Category: kmiz-local-news

Melissa Houston

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)

The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office filed criminal charges against a Columbia man on Monday after a gun went off during a fight outside an apartment complex.

Lorenzo Toledo-Vara, 22, will remain in the Boone County Jail without bond after his hearing Monday.

The Columbia Police Department responded to a call around 2 a.m. Sunday of shots fired in the 10 block of Old Highway 63, outside Cliffside Manor apartments.

The probable cause statement states the 26-year-old victim was taken to the hospital with minor head injuries.

The victim told officers that Toledo had a gun and threatened to kill him, according to the statement. The victim allegedly told police that the gun went off as he and the victim were fighting, and he felt pain like a bar hitting him in the head and believed he had been shot.

However, the statement doesn’t explicitly say the victim’s wound was from a bullet.

Toledo told police that the victim had been “trolling” him and that the gun was fired accidentally during the struggle, according to the statement. A bullet hit the window of a vehicle when the gun went off.

Toledo is set to appear for his arraignment in court at 1 p.m. Monday.

Crimes against persons are seeing a slight downward trend, according to a graph from the Columbia Police Department.

It shows that from January to July 2025, 1,037 crimes have been reported, compared to 1,027 crimes so far this year.

At court on Monday, Lorenzo Toledo-Vara appeared via Zoom for his hearing. The judge went over his charges and said Toledo-Vara is facing up to 8 to 30 years in jail for the combined charges.

For felony assault, it is 5 to 15 years, and armed criminal action is 3 to 15 years.

Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Roger Johnson said a case like this could take a while because the investigation is still ongoing.

“And so in a case like this, it could be many months before we would be ready to move forward to trial,” Johnson said.

According to the probable cause documents, there was one charge Toledo-Vara did not officially get charged with in court. That charge was unlawful use of a weapon.

Johnson said that because there are many factors that go into a court investigation, the charges will get dropped and added as they begin to unveil evidence.

“In any case, the investigation continues while the cases pending and it’s very typical for charges to be amended or changed as the case goes forward,” Johnson said.

During the hearing, Toledo-Vara asked the Judge if it was possible to give him house arrest and court fines because he said it was his first time ever getting in trouble.

No motion was made to grant his request.

Toledo-Vara is filling out the application for a lawyer and will have a bond hearing to try and make changes on July 28 at 1 p.m.

Johnson said he noticed the decrease in crime rates this year and believes it is due to the combined efforts of agencies working to keep Columbia safe.

“I could say overall that I think you’ll see a continued decrease in violent crime as the number of police officers on the street goes up,” Johnson said. ” We’ve been successful in cooperating with our federal partners, especially  the Boon County Sheriff’s Department and Columbia Police Department, combining their efforts with federal agencies  to get some guns off of the street.”

Johnson expects to see a decline in crime rates as more police officers continue to patrol the streets.

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Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The 4200 block of St. Charles Road in Columbia shut down for a couple of hours Monday morning due to a crash.

According to a Facebook post from the Columbia Fire Department, crews are working on an extrication accident involving one person.

Photos posted show a large MACK truck lying on its driver’s side as firefighters work the crash. Columbia Police Department spokesperson Brian McNeill says it is a cement truck and was the only vehicle involved.

An ABC 17 News videographer attempted to get to the scene, but was met by the Columbia Police Department blocking the road off at both ends of the crash site.

The post asks drivers to avoid the area and use an alternate route to allow crews to work on cleaning up the crash.

A Boone County Joint Communications alert sent just before 7:30 a.m. states that one lane is closed in the 4712 block of St. Charles Rd. due to a motor vehicle collision. The road reopened about two hours later.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)The

The Jefferson City Council is set to meet Monday night to discuss the next steps in development projects around the city and Third Ward council seat nominations.

City leaders will meet at Jefferson City Hall at 6 p.m. Monday to discuss the conference center and hotel and its design, as well as a multi-family residential development project.

Council Members will discuss executing a Master Development Agreement Amendment and moving forward with a resolution to update the project development plan to reflect the design drawings and engineering considerations of the conference center and hotel. The hotel is set to have 215 rooms, a three-star restaurant, a lobby lounge & bar, a café/market, a terrace-level lounge with an outdoor patio, and a fitness center.

