Author: KMIZ

Mitchell Kaminski

NEW FRANKLIN, Mo. (KMIZ) 

On May 11, 2013, a grain truck rolled over on Highway 40, trapping the driver inside as crews rushed to the scene.

What followed was a rapid extrication. The Howard County Fire Protection District freed the driver in just four minutes, a rescue, officials say, may not have been possible without Billy Hurt.

Hurt died March 14 in an accident at Kennedale Speedway Park in Texas during a World of Outlaws event. The Kennedale Police Department said two officials collided while responding to an on-track sprint car crash, ejecting both from their vehicles.

The 66-year-old had served as a sprint car safety official for more than 23 years, a role colleagues described as one of his true passions.

“Ever since I’ve known Billy, he’s had the safety team for racing. I mean, I went to Knoxville last year and he was out there,” Howard County Fire Division Chief Tony Hill told ABC 17 News. “Sprint Cars was what he loved. He’d go to all the local tracks around here, and you’d see Billy.”

The sudden news of Hurt’s death rocked the Mid-Missouri fire service community. 

“I tried to call him a day or two ago to ask him a question and was getting ready to push, send on the number, and realize that  I couldn’t call him,” Hill, who had known Hurt for 35 years, said. “TV portrays the family aspect of the fire service, public safety in general, ambulance, police, but we truly are a family.  When one person gets killed, it affects us all. But with Billy, he had his hands in on so many people’s training and equipment that they had that it really affected us.” 

Howard County Fire Capt. Rick Newell was first introduced to Hurt while working with the Boone County Fire Protection District, as Hurt served with the Columbia Fire Department. Newell said Hurt’s death came as a shock, especially after speaking with him just a month earlier.

“I had a friend call me, and it was just total disbelief. It was like, man, I just talked to him in February at fire school. We discussed some equipment that we had purchased  and we were waiting to come in. It was just a totally unbelievable,” Newell said. “Whether you’re paid or volunteer, it’s a brotherhood. And  we lost a brother.”  

Howard County Fire Lt. Brad Drew first met Hurt while working at the Booneville Fire Department; at the same time, Hurt was teaching training classes. After sitting down to relax following a 12-hour shift, he received a call from Newell delivering the news of Hurt’s death.

“I probably sounded like a girl on the phone, but having that shocking news, about a friend being that close to you, well, it kind of takes a toll on you,” Drew said. “It’s kind of hard to put in words about a legend, because that’s what Billy Hurt was, he was a legend.” 

Thirteen years ago, the Howard County Fire Protection District reached out to Hurt as its equipment began to grow outdated. With newer vehicles built from stronger metals, their tools struggled, and in some cases failed, to cut through them.

“Talking to Billy, he’s like, ‘Hey, man, I’ll hook you up.’  The set we got was his first set of battery-operated tools. He’s like, ‘You’ll be the third department in the state to have these tools,’” Hill said. “We got them before Boone County and Columbia. It doesn’t happen for Howard County very often. We had them before Chicago Fire [Department] had them. I mean, the battery-operated tools weren’t really heard of.” 

One day after receiving the tools from Hurt, they were immediately put to the test on the grain truck that had rolled over on Highway 40 in 2013.

“While we were getting airbags set up, I had Billy’s voice in my head telling me, ‘These tools are five times stronger. You’ll be surprised what they can lift.’ With the spreader, we were able to lift a fully loaded grain truck and had this guy unpinned and on a helicopter in less than four minutes. Where before it were took 30 plus minutes to get the guy out.  Between Billy’s training, him getting these tools, I truly feel like it saved that guy’s life,” Hill said. 

Hurt spent more than 25 years with the Columbia Fire Department before expanding his work training departments and servicing equipment across the region. Aside from Sprint Car racing, Newell said that teaching was one of Hurt’s true passions 

“He was really a passionate person about the art of extrication. If, you know,  if you wanted to know about it, you called Billy,” Newell said. “Billy was well-trained in his ability to do extrication. He knew the technical aspect of it, but he could explain it to you in a way that you completely understood.  And if you didn’t, you know, he would go further. He would work down to the level that you understood.” 

Hurt didn’t just help distribute equipment to fire stations across Mid-Missouri; he served as a mentor for firefighters, even after his retirement.

