Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia police officer suffered minor injuries after they were involved in a crash in their patrol car.

The officer was taken to an area hospital, according to Columbia Police Department Sgt. Anthony Bowne. The crash occurred near Range Line Street and Kennesaw Ridge Road in northern Columbia and was called in to first responders at 10:21 p.m.

The other person involved in the crash refused to go to a hospital, according to Bowne.

The crash led to the northbound lanes of Range Line Street being closed. At least a dozen first responders were on the scene.

Debris was seen in the middle of the road as first responders worked.

The road was reopened by 11:06 p.m.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Chesterfield woman has been charged with a pair of felonies after she led law enforcement on a chase Saturday on Highway 63 in Randolph County.

Fredreika Davis, 34, was charged with aggravated fleeing and third-degree assault of a special victim. She is being held at the Randolph County Jail on a $30,000 bond. An arraignment was held on Monday and a bond review hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29.

The probable cause statement says law enforcement was told about a reckless driver heading northbound on Highway 63 around 4:35 p.m. that day. The trooper saw the Chevrolet Spark with expired plates weaving in-and-out of traffic from the shoulder near County Road 2710, the statement says.

Davis then allegedly made a U-turn and stated heading southbound in the northbound lanes, the statement says. She allegedly made eye contact with the trooper as she passed him while heading in the other direction, court documents say.

Davis then made another U-turn and started hearing northbound in the correct lane before heading westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 24, the statement says. She drove through a red light and drove to a dead end, the statement says. She allegedly refused to unlock her door and a deputy had to break out a window to bring her into custody, the statement says.

She then allegedly spit in a trooper’s eye while she was being detained, court documents claim.

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Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

State lawmakers are voicing disappointment and criticism Monday following the announcement of the Kansas City Chiefs’ move to Kansas in 2031.

“They [The Chiefs] think a dome stadium and and landing a Super Bowl would be really big for the organization and I believe that that’s the piece that they were most interested in,” Kehoe said in a press conference Monday. “They thought new and shiny was better than old and reliable and that’s the decision apparently they’re making.”

With the decision also came criticism from several Democratic state lawmakers, who claim Kehoe’s recent initiative to eliminate the state’s income tax hurt Missouri’s offer.

In Missouri’s final stadium bill, the proposal included agreements for Missouri to cover 50% of total construction costs. The deal would have also given up to a 50% tax credit to professional sports entertainment facility construction and eligible teams could also access a tax credit worth up to 10% of their investment.

“There are no winners in a border war, just losses on both sides. Companies moving back and forth across the state line to reap massive tax breaks,” state Sen. Patty Lewis (D-Kansas City) said in an X post. “Missouri’s Governor has no plan to grow our economy besides doubling down on the same failed tax plans that brought us here.”

Here’s my statement on today’s announcement: pic.twitter.com/P2esEnZB3W

— Patty4MO (@Patty4MO) December 22, 2025

U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) also voiced disappointment, but praised Kehoe’s leadership through deal negotiations.

“I know Governor Mike Kehoe did everything in his power to get them to stay,” Alford said in a statement. “With this behind us, it’s time to move forward. We must deliver real prosperity, job opportunities, and economic development by thoughtfully eliminating the state income tax.”

“That’s a major policy piece that needs to be done,” Kehoe said Monday. “Our current tax code was written in the 1930s and it’s about time for Missourians to be able to keep more of their money in their pocket.”

Other lawmakers voiced concern at potential economic losses due to the Chiefs’ move.

“These are jobs that people go to even when they don’t have games, they still have events there, so it is jobs that will be affected, it is businesses that will be affected, that goes back to families as well,” state Rep. Tiffany Price (D-Kansas City) said.

“The Chiefs generate nearly $500 million annually in economic activity and support approximately 4,600 jobs in our region,” Rep. Mark Sharp (D-Kansas City) said in a statement. “This team is woven into the economic, cultural and civic identity of our city.”

Sharp also put the spotlight on the Chiefs’ organization.