The conference center will have 9,860 square feet of dedicated meeting space, including a 14,250-square-foot Grand Ballroom, plus an additional 11,900 square feet of flexible event space, for a total of approximately 31,000 square feet of net conference center space, plus adequate support and back-of-house spaces. Parking Garage with 567 parking spaces, with an additional 52 parking spaces available on adjacent surface parking lots.

The resolution will also establish the final budget and schedule of the project.

City leaders will also discuss a funding agreement with a developer for a proposed 180-unit multifamily residential development project. The project would be located in the 3600 block of W. Edgewood Dr. The developer is required to make an initial deposit of $40,000 to the city to pay professional service expenses. The funding agreement requires no financial commitment by the city.

The council will go over nominations to fill the city’s Third Ward seat. According to city documents, the residents have submitted letters of interest: Susan Cook, Hal Dulle and James Spradlin.

The city looks to replace former councilman Derek Thomas, who resigned in June after he moved out of state due to medical issues affecting his family. The city plans to have a candidate forum on Aug. 3 and plans to appoint a new council member on Aug. 17.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A scam that makes people believe their loved ones are in danger using artificial intelligence has hit Boone County, and the sheriff’s office is warning people after a resident reported a call.

According to a Facebook post, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said the victim received a call Friday that showed their daughter’s contact name and number. The caller allegedly had the daughter’s voice and told the victim she had been kidnapped at gunpoint before another voice demanded money, essentially asking for a ransom.

“It was later determined the person they were speaking with was not the daughter but rather an AI generated voice that sounded like their daughter,” the post says.

A coordinated law enforcement response found the real daughter in Jefferson City, unaware of the scam.

The office said this is the first time a scam like this has happened in the county. People are urged to use caution should they encounter a similar situation.

“If you receive such a call, try to verify the loved one’s identity through questions to which only they would know the answer(s) or try to contact the person through other means, such as calling them from another phone,” the post says.

BCSO Captain Brian Leer said that this is the first time the department has encountered a call using AI voice impersonation.

Adding that scammers will often play on the emotions of people they are trying to scam.

“Scammers so often play on the emotions; they play on the emotions of people through fear, or you know panning. That’s the sad reality of these situations,” he said.

Leer said this type of scenario is not common in Boone County.

“Very rarely do we see a true what we call a swatting incident where they call in and say that something’s happening at a specific address or that a specific crime is in progress.

Adding that this call generated a large law enforcement response and attempted to extort someone.

“This did both. They generated a large response for a law enforcement agency trying to, you know, basically scare everybody and get everybody on edge, and then they try to extort and scam people,” he said.

When it comes to the investigation, Leer said these cases are difficult to solve.

“They are not able to be tracked back really well. They know that if they route things back through other countries and back into the United States, a lot of times it’s impossible to come back and pinpoint who it was,” he said.

Additionally, Leer believes that these types of scenarios will become more common as technology advances.

“Our detectives were already aware of this happening, and certainly in some jurisdictions, but this is the first time it’s happened locally. You know, as they were looking at it and researching it yesterday, they were able to find several other common scams, swatting incidents that were out there,” he said.

The Better Business Bureau suggests people have a safe word that they keep private to use in case an emergency happens. If a caller doesn’t use the safe word, then hang up and call the person directly.

People should also report any similar calls to local law enforcement. A suspect hasn’t been identified or arrested, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

The FBI reported Americans lost over $893 million to AI scams in 2025, and Missourians lost $233 million in total to all scams, including AI.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri has pulled its dining hall lettuce for possible contamination with Cyclospora, the parasite causing thousands of cases of diarrhea across the United States.

MU spokesperson Travis Zimpfer told ABC 17 in an email Saturday that there was a recall for the Cross Valley Farms-branded lettuce served at the university.

The brand is owned by US Foods, one of the largest food service distributors in the country. The company announced that a “limited number” of products from its Cross Valley Farms brand, including iceberg lettuce, were affected by the recall and began reaching out to customers on Friday.

“Campus Dining Services immediately followed standard recall protocol,” Zimpfer wrote in an email.

