Yuma hit-and-run suspect plea deal denied by judge

KYMA on June 19, 2025

Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – 45-year-old Alfredo Enriquez Flores had his plea deal rejected by Judge Roger Nelson Thursday morning.

Judge Nelson felt that the suspect did not show remorse during the sentencing hearing that day.

“I’m really kind of flabbergasted that the defendant did not even offer anything. I don’t see any remorse at all, nothing, and that changes my mind about the acceptability of the plea under the circumstances,” said the judge.

Flores had pled guilty to manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.

However, after being denied he could potentially face his original charges of second-degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident involving death, and two counts of driving under the influence of drugs.

He is accused of running over 21-year-old Esteyan Medel on New Year’s Day.

Esteyan’s father, Steve Medel Jr., is thankful for the judge’s decision.

“I mean, I’ve been waiting for this, this whole I mean I think he deserves to get the max, I mean 10 years for taking my son’s life? No. 20 years to make him think about what he’s done,” Steve says.

Esteyan’s younger brother, Uzziel, spoke to us for the first time.

He shared some emotional words with us after court. 

“They say time like kills it. It gets easier. It doesn’t for me, like I don’t know I just feel like it hurts, nothing will ever be the same, you’ll always feel that pain in you like like you’re missing something,” Uzziel said.

Florez is scheduled to be back in court next month for a status hearing.

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Four vehicles involved in I-70 crash near Millersburg

KMIZ on June 19, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Four vehicles were involved in a crash Thursday morning on Interstate 70 near Millersburg, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report says the crash occurred as a 2015 Mazda CX5, 2021 Ford Explorer and 2024 Chevrolet Silverado were slowing down in the eastbound lane for congested traffic when a 2016 Peterbilt 389 rear-ended the Chevrolet.

The Chevrolet then hit the Ford, which hit the Mazda, the report says. The semi-truck was driven by a 53-year-old man from St. Joseph, Missouri. He had no reported injuries. Everyone involved in the crash wore seatbelts, the report says.

The driver of the Chevrolet – a 46-year-old man from Hallsville – had minor injuries and was brought to Boone Hospital by a private vehicle, the report says.

The driver of the Ford – a 55-year-old Columbia woman – had moderate injuries and was brought to University Hospital by ambulance, the report says. Her passengers – a 64-year-old Columbia man, 32-year-old St. Louis man and a 4-year-old boy from St. Louis – all had minor injuries and were brought to University Hospital by ambulance, the report says.

The report says the Ford and Chevy had extensive damage, while the Mazda and Peterbilt had moderate damage.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Man survives black bear attack; bear euthanized

KIFI on June 19, 2025

CNN Newsource

By Michael Martin

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    BRYCE WOODLANDS, Utah (KSTU) — A southern Utah man is out of the hospital after he was attacked by a black bear while trying to sleep on a cot outdoors near Bryce Woodlands.

According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the attack happened Tuesday at around 10:30 p.m. Officials say the man had been on his cot when he was awoken by the presence of a black bear.

Initially, the man attempted to stay still, hoping the bear would move on, but instead, the bear approached him and bit the man on the arm.

Biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources responded to the scene Wednesday, using tracking hounds to locate the bear in the afternoon.

Officials said that because the bear had shown aggressive behavior and injured a person, it had to be euthanized per DWR policy. The bear’s corpse has been submitted for disease testing.

The Division of Wildlife Resources reminds people that black bears can be found across Utah, and there are certain things you can do if you encounter one:

Stand your ground: Never back up, lie down or play dead. Stay calm and give the bear a chance to leave. Prepare to use your bear spray or another deterrent. Don’t run away or climb a tree. Black bears are excellent climbers and can run up to 35 mph — you cannot outclimb or outrun them. Know bear behavior. If a bear stands up, grunts, moans or makes other sounds, it’s not being aggressive. These are the ways a bear gets a better look or smell and expresses its interest. If a black bear attacks, always fight back. And never give up! People have successfully defended themselves with almost anything: rocks, sticks, backpacks, water bottles and even their hands and feet.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

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Man dead after car crash on Highway 46 in Paso Robles Wednesday

KEYT on June 19, 2025

Caleb Nguyen

PASO ROBLES, Calif. – A man died after injuries from a two-car crash on Highway 46 in Paso Robles on Wednesday, just past 9:30 p.m., according to the Paso Robles Police Department.

PRPD officers received word about the crash, where both cars involved were blocking both lanes of Highway 46, going east and west.

Both people in one of the cars required extrication to a local hospital by Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services, according to the PRPD.

The male driver in that car died at the hospital from his injuries, according to the PRPD.

The PRPD requests anyone with information to contact them via phone during this ongoing investigation and reminds drivers to be safe on the roads.

