Author: KMIZ

Nia Hinson

HALLSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)

Officials blocked off East Mount Zion Church Road Sunday night as first responders battled a structure fire that left a local home heavily damaged.

Boone County Fire Captain Matthew Stone said crews arrived to find heavy flames coming from the rear of the structure. The fire had already began to spread inside the home by the time firefighters began their response.

“Crews made a pretty quick attack, had some knockdown. However, we did have some extension inside the house,” Stone said.

Four people were inside when the fire broke out, but no injuries were reported.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw most of the damage was concentrated in the back of the home and porch area. Stone said the home is likely a total loss.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Boone County Fire and Boone County EMS responded to the scene with six trucks and 25 personnel.

Dana Whitehead, the homeowner, said that the fire began while her children were cooking dinner in the kitchen, just before the blaze was noticed outside.

“It did’t start inside it started outside on the porch.” Whitehead said.

She said she’s unsure exactly how it started but is grateful everyone made it out safely.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw several Boone County Fire Department vehicles and smoke in the 5100 block of East Mount Zion Road.

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Nia Hinson

CALLAWAY COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 16-year-old girl from O’Fallon, Missouri was injured when the UTV she was in flipped over in Callaway County Friday night.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, a 24-year-old man, of St. Louis was driving a 2023 Honda Pioneer 1000 on Wildwood Estate Drive at 9:45 p.m. The UTV traveled off the right side of the road and flipped over, throwing the girl.

The girl was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The driver was not injured in the crash. The report states neither person was wearing a seatbelt.

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Nia Hinson

OSAGE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Westphalia man died after his UTV flipped over in Osage County early Saturday morning.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the 42-year-old man was driving a 2021 Polaris Ranger 1000 on Missouri Route 133 just after midnight. The vehicle entered a left curve and traveled off the right side of the road.

The man then overcorrected– the vehicle went off the left side of the road– and eventually flipped over.

The man was thrown from the vehicle.

He was pronounced dead on scene. The report states he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was shot and killed in northern Boone County Saturday night, according to Capt. Brian Leer, of the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

A suspect is in custody, Leer said.

According to a Saturday night news release from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, a person called 911 at 8:15, saying a man had been shot in the 18900 block of north Highway NN. The person allegedly said two men were involved in a disturbance, when one man shot the other one.

The victim was identified as a 56-year-old man from Sturgeon. Medical aid was provided to him, however, he died on scene.

Dalton Perkins, 31, of Sturgeon was identified as the alleged shooter.

The release says he left the scene before law enforcement arrived, but was found and detained. He was arrested on charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

Perkins was booked in the Boone County jail and a probable cause statement was forwarded to the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.

Perkins has previously been charged with a drug and alcohol infraction as well as assault.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw several Boone County Sheriff’s Office vehicles and crime scene tape up in the area around 9:15 p.m.

The scene cleared around 2:40 a.m.

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Nia Hinson

GASCONADE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Dozens of people were injured when a shuttle bus crashed in Gasconade County Saturday morning.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, 32 people were injured in the crash that occurred at 10:45 a.m. on Missouri 100. The report states the driver of the bus, a 45-year-old man from Hermann was driving westbound, west of Eagles Nest Drive.

The bus then went off the right side of the road and the driver overcorrected.

The vehicle then traveled off the right side of the road and hit a ditch. The driver and three other people were seriously injured in the crash. 11 people were hospitalized with moderate injuries, and 17 people suffered minor injuries.

A social media post from the Hermann Area Volunteer Fire Department says they responded to a crash with injuries near the area just before 11 a.m. The post states a total of 41 people were involved. All victims were extricated from the bus within 40 minutes of crews arriving on scene.

The road was reopened around 1:30 p.m, the post says.

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Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Six fallen officers have been added to Missouri’s Wall of Honor and will be honored Saturday at a Capitol memorial ceremony.

The annual memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. at the Capitol’s Law Enforcement Memorial and feature speeches from Governor Mike Kehoe and Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

Kehoe also ordered the Capitol dome to be lit up blue from sunset Friday to sunrise Sunday in memory of fallen officers. A candlelight vigil was held Friday night.

Of the officers added to the Wall of Honor, four died in the line of duty in 2024, and two were historical officer deaths confirmed through research.

Officer Cody R. Allen – Independence Police Department, died Feb. 29, 2024.

Chief Stephen A. Singer – Lake Lafayette Police Department, died April 8, 2024.

Officer Phylicia Carson – Osage Beach Police Department, died Aug. 31, 2024.

Officer David Lee III – St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, died Sept. 22, 2024.

Marshal Noah Bowles – Lewistown, died Feb. 8, 1904.