“Kansas City & Jackson County, Missouri deserved leadership that acted early, coordinated effectively and fought relentlessly for our community. Chiefs fans deserved loyalty and transparency. Instead, a combination of local dysfunction, state-level inaction, and organizational indifference brought us to this moment – and our community is being left to pay the price!” Sharp said.

Kehoe voiced confidence in the current job market during Monday’s press conference.

“Missourians that lose their jobs because this move happens will be able to find another job, I’m quite confident in Kansas City, Missouri,” Kehoe said.

Republican State Sen. Joe Nicola, of Kansas City, was not surprised by the decision.

“I expected it, but nonetheless, I’m still saddened over it and disappointed,” Nicola said.

Nicola added Jackson County is currently caught up in property tax negotiations.

“That’s what’s on people’s minds before they’re willing to vote for any kind of a tax increase to help these sports teams,” Nicola said. “I did not vote for that stadium bill, and I said ‘and I won’t until we get some property tax reform for our citizens,’ we didn’t get it, so I didn’t vote for the stadium bill.”

Kehoe added the legislature will “figure out what the lessons learned here are moving forward.”

“We won’t give up. We’ll look for cracks in the armor and find out if there’s a Missouri Show Me solution through our sports act,” Kehoe said.

Kehoe did not mention any specific plans for deals with the Kansas City Royals but said, “They are in the driver’s seat now.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Rolla woman is accused of armed robbery at a convenience store on Friday.

Samantha Feeler, 31, was charged with first-degree attempted robbery, first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. She is being held at the Phelps County Jail on a $250,000 bond. A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The probable cause statement says Feeler pulled out a knife at the Sinclair convenience store in the 2000 block of North Bishop Avenue and threatened to kill the clerk if they did not open the cashier drawer.

About 50 minutes later, she allegedly pulled out the same knife and tried to rob a woman who was seated in a car at the Walmart parking lot at 500 South Bishop Avenue, the statement says. Feeler tried to stab the woman through an open, but the woman screamed and rolled up the window, the statement says.

Feeler was then detained inside the Walmart and resisted arrest, according to court documents. While she was being booked at the jail, she allegedly tried to take an officer’s stun gun, court documents claim.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man has been charged with several felonies after he allegedly used a gun to threaten several people Sunday outside a Dollar General on Madison Street in Jefferson City.

Willie Banks, 28, was charged on Monday with unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of armed criminal action, a single count of illegal gun possession and a count of misdemeanor first-degree trespassing. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond.

Police were called at 11:35 a.m. Sunday after Banks allegedly pointed a gun at several people, the statement says. Officers found him while he was running away from the store, the statement says. Two witnesses allegedly told police they saw Banks outside the Dollar General with a gun, the statement says.

Police found a bag and with a 9 millimeter handgun and Banks’ ID, the statement says. Banks allegedly said the gun was a BB gun, police wrote.

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Keriana Gamboa

COLUMBIA MO.

A home in the 100 block of Sexton Road that caught fire about a year ago is now at the center of multiple city complaints surrounding trash and abandoned vehicles.

The home — owned by Carlos Alvino Lee Lawson — has a dumpster and other items outside of it that city officials say pose a health hazard.

Columbia Neighborhood Services Manager Leigh Kottwitz told ABC 17 News the city is familiar with the property and is working to clean it up.

“Notices have been sent from our office, and the court and our staff have talked with the owner in person,” Kottwitz said.

Charges have been filed against Lawson in municipal court, but he has not appeared for a hearing. As a result, a warrant for his arrest was issued earlier this month.

ABC 17 News reached out to the city’s prosecutors’ office, which said they do not have a comment on the case.

The city is also concerned about the condition of the house itself and is working to obtain a warrant to inspect it. Information gathered from the inspection could help determine whether the property needs to be demolished.

Officials are concerned people may be living in the home, though one neighbor told ABC 17 News they have not seeing anyone inside for a few days.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Rolla man was charged in Phelps County after he was accused of pulling out a knife while trying to steal a couple of bags of Tyson chicken from a grocery store on Saturday.