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North Callaway firefighters describe struggles with I-70 road construction

KMIZ on June 19, 2025

Olivia Hayes

CALLAWAY COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

North Callaway Fire Protection District tells ABC 17 News that accessibility and clean up continue to be an issue for them when responding to accidents near construction zones on Interstate 70.

“What we usually end up having to do is kind of park and walk. We’re doing a lot of climbing over the barricades,” North Callaway Fire Protection District Chief Matt Walton said.

Work is being done for a portion of the Improve I-70 Project, which aims to make the interstate a three-lane highway across the entire state.

According to information from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, at least three crashes have occurred in a stretch of I-70 under construction since concrete barriers were placed along the roadway west of Kingdom City in early May. The most recent crash occurred near Millersburg on Thursday morning.

Walton explained that sometimes access can get so challenging they need to bring in outside help.

“We also have an automatic mutual aid with Millersburg Fire to come up. So that way they can approach from one direction, we can approach from the other, to try to cover the incident from two different sides to gain best access,” Walton said.

Other responding agencies told ABC 17 News they haven’t had much trouble working around the construction.

“The workaround that we have seems to be working just fine sometimes the traffic is completely blocked,” MSHP spokesman Kyle Green said. “We may have to come down a, you know, an on ramp the wrong direction or an exit ramp down the wrong direction and work our way backwards, but ultimately, using the outer roads, is a preferred method.”

Charles Anderson, Chief of Callaway County Emergency Medical Services, said his crews also utilize the outer roads. However, he said they were already doing that consistently before the construction started, so they haven’t had many issues.

Walton said his team doesn’t have easy access to outer roads.

“We did not have outer a road access this morning,” he said. “Our construction side is actually not where we have a lot of out of outer road access.”

Total completion of the Missouri Department of Transportations I-70 Improvement Project is expected by the end of 2030. Construction of the portion between Columbia and Kingdom City is expected to be completed by late 2027.

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Home prices dropped last month in Riverside County

KESQ on June 19, 2025

Jesus Reyes

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – Home prices dropped last month in Riverside County from $645,000 to $638,000 for an existing single-family home, as May’s sales pace fell 5.1% statewide, the California Association of Realtors announced.   

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 254,190 in May, the association said Wednesday. Last month’s sales pace fell 5.1% from the 267,710 homes sold in April and was down 4.0% from a year ago, when 264,850 homes were sold on an annualized basis.   

May’s sales level statewide was the lowest in four months. The year- over-year decline was the largest since December 2023, and the monthly decline was the first in 17 months. Year-to-date sales barely exceeded the same time frame in 2024 and could dip below last year’s level in June if the market continues to lose momentum.

“With home prices leveling off and more homes coming onto the market, it’s a great time for well-qualified buyers to enter the market,” CAR President Heather Ozur said in a statement. “Lower prices are making homes more affordable, and the growing inventory means buyers have more choices. It’s a rare window where people can find their ideal home at a good value — making now an ideal time to buy.”   

The CAR report found that sales of single-family homes in Riverside County dropped 2.5% from April to May, while prices decreased 1.1%. Home prices were $644,500 in May 2024.   

Localized data is not seasonally adjusted, accounting for any discrepancies between their increases and the statewide decrease in sales.   

After recording a new high in April, the California median price pulled back in May but remained above the $900,000 benchmark. Last month’s median price of $900,170 declined 1.1% from April and was down 0.9% from $908,000 in May 2024. The monthly decline was below the historical average of the 1.2% increase recorded between April and May.   

The statewide median price decline can be attributed to multiple factors including elevated interest rates, insurance availability/affordability, economic uncertainty and home sellers’ willingness to reduce prices.

Home prices will likely come down further from April’s record high as the market enters the second half of the year. Seasonality will play a role in the price moderation, and an increase in housing supply will also relieve upward price pressure.

“Although the market has slowed in recent months, there’s potential for a rebound if economic concerns subside,” said CAR Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Jordan Levine. “Consumer sentiment appears to have bottomed out and is now showing signs of improvement, which could support astronger housing market in the second half of the year. Buyers may take advantage of improved conditions, including deeper price reductions and increased housing inventory.”

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Colorado Springs restaurant license permanently revoked due to repeated health violations

KRDO on June 19, 2025

Bart Bedsole

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – A local restaurant not only had its license revoked recently, but the owner is not allowed to ever reopen any other restaurant in El Paso County.

According to a spokesperson for El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH), it’s the first time the health department has taken an enforcement action this severe. 

KRDO13 first reported on Viet’s Restaurant on North Academy near Chapel Hills Mall in April. 

At that time, it had just been shut down by an inspector for the third time in a 13-month period. 

KRDO13 tried knocking on the front and back doors, then calling the phone number for the restaurant, but no one ever responded. 

