their instructors come up here to Missouri to train our instructors, who have in turn not only trained members of our Missouri Highway Patrol, but other law enforcement entities” says Captain John Hotz with the ‘Patrol, “We have conducted operations were victims have been rescued and people have been arrested for human trafficking. We know that the clues for looking for human trafficking are a bit different than things we’ve been looking at before.”

Hotz says the opioid crisis in some parts of Lake of the Ozarks and around the state remains a focus for them as well “We have to educate the people and get people treatments as well, before this issue is going to go away. We’re trying to work with numerous agencies, so that when we come in contact with these individuals we can at least know where to get these individuals help, as we know these drugs are very addicting.”

Captain Hotz says the Patrol is recognizing that arrests are not the only way to tackle the opioid crisis.

Hotz was interviewed by Christian Blood on the KRMS Morning Magazine.

Paddlefish Poachers Caught With 75 Pounds Of Illegal Caviar At Lake Of The Ozarks

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Three out-of-state paddlefish poachers are now facing charges in Missouri.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, agents conducted a 13-hour surveillance investigation at the Lake of the Ozarks, before apprehending the three individuals along with 75 pounds of paddlefish eggs, known as roe.

Officials say they had collected 5 whole paddlefish to yield the large amount of roe, which is a highly sought-after item for illegal caviar markets.

As of today, the area where the highest amount of illegal caviar continues to be traded is in Eastern Europe.

The MDC says all of the roe was seized in the raid, and the individuals were arrested.

Osage Beach Police Numbers Show No DWI Arrests Over 4th Holiday

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Police in Osage Beach are reporting no DWI arrests in the city over the Fourth of July holiday.

And more people in the Lake Area using transportation apps and taxicabs is getting some of the credit.

“I think that actually helps us out a lot. Especially on the weekends, I see a lot more Ubers and Taxicabs out there than we use to see. I think that’s sorta becoming the trend” says Police Chief Todd Davis, “overall it was a typical holiday weekend here for us at the Lake. We had a lot of people in town and we didn’t have, what I would call, major incidents for us.”

He says people might be realizing their money could be better spent elsewhere “people are a little bit smarter now…they don’t want to spend that money on fines, attorneys…everything else.”

Chief Davis says the cost of dealing with a DWI charge will reach thousands of dollars and it’ll also impact your ability to drive.

He also says getting a ride from someone who’s sober cuts down on accidents police have to respond to during the busiest time of the year in Lake of the Ozarks.

WEEKLY SUMMARY_NEWS RELEASE 20210628_20210704(002)

Sunrise Beach Police Capture Man Who Threw Explosives At Another Man

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Police in Sunrise Beach now have a man in custody who’s accused of throwing a fused explosive at another man that may have been laced with bear spray, mace or pepper spray on Monday.

Corporal Scott Craig responded to the call and met the victim, but the suspect had run away “Camden county deputies were able to locate the suspect’s vehicle at a residence. We checked the residence and believed it was secure and we believed he was inside the residence.”

Craig tells KRMS News the suspect was not in the home and he later connected with the suspect by phone and the arrest was later made without incident.

Craig says this wasn’t your typical firecracker “What we’re looking at here is a fused explosive. What was described to us was not your run of the mill, over the counter, retail firecracker.”

Charges have been filed, although no names are being released at this time.

We’ll pass along more details on the story when possible on News / Talk KRMS.

PressRelease07.06.2021

Highway Patrol Numbers Show A Mixed Bag For 4th Of July Weekend

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The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s releasing numbers from the 4th of July weekend.

The numbers show a mixed bag of arrests, accidents and deaths around Missouri over the weekend.

Troopers report 312 crashes on Missouri roads, and those caused 124 injuries and seven deaths.

But a year ago over the Fourth of July, 15 people died on Missouri roads and more than 600 people were hurt in more than 13-hundred accidents.

On the water, there were 14 boating crashes over the Fourth of July reporting period, but this year that number was down to 12 crashes.

Nobody died in boating crashes on the water in 2020, but there was one death this year.

Two people did drown a year ago while nobody drowned in the Lake Area over this year’s holiday weekend.

More details:

EMPHASIS: MSHP Reports Seven Traffic Fatalities, One Boating Fatality, & No Drownings Over July Fourth Holiday Counting Period

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following 2021 July Fourth holiday statistics:

2021 July Fourth Holiday Traffic Statistics

Troopers worked 312 traffic crashes, which included 124 injuries and all seven fatalities. Troopers also made 144 DWI arrests and 81 drug arrests over the holiday weekend.

2021 July Fourth Holiday Boating Statistics

Troopers worked 12 boating crashes, which included four injuries and one fatality. Troopers made eight BWI arrests and 43 drug arrests. There were no drownings over the holiday weekend.

The 2021 July Fourth holiday counting period began at 6 p.m., Friday, July 2, and ended at 11:59 p.m., Monday, July 5, 2021.

[The 2020 July Fourth holiday counting period began at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 2, and ended at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 5, 2020. During the 2020 counting period, 15 people were killed and 671 injured statewide in Missouri over the holiday in 1,356 traffic crashes. Troopers arrested 145 people for driving while intoxicated last year. Over the 2020 July Fourth holiday, there were 14 boating crashes, which included seven injuries and zero fatalities. Two drowned during last year’s holiday. Troopers made seven boating while intoxicated arrests during the 2020 counting period.]