“​​The main thing that Billy said to me one day that will probably stick me the most and I think it’s quite,  quite funny is, ‘Always try before you pry.’ And that always sticks with me, and I’ll always see his smile behind it,” Howard County Assistant Fire Chief Ethan Shipp said. ” I hope next time I see him it will be walking through the door, going, ‘Ethan, what are you doing? What you need?’ And it ain’t going to happen.”

Luke Hill, a Howard County firefighter, said he grew up around fire service, always hearing stories about Hurt. He added that Hurt’s ability to connect with both new firefighters and seasoned veterans was what made him such an effective teacher.

“Regardless of what the question was, Billy never made you feel ignorant for asking a question,  regardless if it might have been ignorant.  He never failed to answer the question in a way that you would understand,” Luke Hill said. “Everything I’ve learned about extrication  I can attribute to Billy, and every extrication I’ve ever been involved in,  all the skills that I’ve used  came from Billy.” 

Tony Hill took it one step further, saying Hurt’s lessons have been pivotal in saving lives across Mid-Missouri. 

“If you were entrapped in a car and one of the personnel was cutting you out,  more than likely that person had been trained by Billy Hurt,” Tony Hill said. 

Newell recalled a time when Howard County faced a particularly challenging extrication rescue. The next day, he spoke with Hurt, who personally made sure the department had the right tools for the job.

“If you ever run into that situation again, he said, 95% of the time, my trailer with all the tools are hooked to it,” Newell recalled. “He said, ‘You call me, and I’ll be there as fast as I can.’ And he said, ‘I guarantee you will have the equipment you can use to take care of that problem.’”

Even after retiring from the Columbia Fire Department, Hurt remained deeply involved, traveling across Mid-Missouri to train firefighters, demonstrate new equipment, and ensure departments had the tools and knowledge they needed. Many recalled how he would bring demo equipment from MU’s Winter Fire School and later sell it at discounted prices so smaller departments could benefit.

“Not only did he know how his tools worked, but he knew the construction of the vehicles. And that’s something a lot of firefighters don’t have. I mean, they know how to cut people out of cars, but certain cars are built or made different,” Tony Hill said. “Billy was very helpful with where you do or don’t cut on those cars because every car is built differently.”

Hurt’s impact extended beyond technical skills. He was known for his approachable, patient nature, making every firefighter feel valued.

“Billy invested in people. He never invested in anything else. He invested in people because he was very patient with them more than anything else,” Drew said.

While Hurt is gone, his lessons continue to save lives.

“Regardless of how I try to explain it, unless you knew Billy,  you can’t put words on how great of a guy he was and how much he truly cared for other people,” Luke Hill added.  “It’s just something that was so unbelievable. He was of good age he was in good health and it’s just something that was so unexpected. I think everybody  in the fire service and the racing community as well kind of had the same reaction and nobody really saw it coming.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 17-year-old has been charged as an adult after authorities claim he shot at a Jefferson City apartment building on Dec. 26.

Bryson Little, of Jefferson City, was charged on Thursday in Cole County with shooting at a building, armed criminal action, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and delivery of a controlled substance. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond, though a mugshot was not available on Thursday evening.

The probable cause statement says shots were fired at an apartment building that contained multiple people, including youth, at 4:48 p.m. that day in the 500 block of East Elm Street. Little was detained shortly after and police found eight shell casings on the ground along with a gift basket, as well as bullet holes in the building, the statement says.

Someone described as a witness had allegedly told police that one of the victims had pulled a gun on them the day prior and that victim had been “bothering” Little, the statement says.

Police wrote that Little also had marijuana with him when he was detained.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Commission voted to move forward with the updated affordable housing plan Thursday following changes made earlier this month.

Bill Florea with Boone County spoke with ABC 17 after the meeting.

“It went great and I expected that it would.” Florea said. “We had worked closely with the Planning and Zoning Commission on this and at or last work session of Mar. 5, when we discussed it more closely, they made some recommendations for some changes.”

The plan now heads to the County Commission at the end of the month for a final decision.

The Government Affairs Committee said it supports the proposed changes as a first step toward addressing the housing shortage in Mid-Missouri. The group’s Board of Directors may take an official position once final drafts are presented to the Columbia City Council and Boone County Commission.

According to a 2024 housing study conducted by Boone County and the City of Columbia, the area could see up to 37,000 new homes built by 2050.