Viet’s Restaurant recently failed another inspection on May 29, so at an administrative hearing on June 9, the health department took action.

“Viet’s Restaurant was closed due to a demonstrated and consistent pattern of non-compliance with the Colorado Food Protection Act and related regulatory requirements,” according to a statement from EPCPH.

The owner, Viet’s Inc., is also prohibited from obtaining a new retail food establishment license within El Paso County. 

KRDO13 has learned that from its opening in May of 2021 until June 9 of 2025, the health department received at least two separate complaints from customers. 

One complaint reported cockroaches in the restaurant, while another complaint reported five people becoming sick after eating at the restaurant.

Online county records show that between January of 2024 and June of 2025, Viet’s Restaurant failed at least nine inspections, some of them requiring a closure as a result of the overall point score. 

On June 17, the sign was still up outside, but the inside was dark and deserted. 

KRDO13 once again reached out to the former operator for comment, but they couldn’t be reached. 

LOW SCORE

During the week of June 9-13, Grand Gyros at North Academy and Palmer Park Blvd ended up with the lowest health inspection score. 

Among the 14 violations found: 

The handwashing sink had no paper towels, but it did have items stored on it that should not have been there, including vitamins and prescription mouthwash 

The staff wasn’t properly sanitizing kitchen equipment 

There was slime in the ice machine 

There was a buildup of grease and grime on prep tables, shelves, and walls 

Even though it was supposed to be open Monday afternoon, KRDO13 arrived to find the doors locked. 

A worker on the phone said she was running late and would call back about the violations, but never did. 

Grand Gyros is still awaiting its re-inspection. 

Other failing scores last week: 

Korean Garden – 8025 Fountain Mesa Rd 

The Dublin House – 1850 Dominion Way 

Mayjah Grinds – 656 Peterson Rd

HIGH SCORES

Several local restaurants earned high scores last week: 

Uwe’s German Restaurant – 31 Iowa Ave 

Chef Bob’s Lobstah Trap – 2323 Garden of the Gods (inside Red Leg Brewing Company) 

Taco Bell – 390 N Union 

Domino’s Pizza – 412 Royalty Pl 

Drive-In Tasty Freeze – 2309 N Weber 

Bonny and Read – 101 N Tejon St 

Kelly O’Brian’s – 239 N Academy 

Treehouse Cafe – 5965 N Academy 

Click here for a complete list of all health inspections. 

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Suspect in Columbia infant death apparently released from custody

KMIZ on June 19, 2025

Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

A Fayette woman charged with second-degree murder in the 2021 death of an 8-month-old girl is the subject of an active arrest warrant.

But two days after the warrant was issued, court and prison records indicate she still isn’t in custody. 

Jennifer Johnson was scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Monday, July 14 for charges including second-degree felony murder and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. She is accused in the death of Hannah Kent.

A Tuesday court filing shows that she was sent to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

However, Arkansas DOC spokesperson Rand Champion told ABC 17 News in an email that a Jennifer Johnson was put on parole on June 16 and no one with that name is in custody. The spokesperson said a middle name was not available in their system.

According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, Johnson was released Monday. She had previously been incarcerated in Missouri from April 27-May 19, 2022, and again from May 23, 2022-June 16, 2025, despite the Boone County Jail having her listed on a no-bond hold.

Boone County courts issued a warrant for her arrest on Tuesday. Prosecutor Roger Johnson declined to comment on Thursday.

Court records list Johnson’s address in the 2001 block of Holly Avenue. But when ABC 17 News visited the property, the home appeared abandoned, and the lot surrounding it was under construction.

Columbia police arrested Johnson in April 2021, after being called to a home in the 1000 block of Elleta Boulevard in north Columbia. 

According to court documents, police were dispatched to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Columbia on the morning of April 18, 2021, where they were informed that an 8-month-old, Hannah Kent, who was under Johnson’s care, had died. 

Court documents indicate the parents left Kent and other children in Johnson’s care beginning around 5 p.m. the previous day. 

The mother found the child around 8:30 a.m. unresponsive and cool to the touch after returning home and immediately noticed bruising, court documents indicate. The parents then took the child to Women’s and Children’s Hospital, where the infant was pronounced dead at 8:45 am. 

Johnson allegedly told police that she last saw the infant alive at 2:15 a.m. after giving a bottle to the child, the probable cause statement says.

According to court documents, Johnson took a call from the parents saying the baby had died and the parents wanted to see Johnson.

Two people who knew Johnson brought items that Johnson had at the home to the Columbia police, court documents say. Investigators allegedly found baby formula on Johnson’s clothes, and a swab of the same shirt tested positive for blood.

Johnson was previously charged with two counts of assault in Howard County in 2019. The complaint in the case states she strangled and bit another woman.

