Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Police in Lebanon, Missouri, in Laclede County say a threat that was made to Lebanon High School on Wednesday morning was not credible.

Police wrote in a release that officers were called at 10:50 a.m. for an alleged bomb threat. Students were “relocated to an alternative site” while officers, including K-9 units, searched the campus.

Highway 64 near the school was closed while officers worked, police wrote in a social media post. Police had also told the public to avoid the middle school while it worked.

“Safety always remains the highest priority in situations like this,” Chief Jerry Harrison was quoted in the release. “I want to thank the students, parents, and school staff for their cooperation throughout this incident.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Officials are continuing to learn more about Monday’s severe weather.

On Wednesday, the National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado developed near the Bluebird Trail southwest of Slater at 6:52 a.m. Monday. The storm went east into Howard County and eventually made its way to Gilliam and Glasgow in Howard County and south or southeast of Higbee in Randolph County.

Winds peaked in the storm at 115 miles per hours, according to the National Weather Service.

Multiple rounds of storms hit the area on Monday and an EF-1 tornado was confirmed in Randolph and Monroe counties.

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man from St. Charles, Missouri, accused of sexually abusing two women at a Columbia party in November was booked into the Boone County Jail on Tuesday night.

Hayk Darbinyan, 20, was charged with first-degree sodomy, first-degree sexual abuse and misdemeanor third-degree kidnapping. He is being held at the jail without bond. A hearing was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Two probable cause statements were filed in the case that described a party occurring the night of Nov. 1 and into Nov. 2 at Grayson Cottages. Darbinyan is accused of abusing two women at the party. He allegedly acted “aggressive” while trying to sodomize both women, but successfully did so with one, court documents allege.

Police noted in one of the statements that a photo was taken at the party that allegedly showed Darbinyan with his hand between one of the women’s legs. Multiple witnesses spoke with police.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The head of the Columbia firefighters’ union waived his arraignment and pleaded not guilty to a felony charge, according to Tuesday court filings.

Zachary Privette is charged with third-degree assault of a special victim. He was arrested last month and had bonded out of jail. An entry of appearance was filed by his attorney on Tuesday. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14.

The probable cause statement says police were called around 9 p.m. March 23 to Truman’s Bar and Grill in western Columbia. The victim – who police had previously stated was considered elderly under Missouri law – went to pick up an order at the bar and noticed a group of people he used to work with at the Columbia Fire Department.

The victim walked up to the table and Privette allegedly started yelling at the victim because he was upset the victim no longer attended union meetings, the statement says. The victim left the table to pick up his order and left the building, but Privette allegedly saw him in the parking lot and started yelling while walking up to him, the statement says.

Privette then assaulted the victim by putting him in a headlock and eventually pushed the victim to the ground, the statement says. Privette then allegedly kicked the victim while the victim was on the ground, the statement says. Privette then allegedly went to the ground and started punching the victim, court documents allege.

A witness saw the end of the assault when both men were on the ground, the statement says. That person told police they saw Privette get up and go back into the restaurant after someone in a vehicle flashed their lights, the statement says.

Police reviewed video footage that allegedly lined up with the victim’s story, the statement says.

Privette’s attorney Jeff Hilbrenner gave no comment on Wednesday.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Osage County Clerk filed a lawsuit in the county’s court on Tuesday to ask for a new election for Linn mayor.

Clerk Brooke Dudenhoeffer filed the petition in Osage County after she claims there were 40 people who received the wrong ballot in the April 7 Election. The lawsuit alleges those 40 voters received a ballot that did not include the mayoral race, but they should have received one with that race included.

The lawsuit alleges that “the property for these forty (40) voters had previously been annexed to the geographic territory of the City of Linn; however, the voter addresses had not been updated in the Missouri Centralized Voter Registration System to be included within the geographic territory of the City of Linn. As a result, these voters received a ballot style that did not, but should have, had the mayoral race included on the ballot style.”

Michael Troesser received 127 votes in the mayoral election and Dustin Flamm had 101. The difference in the number of voters could have resulted in a different outcome of the election.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for 9 a.m. May 7 at the Osage County Courthouse.

ABC 17 News has reached out to the Osage County Clerk.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boone County judge is still considering whether to certify a juvenile charged in connection with the deadly shooting in a Facebook Market meet-up after hearing testimony on Wednesday morning.