Traffic fatalities occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring, MO, Troop D, Springfield, MO, Troop F, Jefferson City, MO, and Troop G, Willow Springs, MO, areas. Troopers worked all seven traffic fatalities.

There was one traffic fatality on Friday, July 2, 2021, during the counting period. A 15-year-old female from Norwood, MO, died when the driver of the vehicle in which she was a passenger lost control and the vehicle traveled off the roadway and overturned. The female was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Wright County on Owens Road north of Norwood, MO. Wright County Coroner Ben Hurtt pronounced the female dead at the scene of the crash. The driver and one other passenger were wearing seat belts; they sustained moderate injuries.

There was one boating fatality on July 3, 2021. The investigation is pending; thus, no further information is available.

Four people died in traffic crashes on July 3, 2021. Robert D. McDermid, 66, of Joplin, MO, died after another vehicle failed to yield and struck McDermid’s vehicle. McDermid was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Jasper County on Missouri Highway 66 in Duquesne, MO. Dr. Jennifer Kolodchak pronounced McDermid deceased at Mercy Hospital. The driver of the other vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries.

Shane A. Donty, 46, of Hillsboro, MO, died after walking into the path of a vehicle on Missouri Highway 30 east of Northwest Boulevard in Jefferson County. North Jefferson County Ambulance paramedics pronounced Donty dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash; he was not injured.

Jeffery A. Smith, 35, of Stover, MO, died when a vehicle turned left in front of the motorcycle he was operating. Smith was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Morgan County on Missouri Highway 52 west of Stevenson Lane. Deputy Coroner Katy Lutz pronounced Smith dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; he was not injured in the crash.

Anela Ratkusic, 42, of St. Louis, MO, died when another vehicle failed to yield and struck the vehicle in which she was a passenger. Ratkusic was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in St. Francois County on U.S. Highway 67 at Missouri Route Y. Dr. Buchanan pronounced Ratkusic dead at Parkland Health Center. The driver of the vehicle that struck Ratkusic’s vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries. The driver of the vehicle in which Ratkusic was a passenger was wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries. Three additional passengers in the vehicle with Ratkusic were wearing seat belts; they each sustained minor injuries in the crash. A passenger in the other vehicle was not wearing a seat belt; he sustained moderate injuries.

Two people died in traffic crashes on July 4, 2021. Storm J. Cooper, 29, of Tampa, FL, died when the vehicle in which he was a passenger failed to stop at a stop sign and was struck by another vehicle. Cooper was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Greene County on Missouri Highway 266 west of Springfield MO. Medical Examiner Joshua Moore pronounced Cooper dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle in which Cooper was a passenger was wearing a seat belt; she sustained moderate injuries. The driver of the second vehicle in the crash was wearing a seat belt; he was not injured.

Dorcey R. Folsom, 39, of Buffalo, MO, died after being struck by a vehicle. Folsom was running toward the vehicle at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Dallas County on Missouri Highway 32 east of Buffalo, MO. Dallas County Coroner Matt Wisdom pronounced Folsom dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was wearing a seat belt and was not injured.

Camden County Sheriff Says Holiday Weekend Went Smoothly

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A better-than-expected Fourth of July weekend for Lake Area law enforcement, according to the Sheriff of Camden County.

“Friday and Saturday it was extremely busy. I listened to the radio all night and they were busy from the time they got on, to the time they got off” says Sheriff Tony Helms, “For the most part people really behaved themselves. I know we made a lot of arrests but, in comparison to the amount of people that were down here…that was really a small amount.”

Helms says some of his officers got into overtime just making reports, but by Sunday things started calming down, however there were still calls coming in for help “the bad thing that happened a lot, there was a lot of domestics. People have been together all weekend, they were getting hot…probably sunburned…they’re getting cranky and it’s time to go home. I think we had at least 7 or 8 in a 2 hour time span that we had to chase down.”

Sheriff Helms says some of those domestic calls were verbal, but others more severe.

He also says Camden County Sheriff’s Deputies executed 25 warrants for arrest with around 10 DWI arrests in the county over the holiday weekend.

Lebanon Man Arrested After Attempting To Steal A Catalytic Converter

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A man accused of trying to steal a catalytic converter in facing charges in Lebanon.

Police say they got a call from a woman who said she saw a man in the act, but when confronted he ran off with a tote bag.

But investigators say they searched the area and later found 42-year-old Daniel Green of Lebanon and later found the bag full of tools.

Green was arrested and taken to the Laclede County jail.

Lebanon police say catalytic converter theft remains a problem for the area and they say they’ll continue to pursue all cases of suspected theft as calls come in.

7.2.2021 Media Release-Property Damage

Lake Area Man Faces Charges In Lebanon High Speed Chase

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A Camdenton man is facing charges following a high-speed chase through Lebanon.

According to Lebanon Police, an officer noticed a car with no front license plate and attempted to pull said car over.