Kent’s family declined to comment.

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Five Bend-La Pine School Board members take oath of office

KTVZ on June 19, 2025

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Five community members elected in May to serve on the Board of Directors for Bend-La Pine Schools took the oath of office Tuesday evening at the board’s monthly business meeting.

They include Jenn Lynch, newly elected to represent Zone 1, and Ross Tomlin, who was appointed to the Zone 6 at-large seat last November. Also taking the oath were re-elected Directors Marcus LeGrand (Zone 2), Shirley Olson (Zone 4) and Kina Chadwick (Zone 7).

Lynch succeeds Carrie McPherson Douglass, who served two terms on the school board and decided not to seek re-election this year. Superintendent Steven Cook and board members paid tribute to McPherson Douglass at Tuesday’s meeting and thanked her for her service, including serving as board chair during the Covid pandemic.

Reflecting on her eight years on the board, McPherson Douglass said, “Student voice is the most important voice in the room, always. … I really hope students will keep showing up. There’s a few here tonight to speak. And I really hope that the board continues to find really meaningful ways to listen to them.”

The board voted Tuesday to approve the district’s 2025-26 operating budget as well as updated bargaining agreements with unions representing certified and classified employees. The agreements include compensation adjustments for the next two fiscal years. Details are available at https://bls.fyi/meetings through the BoardBook agenda for June 17, 2025.

At its July 8 business meeting, the board will elect its chair and vice chair for the 2025-26 term. Business meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month.

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Coachella Mayor reacts to multi-agency raid on marijuana farms in East Valley

KESQ on June 19, 2025

Garrett Hottle

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) The Drug Enforcement Administration says Wednesday’s large-scale operation was aimed at illegal marijuana grows near Thermal, involving roughly 500 federal agents and covering more than 700 acres across the eastern Coachella Valley. Authorities say they arrested 70 to 75 undocumented migrants and one U.S. citizen for obstructing law enforcement, and said the number of arrest was preliminary information, subject to change.

1) Today, DEA LA Field Division (Riverside DO), with crucial support from multiple federal partners, executed search warrants at multiple illegal #marijuana grow operations. The investigation resulted in several arrests. One trailer was padlocked with 2 people inside. @DEAHQhttps://x.com/DEALOSANGELES/status/1935558820014809383

Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez said the operation spanned far beyond the reported raid site, with federal agents seen throughout Mecca, Thermal, and even Coachella itself.

it didn’t happen just in, you know, the area where they said they were at,” Mayor Hernandez said. “It happened throughout the eastern Coachella Valley, and it happened in, thermal Oasis, Mecca, all throughout. Even in Coachella, they rode heavy through Coachella.”

Screengrab of viewer video taken at Oasis Park and Ave. 76 on Wednesday.

News Channel 3 received multiple viewer videos showing multiple law enforcement en-mass at sites across the Coachella Valley on Wednesday.

Screengrab of viewer video from Wednesday off of Buchanan and 62nd street.

But it wasn’t just the arrests drawing attention it was who showed up: agents from ICE, Border Patrol, the National Guard, and unmarked military-style vehicles. For Mayor Hernandez, the scope and scale of the operation was something unseen in his time in the Coachella Valley.

“I’ve never seen a 500 person crew, go into a marijuana field, and do such an operation,” he said. “I’ve never heard of it in the state of California. I’ve never heard of it in Riverside County. I’ve heard of 100, I’ve heard of 50, I’ve heard of large operations…And then I’ve also heard of, you know, when they actually let the local community know.”

He criticized the lack of communication from federal agencies, saying his office were never notified, and the matter has left some in the community gripped with fear.

“Very sad, very terrifying,” he explained. “A lot of fear. You know, the militarization of the approaches, the tactics. the goal was to create a presence and to, create fear and I think mission accomplished on their end. People were hiding in the fields in 115-degree heat,” Mayor Hernandez said. “Families didn’t know what was happening. It caused chaos.”

The DEA insists this was not an immigration enforcement action. But Hernandez, along with community advocates and some elected officials, questioned that distinction citing the visible ICE presence and the fact that the overwhelming majority of those arrested were undocumented.

“The facts speak for themselves,” Hernandez said. “If it wasn’t about immigration, why were 75 migrants taken?”

Asked about post on social media from residents and some elected officials describing the operation as an “ICE Raid” despite the DEA stating the operation was not an immigration enforcement action, Hernandez said it comes down to communication.

“Look, I think when there is a lack of communication,” Mayor Hernandez explained. “When the federal government and government is not communicating, then people are going to react the way they’re going to react. And you know, what we’ve seen across the US and what we’ve seen across California is that there is a lot of passion on both sides mobilizing and speaking out.”

Tune into News Channel Three at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 6:30pm to hear more from Mayor Hernandez.

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