Author: KMIZ

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A weak tornado touched down Monday in Monroe County during a severe weather outbreak.

An EF-1 tornado with peak winds of about 90 mph touched down near Route M and Highway 151, the National Weather Service reported Thursday. Most of the damage was on a farm, where tree limbs were broken and a barn was damaged.

Straight-line winds accompanied the storm, causing damage in southwest Monroe County, the weather service wrote.

The tornado measured about 400 yards wide and was on the ground for about 1.8 miles.

The weather service this week also reported that a tornado touched down in Saline County and continued into Howard County.

No injuries have been reported from Monday’s storms.

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Marie Moyer

Jefferson City, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man is still missing more than 24 hours after he was last seen, but his family is not giving up the search.

Nathan Spencer, 20, has been missing since around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. He was last seen leaving the scene of a crash near Cedar Creek Court and Expressview Drive, just north of Highway 50/63. The Jefferson City Police Department reported Spencer’s vehicle rear-ended the other vehicle.

His family adds that Spencer may have been injured in the crash. He also wears glasses and has been diagnosed with autism.

“He’s a really good kid, and this is unusual, this isn’t like him at all,” Nathan Spencer’s brother Ethan Spencer, said.

Spencer adds that the search has been a difficult time for the family.

“It’s been very emotional and, it’s been hard, but I’m not giving up, I love that boy, and I just want to find my brother,” Ethan Spencer said. “He’s really smart and he’s driven, and those are two really good characteristics about him, he’s got a big heart.”

Ravae Moore, the ceo of Missouri Missing, told ABC 17 News that people with neurological or cognitive disorders add an extra variable in the search.

“They’re in more imminent risk of danger, let’s put it that way,” Moore said. “[Officials] are likely to search for them quicker.”

The JCPD also reported that officers conducted a grid search of the area with a drone and UTV.

Nathan Spencer was last seen wearing a black shirt, black jacket with two white stripes down the sleeves, jeans, and black shoes. He is also six feet tall and weighs 230 pounds with red, collar-length hair.

“Anyone who wants to help, they are more than welcome to help us,” Ethan Spencer said.

All information should be sent to the JCPD.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there are nine total active adult missing person cases in Cole County.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person is dead and others are injured after a crash Wednesday on Highway 63 near Sturgeon.

According to the crash report, the accident happened at 5:39 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of McComas Road and Highway 63.

A North Village Park van, driven by an 81-year-old Moberly man, made an improper left turn to enter the southbound lanes. A Linn County ambulance attempted to avoid hitting the van by changing lanes, but hit the van’s left side.

The 81-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 56-year-old ambulance driver from Brunswick, the 60-year-old passenger from Bevier and an 85-year-old patient from Marceline in the ambulance suffered moderate to minor injuries and were transported to University Hospital by ambulance.

The Linn County ambulance district confirmed in a Facebook post that one of its vehicles was involved in the crash. North Village Park is an organization based in Moberly that provides services for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

This is MSHP Troop F’s fifth fatality in April and 16th this year.

According to MoDOT, U.S. Route 63 at Route CC/Roy Barnes Road and Crofton Hall Road, both in northern Boone County, near Sturgeon, had experienced 14 crashes over the past five years, resulting in one fatality and four serious injuries.

Plans to add acceleration and deceleration lanes on southbound U.S. 63 to improve safety are currently in the planning and design phase.

Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman Kyle Green confirmed to ABC 17 News that one person died in the crash. A post on Troop F’s X account said next of kin has been notified.

Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 5:46 p.m. stating that a vehicle crash occurred on northbound Highway 63 near East McComas Road.

Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp told ABC 17 News in a text message that the crash involved a van and a Linn County Ambulance. He said CPR was in process at the scene and that four patients were reported.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man has been charged with three felonies, four misdemeanors and an infraction in a fatal crash that occurred Tuesday in Marshall.

Brent Reynolds, 42, of Marshall, was charged Wednesday in Saline County with first-degree involuntary manslaughter, two counts of armed criminal action, a count of second-degree assault, reckless driving, speeding, not stopping at a crosswalk, not having insurance and an infraction of not having plates.