Chief George D. Hooper – Webb City Police Department, died March 17, 1918.

“We have a responsibility to honor the fallen and ensure they are never forgotten,” Kehoe said in a statement.

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Ryan Shiner

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Law enforcement searched and found a pair of escapees from the Juvenile Justice Center in the Prathersville area in northern Boone County on Friday night.

Boone County Joint Communications received a report around 7:15 p.m. that two 16-year-old boys had escaped from the center, according to a news release. Initial information said the youths were being detained for charges of first-degree assault and murder.

Law enforcement was searching the area as early as 7:30 p.m.

Multiple law enforcement vehicles were in the 1500 block of East Prathersville Road. An ambulance was also seen in the area. Drones were deployed and a K-9 unit was on the scene.

More than 30 law enforcement officers from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia Police Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted in locating the juveniles, the release says. A drone provided by the Boone County Fire Protection District and a helicopter provided by the Missouri State Highway Patrol searched wooded areas and fields.

The first youth was caught at 7:50 p.m. Shortly before 10:30 pm, the second youth — who was being held in relation to a homicide — was located by aircraft in a heavily wooded area southwest of Tower Drive and North Prairie Drive. He was detained at 10:35 p.m.

Both boys were released back into the custody of the juvenile authorities. The release states their identities will not be released and no additional information will be provided due to the age of the suspects.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A registered sex offender in Morgan County was charged with illegal gun possession while authorities were investigating a child pornography case.

William Ernest Conn, 85, of Rocky Mount, was released from the Morgan County Jail at 10:30 p.m. Thursday. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says local law enforcement was assigned a cyber tip on March 26 from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for an image of child porn that was uploaded to Bing on Dec. 24.

The IP address linked to the user was leased by Conn at his Morgan County residence, the statement says.

While law enforcement searched Conn’s residence on Thursday, they found a rifle. Conn is a convicted felon and is not allowed to have a gun. Law enforcement seized several electronic devices from Conn’s residence while executing the search warrant.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Chamois man was charged with a pair of felonies after he allegedly took money for work he did not complete.

Curtis McCarty was charged on Friday in Audrain County with stealing more than $750 and committing deceptive business practices. A criminal summons was issued for McCarty on Friday. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 27.   

The probable cause statement says McCarty was already being investigated in a possible elderly exploitation incident when information about this case was found. The victim allegedly contracted McCarty in August 2023 to construct an “outbuilding” on an already existing concrete foundation, the statement says.

The victim allegedly paid $8,000 to McCarty for materials and additional costs were expected after work was complete, the statement says. The work was still not completed by Feb. 5, 2025, and McCarty supposedly was dodging small claims court appearances for similar cases, court documents say.

Court documents say he has failure-to-appear warrants in associated cases.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Sedalia has announced that it is taking applications for its open Ward 1 City Council seat.

Tom Oldham stepped down from his position last week after “serious allegations” were brought against him, the City of Sedalia wrote in a social media post. The city did not elaborate on the allegations in the post or in communications with ABC 17 News.

Pettis County Sheriff Brad Anders told ABC 17 News in emails that his office is investigating Oldham. The criminal investigation includes the possible sexual harassment of a youth. Oldham was recently reelected to his seat in the April 8 race.

The city had stated last week that it would follow state statutes, allowing the mayor to make an appointment to the council, with council approval. The city wrote in a post that this process is “going beyond state requirements.”

“We want this process to reflect the values of our city—honesty, inclusion, and public service,” Mayor Andrew Dawson was quoted in the post. “If you live in the First Ward and care about where we’re headed, I encourage you to apply. Your voice matters, and your perspective could help shape Sedalia’s future.”

The post says first ward residents “who’s interested in local government and community improvement is encouraged to apply.”

Applications are available online on the city’s website or can be picked up at the City Clerk’s Office. Completed application to the City Clerk’s Office at jmyers@sedalia.com.

Applicants who are moving to the next phase will be interviewed in-person in the council chambers, the post says. Interviews will be streamed online and will be available for later viewings, the post says.

Dawson will pick a candidate for approval afterwards. However, “if no clear fit emerges, the process will remain open until the right person steps forward,” the post says. A timeline for the process was not stated in the post.

“At this time, there’s no fixed deadline for the appointment. Our priority is not speed, it’s making sure we find the right person to represent Ward 1. The process will remain open as long as needed to ensure thoughtful review, community involvement, and a candidate who truly reflects the values of the ward,” city spokesperson Jessica Hoffman wrote in a Friday afternoon email to ABC 17 News.

First_Ward_Council_Application_2025Download

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