COLUMBIA Mo.
A 15-year-old boy from Bland was seriously injured Saturday in an ATV crash.
According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash report, the crash happened at around 7:15 p.m. The teen was driving a 2014 Can-Am Commander in a field just north of Bland when he went to make a turn and flipped on the driver’s side.
He was later transported to University Hospital by Arch Air.
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In a press release from CPD, it said a 46-year-old Columbia man was pronounced dead at the scene of a two-vehicle head-on collision near Forum Boulevard.
There were no passengers in the vehicles. The driver of the other vehicle had serious injuries from the crash and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.
Traffic was stalled for over an hour at the 2900 block of Forum Boulevard Saturday after a fatal crash.
The crash occurred around 2:25 p.m. Saturday, with Boone County Joint Communications sending out a message to notify residents of the accident.
“Motor Vehicle Collision in the area of 2900 block Forum Blvd near Hinkson Creek. Use caution, avoid area if possible,” according to the BCJC message.
An ABC 17 News reporter arrived on scene at around 2:50 p.m. and saw what looked to be a red Chevy Malibu across the middle of the road heading northbound facing a silver Chevy Impala heading southbound. Both front bumpers of the cars were crumpled. The Impala’s airbags were also deployed.
A Columbia Police Department officer on scene confirmed it was a fatal crash and a press release will be published later Saturday.
The reporter also saw two Columbia Fire Department fire engines, one MU Health Care ambulance and at least three CPD cruisers. They later saw an MU Health Care ambulance leave the scene with its lights and sirens on.
The accident occurred on the same road where the Forum Boulevard Improvement Project is set to take place. This project will add a median to the road to prevent left turns into and out of Wilson’s Fitness and prevent drifting into other lanes. This project is set to start during the summer of 2027.
This is an ongoing story.
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The JBS Moberly plant has all lines open after about four and a half months of suspension, after the USDA cited the plant for sanitation concerns in early April.
A JBS spokesperson said the meat processing plant reopened Tuesday with USDA approval.
Documents ABC 17 News obtained from the Food Safety and Inspection Services show the plant discarded over 4,600 pounds of product during suspension from April 2 through June 14.
In a statement on April 9, JBS said operations were suspended for sanitation protocols that didn’t meet federal requirements.
USDA documents detail those sanitation concerns, noting employee hygiene, product contamination from dripping condensation, cross-contamination and improperly cleaned food equipment.
For example, a food safety inspector noticed condensation dripping from a window onto a conveyor belt with fully cooked bacon strips. From that one incident on May 9, nearly 1,500 pounds of product was thrown out.
Another incident of condensation dripping onto the product a couple of days later, on May 11, resulted in about 100 pounds of meat being thrown out.
“Condensation dripping from non product contact surfaces onto zone 1 product contact surfaces can serve as a means for spreading numerous types of microbial contamination to include Listeria Monocytogenes,” the document states.
Similar situations happened multiple times, according to the document. However, the condensation wasn’t observed dripping into the food every time.
When asked, JBS spokesperson Hailey Fishel said in an email on May 14 that there was no recall associated with the plant suspension and the issue was connected to exhaust lines.
“The investigation determined that the concern was linked to an engineering issue within the exhaust system on line 3, which has since been removed and addressed,” Fishel wrote. “Importantly, the issue was isolated to that production line, and operations were paused. Lines 1 and 2 have since resumed operations, while line 3 remains offline as we complete engineering enhancements.”
The day after Fishel’s email, documents show the USDA met with plant management to ask for stronger evidence to prove that the JBS plant’s corrective actions since the notice of suspension are in compliance with federal guidelines. About a week later, a similar conversation happened, and the USDA asked management to submit a new plan.
Leading up to the suspension, the document shows that Listeria or associated bacteria were repeatedly found.
“It is extremely important that JBS identifies and eliminates the cause of Listeria contamination in the establishment and provides support in their response that they have done so,” a person whose name has been redacted said at a May 21 meeting.
According to the document, the source of Listeria hasn’t been found.
The document also details improper employee hygiene, including touching trash with gloves but not sanitizing gloves, removing gloves or washing hands before touching food surfaces where food is placed.
ABC 17 News has requested documents from the USDA that report the plant can reopen.
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One juvenile was found with gunshot wounds in west Columbia early Saturday morning.
According to a new release from the Columbia Police Department, officers were called shortly before 4 a.m. to the 100 block of Redwood Road for reports of shots fired.
A male was found with non-life-threatening injuries and taken to a local hospital, the release says. CPD did not provide information on a possible suspect Saturday night.
ABC 17 went to the Redwood Road neighborhood to speak with neighbors, but none were available to speak with.
The investigation is still ongoing, and CPD is asking anyone with information to contact their department or CrimeStoppers.
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A crash involving a semi-truck in Columbia led to Interstate 70 having to be shut down on Friday night.
Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 8:50 p.m. stating the crash occurred near mile-marker 126, which is near the Providence Road construction zone.
A second notification was sent at 9:10 p.m. declaring the road was shut down.
An ABC 17 News photographer saw the crashed vehicle underneath the Providence Road bridge area.
Eastbound I-70 was slowed to a crawl near the accident. Vehicles appeared to be slowing down as far back as the Stadium Boulevard exit, the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Traveler Map showed.
Boone County Joint Communications announced that I-70 reopened at 10:06 p.m.
ABC 17 News reached out to the Columbia Police Department and Fire Department.
Check back for updates.
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A candlelight vigil was held Friday night for a 47-year-old Columbia man who was killed in a vehicle and pedestrian collision on Aug. 14.
Mark Hunter Jr. was killed after being struck by a vehicle near East St. Charles Road and Remm Drive at about 9:09 p.m. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.