Florea said the study is serving as a guiding policy document as the county moves forward with its affordable housing plan, according to Florea.

The county is currently behind on its housing goals.

“There are targets in the housing study that we’re supposed to meet every year. We just finished our first full year since that housing study was done, and I think we fell short of the targets.” Florea said.

To prepare for that growth, county leaders are considering three different development scenarios.

Scenario No. 1: Maintains current growth trendsThis approach continues the county’s existing development pattern, focusing on new construction in vacant, greenfield and edge-of-city areas. It also reflects the ongoing demand for rural living, particularly among residents seeking homes on five or more acres.

The plan emphasizes preserving agricultural land while maximizing the use of existing infrastructure and avoiding development in areas without access to essential services. A key priority is ensuring sewer and water systems can support growth, especially along the edges of the city.

Scenario No. 2: Prioritizing infill and redevelopmentThis scenario shifts the focus to development within existing city limits, emphasizing redevelopment and the reuse of underutilized properties.

It also encourages higher-density housing and would require changes to both city and county land-use policies. In unincorporated areas, policies would be adjusted to direct more growth into cities. The commission may also consider strategies used in other counties, such as transferring development rights.

Within city limits, policy changes would aim to support infill development and expand higher-density housing options.

Scenario No. 3: Expanding rural growthThis option focuses on increasing development in rural areas around the county. It would allow for smaller residential lot sizes in unincorporated areas and support expanded commercial opportunities, bringing more businesses and services to rural communities.

The study also outlines several key needs that must be addressed to support this housing growth, particularly for working families and long-term residents.

Affordability remains one of the biggest concerns. Officials said rising housing costs and a limited housing supply are pushing middle-income families out of the area, while low-income residents, young adults and first-time homebuyers are struggling to find affordable options.

The report also highlights the impact of student housing. While development continues to meet demand from University of Missouri students, there is a growing gap in housing options for full-time residents. County leaders claim there is a need for the university to take a more active role in addressing student housing.

A shortage of skilled labor is another issue slowing progress. Growth in industries like manufacturing and construction is being limited by a lack of workers, which in turn affects housing development and the local economy.

The study also points to a need for more diverse housing options. There is a gap between single-family homes and large apartment complexes, with limited availability of “middle-ground” housing such as townhomes, duplexes, and condos.

Some developers have attempted to introduce these types of housing in Columbia, but proposals have faced pushback from residents concerned about infrastructure and increased traffic.

Rising costs and infrastructure concerns

According to CNN, The cost of land, labor, and borrowing continues to rise, making housing less affordable. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate recently climbed to 6.22%, the highest level since early December, after briefly dipping below 6% earlier this year.

Funding for affordable housing projects is also limited, according to the study.

Infrastructure remains another major barrier. Expanding housing options often requires costly upgrades to water and sewer systems.

Community members also raised concerns about sewer capacity, outdated regulations, and ongoing tensions between the city and county. While no specific regulatory barriers were identified, experts said long-term planning and investment in sewer infrastructure will be critical.

Limited sewer capacity is already impacting the ability to build accessory dwelling units, add duplexes and triplexes, and move forward with infill projects.

Transportation limitations impact access

Public transportation is also affecting housing access. Residents who rely on transit often struggle to reach jobs and essential services.

The study found that bus routes do not always align with job locations, and long wait times sometimes up to 90 minutes make public transportation an impractical option for many.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

All three victims in a Jan. 27 fire at an assisted care home in Fayette have now been identified after the release of a state fire marshal report.

Roy Holloway, 67, of Fayette, was the third person killed in the fire along with Marcia Lyon, 63, of Armstrong, and Donald Bittle, 62, of Fayette. Six people in total were in the building during the fire in the 200 block of Villers Drive.

The cause of the fire is still listed as “undetermined” in the fire marshal’s report. The report says the cause was not determined because of the extent of the damage. It was a total loss at $400,000.

The report says Holloway’s body was found near a doorway of the building and the other victims were found in the “upper portion of the southeast side.” Autopsy results determined all three victims died from smoke inhalation.

Multiple space heaters were found, though it was noted in the report that the heaters were not used.  

26-00064_Report_RedactedDownload

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Olivia Hayes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Lincoln University Police Department said its looking for one person after a disturbance led to a campus-wide active shooter alert being sent out Wednesday night.

