Author: KMIZ

Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Several law enforcement agencies across Mid-Missouri are accepting unused and expired prescription drugs Saturday for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s national Drug Take Back Day.

According to the Missouri Department of Mental Health, around 230,000 Missourians misused prescription drugs in the past year, leading to addiction and overdose death.

The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics describes prescription drug abuse and misuse as a person taking medicine more or differently than prescribed and taking medicine that has expired or wasn’t prescribed to the patient. It also found that about 13.8 million or 4.8% of Americans over the age of 12 abuse prescriptions in a year. That is around 4.4% less than in 2023, when 14.4 million people were reported to have misused prescriptions.

Drop-off locations will be open across Mid-Missouri from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday:

Harry S. Truman VA Hospital – Columbia

MU Student Center – Columbia

Rock Bridge High School – Columbia

Hickman High School – Columbia

Kilgore’s Pharmacy – Ashland

Hallsville Police Department – Hallsville

Fulton Fire Department Station 1 – Fulton

Centralia Police Department – Centralia

Boonville Police Department – Boonville

Jefferson City Police Department evidence room – Jefferson City

Sedalia Walmart – Sedalia

Morgan County Sheriff’s Office – Versailles

Drop-offs will not accept syringes or illicit drugs. Liquid medications, like cough syrup, can stay in the original containers.

In October 2024, a little under 4,500 law enforcement agencies participated in Drug Take Back Day across the nation. Around 314 tons of medications were collected.

Select locations are open for year-round drop-offs.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department announced in a Friday night social media post that officers arrested a man and a youth accused of robbing someone at gunpoint.

Police wrote Jordan Hunt, 19, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and stealing. Officers also arrested a boy accused of the same charges.

Hunt was listed on the Boone County Jail roster on Friday evening. Charges have yet to appear on Casenet.

Police say Hunt and the youth stole a gun from the victim after pulling out a gun of their own in the 600 block of Talon Road, a road that is south of Interstate 70 near East St. Charles Road.

Check back for updates.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office told ABC 17 News it had to dismiss its case against Fear Fest owner and operator Bill Schnell after being unable to locate him.

Columbia’s Fear Fest Haunted House made an official announcement on Halloween 2024 stating that it would not be opening for the season and that refunds would be “processed in bunches.” 

The attraction racked up 15 safety violations during its annual inspection by the Boone County Fire Protection District. The 2024 Halloween season marked the first time Fear Fest was unable to open in its more than 20-year history.

The Attorney General’s Office said it still has 25 complaints of people saying they still have not received a refund one year after Fear Fest’s unexpected closure. The AG’s office said it plans to refile the case again soon to force repayment.

In a statement to ABC 17 News, Michaela Payne said she purchased three tickets in October 2024 for the Fear Fest Haunted House, spending more than $100 and making the drive from Kansas City. It would have been her first visit to the attraction.

She said she was told to reach out for reimbursement, but after months of trying, she never received a response. She said she called, emailed and sent multiple Facebook messages.

She said following the situation she connected with a small community of others who were also impacted, all sharing the same experience of being ignored and left without resolution.

Payne said she reached out to the Attorney General’s office and filed a complaint. She said she was contacted for an interview, but nothing further happened.

“It’s truly disheartening,” Payne said in her statement. “Not just because we lost hundreds of dollars, but because we were simply trying to enjoy a fun night out and support a local favorite.”

John Peterson, a Lake of the Ozarks resident, said his family spent $265 on 2024 Fear Fest tickets.

“I’ve done Fear Fest for a long time, since I was a teenager,” Peterson said.

He said he found out Fear Fest was canceled through a Facebook post, but never saw any notice on the company’s website. After discovering the cancellation, he reached out for a refund.

“We sent a proof of our purchase and we never heard from them again,” Peterson said. “I’ve messaged them countless times, I mean countless times.”

Peterson also filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.

“The attorney general contacted me probably about three or four months later and asked if I’d be willing to testify. I told them, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ And I haven’t heard from them since,” Peterson said.

Moving forward, he said he is not as interested in a refund of his money as much as he is in seeing justice served.

“Honestly, I would rather just see him prosecuted to the court of law, I mean to the fullest extent. Not only did you steal adult money, you stole money from little children,” Peterson said.

Missouri Nightmare, a new “haunted” attraction in Columbia, is hoping to fill the void by offering free admission next weekend to those who never got their money back from Fear Fest. Anyone who was never refunded for their fear fest ticket can get in for free on Oct. 30-Nov. 1 with proof of their ticket purchase from 2024.