Reynolds is being held at the Saline County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says a 2014 Ford Focus that was driven by Reynolds crashed into a Ford Bronco on South Odell Avenue. A 65-year-old Marshall woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The speed limit was 25 miles per hour and Reynolds allegedly crashed the Ford Focus into the Ford Bronco at 110.6 miles per hour, troopers found from the Ford Focus’ electronic data recorder.

The crash caused the Ford Bronco to hit a retaining wall and a pedestrian, a 32-year-old Marshall man who was flown from the scene to a hospital, according to the statement.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

City of Columbia Utilities is proposing an irrigation ordinance to manage water use across the community. The department believes this move would also help to support ongoing commercial and residential growth in the area.

City utilities wrote on its BeHeard page that Columbia’s daily summer peak water demands can exceed 170% of winter water demands, with the highest hourly demand in the summer sitting at around 240% of the peak winter hourly demand. The utility is looking to have two public input meetings before bringing the ordinance to the City Council.

The proposed ordinance would stagger lawn watering to specific days and times, so users can reduce the peak demand on the water system. City officials believe it will also reduce the total amount of water used and allow lawn irrigation systems to operate more effectively within their designed parameters.

Watering schedules are based on physical property address and apply to residential and commercial customers using city water, according to city documents. Irrigation is permitted on the allowed watering day before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. for a maximum of 30 minutes per irrigation zone.

Even-numbered addresses would be able to use irrigation systems on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, odd-numbered addresses on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and common areas, mixed addresses or locations with no address can water Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

Exceptions to the ordinance, according to city documents, include:

Irrigation of land used for commercial agriculture.

Watering by hand using an attended hose.

Low-flow, low-pressure systems designed to distribute small amounts of water on or below the soil surface are allowed at any time necessary to meet needs.

Irrigation of new landscape is allowed at any time for the initial 30 days and every other day for the next 30 days for a total of one 60-day period.

Watering in of chemicals, including insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides and herbicides, is allowed within 24 hours of application.

Irrigation systems may run up to 30 minutes at any time of day for irrigation system maintenance and repair purposes.

Watering for new plant material, such as flowers, trees and shrubs, on the day of planting.

Watering to preserve turf subject to heavy public use.

The use of recycled or reclaimed water is allowed anytime.

City of Columbia Utilities may grant a different exception from the required schedule under certain circumstances.

Any customer who purchases and installs an automatic landscape irrigation system shall properly install, maintain, and operate:

A water meter dedicated to landscape irrigation, which shall be separate and apart from the water meter serving non-irrigation needs of the property.

A backflow prevention device, installed at the point of connection between the landscape irrigation system and the city water system.

Technology that inhibits or interrupts operation of the system during periods of sufficient moisture or rainfall.

Consumers with irrigation systems installed prior to the effective date of the ordinance shall be subject to the ordinance requirements upon making neccessary repairs, upgrades or changes.

The first violation comes with a $50 fine, the second violation is $250 and the third violation includes a $350 fine with the customer subject to suspension or disconnection of water utility service for irrigation.

The City of Columbia Water Utility, Office of Neighborhood Services, Columbia Police Department and any other agent of the City authorized to will help enforce the ordinance.

Water pressure issues have been seen particularly in the southwest portion of the city in recent years, with boil advisories having been issued in the Thornbrook area. A water tower was expected to have been built by 2021, but a variety of issues, including discussions of where it could be built, have occurred in the past few years.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A registered sex offender in Pettis County has been charged with child molestation.

Matthew Platt is charged with first-degree child molestation and failing to register as a sex offender. Kristy White is accused of leaving a child in Platt’s care and was charged with first-degree child endangerment. Platt is being held on a $250,000 bond, while White is being held on a $15,000 bond.

A counsel status hearing for Platt is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, while White has a hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.

The probable cause statements in the case say that the victim told authorities on April 5 about five separate instances of being sexually abused by Barrett.

White allegedly told authorities that she knew Platt was a sex offender “but stated she trusted him around the children,” and made claims the victim lied “but was unable to provide [law enforcement] with a reason why she would,” court documents say.

Platt allegedly denied the allegations to law enforcement, but then claimed he gave the young child a “hickey” on their arm because the victim “asked him to do it,” court documents say.

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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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