Police determined shortly after the alert was sent out around 8:30 p.m. that there was no weapons offense or active shooter at the Dawson residence hall. LU Police CHief Gary Hill told ABC 17 News that investigators discovered someone involved in the disturbance was shattering car windows in the parking lot and people mistook it for gunfire.

The original alert read: “LU Alert: Active shooter at Dawson Hall. Take cover or remain off campus! Weapons offense in the parking lot of Dawson.” The all clear was sent out 20 minutes later, according to LUPD.

Some Lincoln students told ABC 17 News on Thursday that they feel the text alert caused an unnecessary scare.

“This whole situation was dramatic because there was never an active shooter,” said student Alaisha Williams. “Just an altercation between two individuals that did not go right, escalated more than it should have.”

Hill said the department was trying to be better safe than sorry. He said the person they are looking for is not a student.

Another student, Kooper Houvouras, said he and his friend were leaving Dawson Hall when the altercation was happening outside.

“I heard a bunch of yelling and a bunch of screaming about fighting,” Houvouras said. “So we had to basically go through all the middle of it and then a bunch of cops were pulling up, and people are talking about shooting it, lighting it up.”

Houvouras described seeing people running moments after he and his friend got away from the commotion.

“We saw people running, people were screaming, people were running into the back of doors and people were running upstairs into Sherman,” Houvouras said.

Students described Dawson Hall as a popular spot on campus.

“Dawson, that’s like our student center. We have a caf [cafeteria] in there and everything,” said student Emaree Griffin. “Like if you can’t go to Dawson, where can you go?”

Griffin said she’s noticed a lack of alerts about other crimes on campus.

“There’s a lot that goes on that should be sent out, and it’s not being sent out, it’s kept a secret,” Griffin said.

Students said campus security inside of Dawson Hall were also unaware of the outside altercation when it was happening.

“They didn’t even know until we came inside; they didn’t even know that that was going on,” said student Alyssa Williams. “And I think that’s crazy because all the windows, it’s like, see-through. Like, how do you not see?”

Alyssa Williams said residence hall staff told her to stay in her room and lock her door, but students were were not given an escape route. Mose Jones, another LU student, said his residential adviser checked on him and the others in the hall during the situation to make sure they were ok.

Jones said the university should have confirmed what the situation really was before sending out the alert.

“We live here, these are our homes. Where are we going to go if there’s an active shooter?” said Jones. “They need to make sure of things before stuff gets sent out like that, like an active shooter.”

No one was hurt in the disturbance or during the active shoot scare following the fight.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A volunteer firefighter for the Tuscumbia Fire Department has been charged with two child sex crimes.

Izak Lachance, 25, of Eldon, was charged on Wednesday in Morgan County with second-degree child sex trafficking and child enticement. He is being held at the Morgan County Jail on a $250,000 bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 23 received a call about Lachance giving a sex toy and pornographic images to a minor.

The youth spoke with law enforcement the next day and described instances where Lachance had sent them pornographic content through the social media application SnapChat. The minor also described an instance where Lachance forcefully gave them a sex toy, the statement says.

They also described being touched by Lachance and claimed he was known to “have inappropriate relationships with other juvenile females in the past,” court documents say. Lachance also allegedly offered to pay the youth $100 a week for sexual images and at one point gave the youth $20 to coax them to send him an image, the statement says.

Police used Lachance’s Snapchat data to determine he went to a Walmart to buy a sex toy that he gave the youth, the statement says. Law enforcement found video of him at the Walmart picking out the sex toy, the statement says.

Lachance allegedly admitted giving the youth a sex toy but could not confirm if he paid them money or demanded sexual photographs, court documents say.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A “swatting” call Thursday afternoon led to a lockdown at buildings across the Moberly School District, according to a social media post from the district.

The district posted Thursday afternoon that Moberly Police received a threat report, which led to an immediate lockdown at all school sites.

“Law enforcement has since determined the threat to be a swatting call, all buildings were checked and cleared, and all students and staff remained safe throughout the incident,” the post states.

Police said there was never any real danger.

“At no time was there an indication of an active threat to students or staff,” the Moberly Police Department said in a news release. Police continue to investigate, the release says.

Swatting is a term used to describe calls meant to bring a large police response to an address where no crime is taking place. It’s been on the rise in recent years, with the Educator’s School Safety Network saying nearly 64% of all violent incidents in the 2022-2023 school year were false reports of an active shooter.