“We care and we want to be here and be the Halloween experience for Columbia,” said Nicolas Palmer, owner and operator of Missouri Nightmare.

Payne said she most likely won’t utilize the offer, but Peterson said he’s considering going with his family.

Missouri Nightmare finalized contract negotiations with Prairie Grove Shooting Sports Complex during the July 4 weekend. Palmer believes the backlash and legal trouble Fear Fest is facing could have been easily avoided.

“You shouldn’t take a dime from anybody until you know you’re going to open,” Palmer said. “People care a lot about their money, they work hard for their money.”

Some of the actors apart of Missouri Nightmare previously worked for Fear Fest, according to Palmer.

“They were just heartbroken by the fact that it didn’t open,” Palmer said. “It’s like if you had a big friend group and all of a sudden that friend group was broken up and you weren’t able to be friends anymore.”

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ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Week 9 of the Missouri high school football season is tonight.

Scores from Mid-Missouri teams will be posted below.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

FEMA individual assistance was approved for 20 Missouri counties that were damaged in storms that took place from March 30-April 8, according to a Friday press release from SEMA.

Assistance is available to residents in Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cooper, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Vernon, Washington and Wayne counties

Residents can ask for assistance “for qualifying disaster-related expenses – including housing repairs, temporary housing, rental assistance, medical and funeral costs not covered by insurance or other aid programs, and replacement of damaged belongings and vehicles,” the release says.

Individuals can apply online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling at 1-800-621-3362.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 65-year-old woman from Columbia was seriously injured in a crash in the 4900 block of Route F in Callaway County on Thursday morning, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report says the 2016 Toyota Camry was heading west when it went off the right side of the road and hit a ditch. The woman was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the report.

She was brought to University Hospital in Columbia with serious injuries, the report says.

The Toyota had extensive damage. MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was found guilty on Friday of multiple child sex crimes in Osage County, according to a press release from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.

Louis Galvan was found guilty of first-degree statutory sodomy, first-degree child molestation and second-degree child molestation. He was accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a child who was younger than 12 years old, the release says.

The trial last two days and the jury deliberated for two hours, according to the release. Galvan faces a possible sentence of 10-30 years. A sentencing date was not announced.

“This verdict belongs to the victim who never stopped fighting for justice,” Osage County Prosecuting Attorney Amanda Grellner said in the release. “Our community can be proud that she had the courage to face her abuser and tell her story. Working together with the Attorney General’s Office ensured we had the resources needed to present the strongest possible case, but it was her bravery that made this outcome possible.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A registered sex offender in Hallsville who was arrested on Thursday was charged with two felonies.

Eric Gathings, 51, was charged on Friday with failure to register as a sex offender and residing too close to a school.

He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled. He is also being held on a U.S. Marshal hold.

Gathings was arrested on Thursday at his residence above the Sassafras Moon at the corner of Route B and East Highway 124 around 4 p.m. A large law enforcement response, including an armored vehicle, were seen in the area.

The residence Gathings stayed at is within 1,000 feet of a preschool and the Hallsville School District, the probable cause statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Crews next week will make concrete repairs to a portion of West Ash Street in Columbia near the entrance to the parking lot of the Activity and Recreation Center.

The ARC is located at 1701 W. Ash St., across the street from Gerbes. Crews will start work at 7 a.m. Monday and are expected to wrap up work by 4 p.m. Tuesday. Work will last from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. each day, the release says. Crews could work on Wednesday if a weather delay occurs, the release says.

Temporary lane closures will be required, but one lane of traffic will be open at all times, according to the release.

Traffic signs and flaggers will be present and the sidewalk will remain open, the release says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A senior property tax exemption that went into effect last year will result in Boone County issuing more than $2.2 million in tax credits to seniors.

Eligible seniors are able to apply for an exemption by each summer and voters in August approved decided to expand the law to apply to levies.

Boone County Collector Brian McCollum told ABC 17 News in an email on Thursday that the total credits to eligible taxpayers’ bill is $2,219,785.05. McCollum wrote that “taxpayers will see any eligible credit stated on the face of their real estate tax bill for their primary residence.  They will need remit the balance due by December 31, 2025, to avoid any delinquent charges.”

The law to allow the freeze was approved by state lawmakers in 2023 and Boone County voters OK’d it last year.

To be eligible taxpayers must be:

62 years old or older by Jan. 1 of the initial credit year;

An owner of record of their primary residence or has a legal or equitable interest in such primary residence as evidenced by a written instrument; and

Liable for the payment of real property taxes on the homestead.

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