A 17-year-old faces charges including second-degree murder, robbery, stealing and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Michael Ryan Burke in January.

Colleen McMahon, the teen’s attorney, brought in a handful of witnesses to testify on behalf of the youth’s character. After hearing hours of testimony, the judge decided not to issue a decision Wednesday, but to wait until all parties are back in court on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

McMahon is asking the judge to consider her client’s personality and three mental disorders when deciding whether to certify him. She argues he could still utilize the rehabilitation services in the Division of Youth Services.

McMahon also said there isn’t probable cause that points her client as the person who killed Burke.

Matt Puthukulam, an attorney for the juvenile office, argues the crimes the teen is charged with are too dangerous for him to be tried in juvenile court.

Puthukulam also brought up that the teen turns 18-years-old this summer, which could age him out of the juvenile system.

The meeting between Burke and the group was arranged in the 1400 block of Ridgemont Ct. through Facebook Marketplace to sell a phone, according to court documents.

Alexis Baumann, Kobe Aust and Joseph Crane are also facing charges in the case. Baumann’s bond was lowered and she was eventually released from jail.

Court documents state that Baumann allegedly told police the juvenile shot Burke and then sold the phone at a kiosk at the Walmart on Conley Road.

The group had reportedly stolen phones from two other victims two days before the shooting. Security video and information provided by Facebook were used to connect the group to the crimes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Power is being restored in a Howard County town sooner than expected.

The City of Glasgow announced on its social media on Monday that the town had lost power and would likely be out for two or three days. Severe storms went through Mid-Missouri on Monday and caused damage around the area.

The city updated its residents on Tuesday with a social media post sayin power is starting to be restored.

“The substation has warmed up, and the electric company has begun restoring power. Circuits will be brought back online one at a time, so not all customers will have service restored at the same time,” the post says. “We appreciate your patience as crews work to safely restore power to the entire community.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Jefferson City Police Department is searching for someone who went missing in the eastern part of town.

JCPD wrote on its social media that it is looking for Nathan Spencer, 20. He was last seen walking near Cedar Creek Court and Expressview Drive, an area just north of Highway 50/63.

A news release Tuesday evening said Spencer was one of two drivers involved in a crash in the 2300 block of US 50/63. The crash happened shortly after 9:30 a.m. when Spencer’s vehicle rear-ended the other vehicle, according to police, at which point Spencer apparently left the scene on foot.

The other driver reported some discomfort after the crash but declined medical treatment.

While investigating the crash, police set up a perimeter to try and find Spencer, even deploying a drone to search from the air, but didn’t find him.

At around 2:30 p.m. police returned to the area to look for Spencer, but after more than half an hour did not find any sign of him.

After a missing person report was completed for Spencer just before 5 p.m., officers went back out to the scene to look again, but called it off shortly after 6 p.m. after finding no indication Spencer was in the area.

The post says Spencer is 6-feet tall and weighs 230 pounds. He has a red beard and red “collar-length” hair. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, black jacket with two white stripes down the sleeves, jeans and black shoes.

Police are focusing their search efforts in the eastern part of the city and into the county. They ask anyone with information or who sees Spencer to contact them, as he may need medical attention.

JCPD can be contacted at 573-634-6400 or by calling 911.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Eldon business is considered a total loss after it caught fire on Sunday, according to a Tuesday press release from the Eldon Fire Department.

The release says crews were called to 705 East 5th Street and saw flames coming from a side of the building when they arrived at 2 p.m. Sunday.

The release says crews and equipment were delayed “because of barricades across the road at the end of 5th street.” 

Two people were injured and treated at the scene, the release says. About 300,000 gallons of water was used. Crews cleared the scene at 8:30 p.m.

The company shared images of the damage to its Facebook page on Monday.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A student from Jefferson City High School was removed from the building on Tuesday after they were found with a weapon, according to a letter sent to parents by the Jefferson City School District.

The district wrote that a weapon was in a student’s belongings while officials were searching for vape products.

“This afternoon, school officials were made aware that there were vapes being circulated among several students. During the process of investigating, a weapon was found in a student’s belongings,” the email says. “The student has been removed from school until further notice, and full disciplinary action will be taken, which may include criminal charges.”

The type of weapon found was not described by the school district.

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