Check back for updates.

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Haley Swaino

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County officially introduced its Safe Haven Baby Box to the community in a dedication ceremony on Thursday.

County leaders, EMS staff and Gov. Mike Kehoe were in attendance.

“We’ve always known this community has a huge heart and really wants to look out for not only the first responder community but also for innocent life,” Kehoe said. “And so we’re grateful to have one [baby box] here in Cole County.”

The device, which allows for safe and anonymous surrender of infants, was installed on the east side of the EMS Headquarters in downtown Jefferson City. People can access it from East McCarty Street.

It is the 424th Safe Haven Baby Box in the U.S. and 13th in Missouri, according to Mariah Betz, who is the assistant project coordinator and training administrator for Safe Haven. Three babies have been surrendered to boxes in Missouri.

The dedication of Cole County’s box comes more than two years after the Jefferson City Public Safety Committee began talks to install a box after a baby was left in a Walmart bag behind a shed in Maries County.

“This project is not addressing an identified need in our community. Instead, it’s a safety net. An option we don’t expect or hope to use frequently,” Cole County EMS Chief Eric Hoy said.

GBH Builders Inc. in Jefferson City was the contractor that installed the baby box. After installation, Safe Haven required testing and a state inspection.

“Our crews have received specific information on how to respond if the box were to be utilized,” Hoy said. “And obviously our agency has pediatric readiness, where we’re trained specially to take care of pediatric patients.”

There were a few roadblocks to get to this day, Hoy said.

The community raised nearly $28,000 for the baby box, but construction costs left a $4,900 deficit after the state did not approve the original location the county proposed for the box because it was up a set of stairs.

Few exterior walls on the EMS headquarters met all the state’s requirements for baby box installation. The location that was approved is a three-story, weight-bearing brick wall. And that made installation more expensive, Hoy said.

The Cole County Commission agreed to a plan in September to spend EMS funds upfront to cover the $4,900 construction cost gap and then seek reimbursement from the state.

The baby box is now available for use. Hoy said if an infant is dropped off, they’ll get immediate medical care. They will then be taken to the hospital where the state will work to find them appropriate shelter.

People experiencing a crisis can also safely surrender a newborn by dialing 911 or at any staffed EMS, police or fire station.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia residents are invited to attend an open house Thursday to hear more about the Business Loop improvement plan and provide feedback.

Residents, business owners, property owners and anyone who travels along Business Loop 70 are invited to attend the first public open house for the project from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Boone Boone Electric Cooperative on Rangeline Street. People can stop by the open house at any time during the event to look at the potential plans and share feedback.

The project for the Business Loop will look at ways to improve transportation, overall appearance and functionality.

According to a press release from the city, the project looks at potential upgrades to sidewalks, better pedestrian and bicycle connections, improved stormwater management, beautification features and redesigned intersections. Great River Engineering, consultants on the project, is reviewing current conditions and developing potential design concepts to help guide future capital improvements.

The City of Columbia, The Loop Community Improvement District and the Missouri Department of Transportation are working together on the project. The effort is funded through a $2 million Reconnecting Communities Planning Grant and is evaluating how the corridor functions while identifying opportunities for long-term improvements.

If you are not able to attend the open house, you can review the plans and share feedback by going to BeHeard.CoMo.gov/Business-Loop-improvement-plan.

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Ryan Shiner

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

After law enforcement investigated, it was determined there was no weapons offense that occurred on Lincoln University’s campus on Wednesday night.

The school had sent out a text message alert to students at 8:32 p.m. stating: “LU Alert: Active shooter at Dawn Hall. Take cover or remain off campus! Weapons offence in the Parking lot of Dawson.

A follow up alert was sent at 8:56 p.m. giving an “all clear” message, but still told students to stay clear of the area as police were still investigating.

Jefferson City Police Department Lt. Curtis Finke told ABC 17 News in an email that there was “no weapons offense or indication of such.” JCPD had assisted LU police in the response.

“It was quickly determined a disturbance occurred on campus and the scene was made safe,” the email from Finke says.

An officer on the scene told an ABC 17 News reporter there was a “disturbance” between a group of local residents and students who came from the downtown area. The officer said no weapons were involved and no injuries were reported.

Check back for updates.  

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