Sean Wildhaber, 23, was charged on Monday with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Phelps County Jail without bond. A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 8 a.m. Tuesday.

The probable cause statement says the manager of the store called police after 8 p.m. Saturday. The manager allegedly saw Wildhaber in the store and tried to confront him by asking for a receipt and Wildhaber started walking away faster, the statement says. Wildhaber allegedly claimed he was hungry and not going to pay for the two bags of chicken he was holding.

The manager allegedly claimed he would pay for the chicken, but Wildhaber pulled out a knife and then dropped it and ran away after a truck driver arrived to help the manager, the statement says. Other people at the store allegedly told police they also saw Wildhaber pull out a knife while holding the bags of chicken.

Wildhaber was arrested at his residence and allegedly told police he dropped the knife in order to “trade” it for the chicken, court documents say. Police wrote that intoxicants were smelled from Wildhaber’s breath.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia College announced in a Monday press release that its Board of Trustees have named Toby Arquette as its next president.

Arquette will become the school’s 19th president on March 1, succeeding David Russell, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

The release says Arquette is currently at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, as the school’s vice president for strategic growth, marketing and digital transformation. He also has a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Wayne State University, a master of arts degree in communication studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in communication from Northwestern University, according to the release.

He also worked for 15 at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois, the release says. He was selected from a field of more than 100 applicants, according to the release.

“I am deeply honored and grateful to be entrusted with the privilege of serving Columbia College at such a meaningful moment in its history,” Arquette said in the release. “As we approach our 175th anniversary in 2026, we have an opportunity to both celebrate a remarkable legacy and lean into the spirit of innovation that has defined this institution from the beginning. I am humbled by the trust the Board of Trustees has placed in me, and I look forward to listening, learning and working alongside everyone as we write the next chapter together.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia state representative on Monday prefiled a bill for the upcoming legislative session that aims to expand rules on dog-breeding facilities.

Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) prefiled the “Animal Care Facilities Act,” which would expand violations pertaining to commercial and noncommercial breeders. Provisions include requiring adequate food, water and housing for animals at facilities.

This comes after a Boone County dog breeder was indicted in 29 felony counts of animal abuse on Friday.

Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, is being held at the Phelps County Jail without bond, though she is still listed on the Boone County Jail’s online roster. She pleaded not guilty at an arraignment for the new set of charges on Monday.

Sanders ran Magnum Opus German Shepherds and a number of dead dogs, including a dozen dog skulls, were found at the property of the business when law enforcement served a search warrant, according to court documents in previous reporting. Several malnourished dogs were also found at the property.

Tyson Smith had announced his intent to prefile the bill last month after Sanders was initially arrested and charged with three felonies and 15 misdemeanors.

“It is long overdue that we close the loophole allowing certain breeders to avoid licensure and inspections. We need to take all reasonable steps to eliminate animal cruelty in our State,” Tyson Smith wrote in a statement to ABC 17 News.

Sanders has a hearing scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A trip from Los Angeles to Mid-Missouri in the fall turned into a day that would leave William Tannehill and Andres Rios with nightmares months later, the two say.

Tannehill was born and raised in Missouri, but lived in Jefferson City before moving across the country to Los Angeles. In September, he took a vacation to Mid-Missouri to show Rios where he had lived.

Around 3 p.m. on Sept. 22, they headed down Highway 54 toward an Airbnb at the Lake of the Ozarks, a trip Tannehill said he had made plenty of times. But this time was different.

“We felt like we were being hunted because he mimicked every move I made,” Tannehill said. “Speed up, slow down, left lane, right lane. I felt like I was being hunted, and I felt like he was going to possibly shoot us or run us off the road.”

Tannehill said he was driving in a construction zone, where the right lane was blocked off to traffic. He was trying to get around when a white pickup truck cut him off. He claims he stayed behind the truck before trying again to pass the same truck, which cut him off for a second time. The truck then tailgated him, and at some point, Tannehill said a man pulled out a gun and pointed it at them.

In a panic, the pair called 911, and a trooper from the highway patrol later came and pulled the truck over, Tannehill said.