The vigil honoring Hunter Jr. was held at Hogan House in Columbia, where family, friends and community members gathered to mourn his death and remember his life.
Those who knew Hunter Jr. remembered him as someone who was always willing to help others.
“He would give you the shirt off his back. There was nothing you couldn’t ask him for. If he had it, you had it,” Shikea Lane, Hunter Jr.’s sister-in-law,told ABC 17 News.
He was also remembered for his work ethic and willingness to volunteer.
“He was a cheerful volunteer; everything he did he did with a smile on his face,” Ginger Riley, director of Hogan House, said.
Shikea Lane said Hunter Jr. was also focused on working hard and providing for his family.
“When we finally got to meet him, that’s all he was talking about, him getting a job, supporting his family, helping his family out,” Lane told ABC 17 News.
Hunter Jr. also became known for his skills during neighborhood bingo games at Hogan House.
“We had neighborhood bingo here, and he won five or six of the games out of the 10 we played,” Riley said with a laugh.
Hunter Jr. dedicated much of his time to Hogan House, a food pantry and support center serving families in northeast Columbia.
Riley said Hunter Jr. became involved after being introduced to her by his fiancée, Tymeka Lane, who was already involved with the program.
“He dedicated his time to that until he got an actual job,” Shikea Lane told ABC 17 News.
Even after getting a job at FedEx, Hunter Jr. continued volunteering his free time at Hogan House.
“Stack food on the shelf, take out the trash, break down boxes, he loved it,” Tymeka Lane said.
Columbia police claim they used Flock cameras to help identify and later arrest two suspects.
On Saturday, officers arrested 53-year-old Columbia man Shunta Bohanon.
Bohanon was charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter, armed criminal action, leaving the scene of an accident and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, while a preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10.
Sandra Sharp, a 55-year-old Columbia woman, was also arrested on suspicion of tampering with physical evidence, resisting arrest and assault of a special victim in the fourth degree.
Tymeka Lane said she wants the people responsible to be held accountable.
“I’m not mad. I don’t want to talk to the lady or nothing. But I want justice. They need to be punished,” Tymeka Lane said. “That man did not deserve that, people were running over his body and everything. They ran him down like a dog.”
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A murder case surrounding a murder case dating back to 1991 has gone through another round of dismissal and a demand for reinstatement from the Attorney General’s office.
Judge Emily Fretwell had dismissed charges against William “Chris” Niemet on Aug. 11 and again was ordered to vacate that order on Thursday.
The same situation occurred last month, with Fretwell using the same reasoning that the AG’s office did not have proper authority to handle the case. Fretwell was ordered to respond and set an arraignment by Sept. 4, court filings show.
Niemet, of Fulton, is accused of killing Greg Jones in April 1991 in Russellville. Jones was 14. Niemet also would have been 14 at the time. Niemet was charged in 2020 with first-degree murder. The trial has been delayed multiple times.
Fretwell was assigned to the case in May after a request for a change in judge was filed.
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Some Columbia water customers may notice water pressure issues and discolored water on Monday as maintenance work is done to Walnut Water Tower, according to a Friday press release from the city.
Utility crews will start draining the water tower on Monday.
Crews are replacing “interior and exterior coatings that will extend the life of the tower” and adding safety upgrades, the release says.
The release says those in the Walnut Street area who are experiencing discolored water in the evening should run a cold faucet for 10-15 minutes.
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The City of Columbia announced on its BeHeard website that the Shops at Sharp program will end in September.
The retail space that holds the Shops at Sharp End will be vacant and a meeting will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27 for community members to submit proposals for how the space should be used, the city wrote. The meeting will be held at the REDI Hub at 500 East Walnut St. Suite 105.
Public feedback had exposed concerns about funding, sustainability and whether the project has fulfilled its mission.
Previous reporting shows residents earlier this summer voiced concerns the storefront lacked visibility and failed to clearly indicate that multiple businesses operate within the space.
The Shops at Sharp End opened in 2024 through a partnership between Regional Economic Development Inc., The District and Central Missouri Community Action. The project was designed to support entrepreneurs while honoring the legacy of Columbia’s historic Sharp End business district. Funding was expected to run out in September, according to previous reporting.
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Two men who were charged with felonies for having hundreds of pounds of drugs while heading to the Gathering of the Juggalos in Macks Creek appeared in court on Friday.
Kevin “Bluntman” Jones, 45, of Easton, Pennsylvania, was charged earlier this week with first-degree drug trafficking and delivery of a controlled substance. He is being held at the Camden County Jail without bond.
A bond hearing for Jones was moved to 1 p.m. Tuesday at his request, court filings say. Jones allegedly advertised his business on the festival’s website and found with 128 pounds of weed and 2.5 pounds of mushrooms on Monday in Osage Beach, court documents in previous reporting say.
Dennis A. Pradhan, 49, of Silver Springs, Maryland, was charged with three counts of first-degree drug trafficking and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance. He is also being held at the Camden County Jail without bond.
Pradhan appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty, according to court records. He is seeking private counsel and has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Court documents say Pradhan also had a business that advertised having drugs on the festival’s website. He was arrested while driving to the festival during a traffic stop on Route U and Whistle Road, the statement says.
Deputies reported finding roughly 90 pounds of marijuana, 124.5 pounds of psilocybin mushroom products, about a third-of-a-pound of ketamine, 27 vials of ecstasy and 40 vials containing ketamine and fentanyl, among other products, court documents indicate.
Robyn W. Weiford, 34, and Jesse A. Williams, 38, both of Bear, Delaware, arrested on suspicion of drug distribution and released on $50,000 bonds after deputies found 40 pounds of THC edibles, previous reporting indicates.
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