That’s when the driver attempted to flee by speeding down the road at nearly 60 miles an hour, crossing over numerous stop signs and eventually colliding with a fence and a pickup truck on Brice Street.

Deputies also found drugs inside the car.

40-year-old Daniel Lyndon Hurt is facing charges of possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.

Benton County Deputies Seize $70,000 Worth Of Meth

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In Benton County, three people are facing charges after the Sheriff’s Office says it seized around $70-thousand dollars worth of methamphetamine.

Deputies went to UU and Highway 7 on report of a suspicious car and once there they saw it had bullet holes in it.

The people told deputies they were visiting from Kansas City, but ran out of gas.

Deputies reported they smelled pot in the car and some residue was found before the people drove away after a friend brought some gas.

They drove away and investigators continued searching in the area where two of the people had been urinating near a tree line when deputies arrived.

There they found a one-gallon bag with four pounds of meth and they were later pulled over and arrested after further investigation.

Tyshawn Carr, Login Pool and Leilani Smith were arrested and now face drug trafficking charges.

 

Additional info:

06/25/21- Benton County deputies responded to the area of UU and 7 Highways on a report of a suspicious vehicle. The reporting party stated that there were several people standing around a vehicle who were behaving suspiciously. Deputies responded to the area and contacted three people who were traveling in a Dodge Charger, two of which were approximately 50 feet away from the vehicle near the tree line stating they were urinating. A check was conducted on Tyshawn R. Carr, 21; Login G. Pool, 19; and Leilani M. Smith, 19, with no wants or warrants. All stated that they resided in the Kansas City area and ran out of gas on the way to a friend’s house in the Benton County area.

While investigating the scene deputies noted bullet holes on the vehicle and a strong odor of marijuana emanating from within. When asked about the bullet holes the owner replied, “We live in KC”. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted, resulting in a few marijuana roaches, some seeds and stems. The occupants were issued a verbal warning for marijuana and after gas was put in the tank by a “friend”, the trio went on their way.

After the release of the Charger, deputies, being thorough as they are, checked the area where the two individuals were standing near the tree line to discover a black bag containing a one-gallon resealable plastic bag with what appeared to be Methamphetamine. The bag was dry and had no moisture even though we had just had a torrential downpour.

Deputies reengaged the suspect vehicle and stopped it near the mile-long bridge arresting all three occupants and impounding the vehicle. The one gallon bag that was found at the original scene weighed approximately four pounds and field tested for Methamphetamines. That amount of meth would supply over 9000 “hits” to its intended users and have a street value upwards of $70,000. All three suspects were charged with felonies for drug trafficking in the 2nd degree and were issued a $100,000 cash or surety bond.

Man Faces Numerous Charges Follow Arrest In Camden County

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A man accused of failing to register as a sex offender is facing other charges after his arrest in Camden County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 43-year-old Jeremy Hancock of Pamona was found driving with a suspended license for the second time and Troopers also say he had no insurance.

Hancock was arrested Wednesday morning and he was taken to the Camden County Jail.

Three Sedalia Residents Now Face Drug Distribution Charges

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Three people from Sedalia are facing charges in what the U-S Department of Justice is calling a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

In a release, the D-O-J says police took close to 30 guns out of a home during the investigation.

23-year-old James Johnson, 36-year-old Amber Lawson and 36-year-old Eric Janes were each indicted in Jeff City by a federal grand jury Wednesday afternoon.

Johnson is facing an additional charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Numerous Missouri law enforcement agencies took part in the search warrant June 15th, including the Sheriff’s Office in Morgan and Pettis County, the Sedalia Police Department and the Mid-Missouri Drug Task Force.

Additional info:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Three Sedalia, Missouri, residents were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine after law enforcement officers seized 28 firearms from a residence during the investigation.

James Jacob Johnson, 23, Amber Marie Lawson, 36, and Eric Ryan Janes, 36, were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.

Today’s indictment alleges that Johnson, Lawson, and Janes participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Pettis County, Mo., from April 1 to June 15, 2021.

In addition to the conspiracy, Johnson is charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Law enforcement officers seized 28 firearms from Johnson’s residence while executing a search warrant on June 15, 2021.

Johnson is also charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. According to the indictment, those firearms included two AK 47s, a Glock 9mm pistol, a .38-caliber revolver, a Ruger 57, a Tauron PR 24/7 Pro, a Glock 20, a Smith & Wesson MIP 20, a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380, a Ruger EC9S, a Ruger 89, a Rossi 357, a 44 magnum Ruger, a Springfield Armory Saint .223-caliber rifle, a Chrome Palmetto AR .223, a Keltec Sun 2000 9mm, a Savage 300, a Gold 9mm AR, a Marlin 17, an MCK Roni with Glock 17, a Digmonn 200 blackout, a Smith & Wesson, a Black Dawn 300 blackout, a Typhoon F-12 Gold 12 gauge, a Zastava Arms, an M&P Bodyguard 38 special, and a Smith &Wesson M&P 9C.

Lawson and Janes also are each charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Richenberger. It was investigated by the Pettis County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department, the Morgan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the DEA’s Mid Missouri Drug Task Force.