The entire incident lasted roughly 10-15 minutes and extended over multiple miles, but it felt much longer for the pair who feared they’d be run off the road or shot.

“It felt like we were stuck in a box where no matter what we would do, it felt unsafe,” Rios said. “We were trying to follow the instructions from the cops, but it just felt very scary … I did have to call my mom, and I was very fortunate enough to speak to her and have her calm me down in that situation, but it was terrifying. I felt like my life really depended on it at that time.”

Harry Adrian — the state safety coordinator of the Missouri Department of Transportation– was charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon. Prosecutors later reduced that charge to misdemeanor reckless driving.

Adrian’s next court date is set for Jan 6.

Adrian has maintained his innocence throughout the course of the case. According to court documents, he admitted to law enforcement that he was involved in a road rage incident, but claimed he held a cellphone instead of a gun. Deputies found a handgun in Adrian’s Ford F-250, court documents say.

Tannehill and Rios said they felt blindsided when they heard that the charge had been lowered, claiming the justice system let them down. Tannehill said he made multiple requests to the prosecutor’s office for body and dash camera footage from the day of the incident, to make victim impact statements, as well as for clarification on charges.

Those requests went largely unanswered, Tannehill said.

On Dec. 16, Tannehill said he sent an email to prosecutors. He said he was emailed back by the assistant prosecutor, stating that the prosecutor’s office intended to offer a plea deal for careless and imprudent driving.

The charges were changed last week.

“The prosecutor just has not been working with us; we feel like we’ve been stonewalled,” Tannehill said. “This plea offer literally turned a felony into a traffic ticket … knowing that this is the outcome, it’s devastating. It really makes me wonder if it has something to do with the fact that the defendant is in his position as a MoDOT safety coordinator.”

Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson didn’t comment on why the charge was lowered.

“All I can say is that when we receive evidence that we determine makes the case untenable, we are ethically bound to amend or dismiss the charges, depending on the circumstances. I cannot speak specifically about a case until it has been fully adjudicated,” Thompson wrote in an email to ABC 17 News.

Tannehill also said he questions how quickly charges were reduced, saying he felt like that movement happened almost immediately after he asked the court to be more involved in the process. The two also feel as though the incident sheds light on the Cole County’s Prosecutor’s Office, claiming throughout the case that it’s seemed as though Adrian was treated better than the two.

After months of what he called unsuccessful attempts, Tannehill said his fight isn’t over just yet. He claims he’s already filed a complaint with the attorney general’s office, the office for victims of crime and plans to file a complaint with the Cole county chief counsel.

Adrian’s attorney, Ben Faber told ABC 17 News via email that the two were happy with the court’s decision.

“We are relieved that after a careful review of the evidence, the State has chosen not to proceed on the weapons offense that Mr. Adrian was originally charged with.  Of course, Mr. Adrian has maintained his innocence since the very beginning of this overwhelming and life-altering chain of events,” Faber wrote.  “We see far too often upstanding citizens such as Mr. Adrian at the mercy of the government for things they didn’t do based on nothing more than the statement of a witness or witnesses.  In this case, we are grateful that the system is working and Mr. Adrian looks forward to putting this mess behind him. “

Months later, the two say what occurred that day still sticks with them, making something most people do on a daily basis–like driving down a highway– a challenge.

“You don’t even think about it until you see like a truck the same size that he (Harry Adrian) was driving behind you and you just start overthinking about what you’re going to do, Rios said. “I’ve never had a gun pulled out on me and I think I’m going to be almost reliving that again and again for quite some time until I get over that because it’s quite traumatizing to me.”

For Tannehill, getting justice is something he believes can’t be reached anymore.

“When a violent road rage incident with a gun turns into a traffic ticket, there’s no way justice could be served,” Tannehill said. “I feel like the victims are being robbed and the defendant is getting a sweet, hard deal based on his job title. I feel that it’s unethical the way that the prosecutors office handled the entire situation where we have zero input when we’re the ones who were the most impacted.”

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