The recall is tied to a national Cyclosporiasis outbreak that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked to the supplier, Taylor Farms. The multi-state parasite outbreak came from lettuce grown in central Mexico, according to the CDC, and was distributed to 27 states, including Missouri.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 26-year-old man was taken to the hospital with minor injuries early Sunday morning after shots were fired at a Columbia apartment complex.

According to a press release from the Columbia Police Department, 22-year-old Columbia man Lorenzo Toledo was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

CPD Lieutenant Derek Moore told an ABC 17 News reporter on scene Sunday that officers responded to a shots-fired call near the intersection of Old 63 South and East Broadway around 2 a.m.

Law enforcement found the man with head injuries that were not life-threatening, Moore said. He couldn’t confirm if the victim was shot.

Toledo was taken into custody shortly afterward, Moore said. A Boone County Sheriff’s deputy located his vehicle near McKee Street and Orchard Lane.

An ABC 17 News reporter arrived on scene around 3 a.m. and saw the Columbia Police Department’s crime scene investigations van and three cruisers. Officers were seen taking pictures of a sedan in the parking lot of the Cliffside Manor Apartments that appeared to have one busted window behind the driver’s side.

The scene cleared around 3:30 a.m.

Check back for updates.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One man was seriously injured in a car accident in Miller County Friday afternoon.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash report, at around 12:15 p.m. yesterday, a 38-year-old Richmond, Missouri man was driving a 2020 Ford F-550 and waiting to take a left turn on State Route 52 near Meadowbrook Road.

This was when a 29-year-old Sunrise Beach man driving a 2004 Ford Taurus drove forward and hit the back of the F-550, getting seriously injured in the process.

The Taurus was totaled, and the 29-year-old man was flown to the University Hospital.

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Marie Moyer

Sedalia man died this Saturday morning after drowning in Truman Lake.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the 36-year-old was swimming in the Shawnee Bend Recreation Area Beach in Benton County at around 8:20 a.m. when he went under the water and did not come back up.

The man’s body was recovered by the water patrol, and he was pronounced dead on scene. Next of kin have been notified.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No injuries were reported from a structure fire in southwest Columbia on Saturday.

An ABC 17 News Reporter arrived at the 4900 block of Craydon Drive at around 4 p.m. Saturday, where they saw Columbia Fire Department crews responding to a home with a hole in the roof and smoke showing.

The reporter also saw at least two Columbia Fire Department engines and at least 5 CFD vehicles on scene. An MU Health Care ambulance was also in the area.

According to a CFD press release, the fire has been determined to be an accident, with crews saying the cause was determined to be electrical and related to roof-mounted solar panels.

Columbia Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said that crews were dispatched around 3 p.m. Saturday, and upon arrival, saw a working fire on the roof of the house.

Schaeffer adds that the home is occupied by a family of 4.

“Two were inside. Two were outside, just pulling into the driveway. As they pulled in, they saw the fire, alerted the two who were inside,” he said.

Chief Schaeffer said that the 2 who were inside said that they did not notice the fire, and the fire alarms did not activate.

Adding that once the first crews arrived, CFD decided to update the fire to a second alarm.

“Because of the fire progression throughout the attic when we opened it up. And simply, it is absolutely hot today,” he said.

Additionally, Chief Schaeffer said due to solar panels that were on the roof of the house, the fire created a toxic, noxious smell

Schaeffer said that the heat also played a factor in the additional response.

“So our firefighters are going through several bottles. Those bottles, all those bottles, are filled with air that has been dehumidified. So, as much water as we drink, we sweat it right out,” he said.

Adding that the loss was predominantly confined to the attic area.

“We did everything we could to stop damage on that first floor,” he said.

With temperatures in the low 90s this afternoon CFD put in place protocols to ensure that all of their firefighters were safe in the heat.

Chief Schaeffer said that the heat does not take long to start having consequences on crews’ bodies.

“Our firefighters are going through several bottles. Those bottles, all those bottles, are filled with air that has been dehumidifier. So as much water as we drink, we just sweat it right out,” he said.

Additionally, he said having extra crews on scene allowed CFD to rotate firefighters to prevent overheating.

“Our firefighters, when we get this hot, we rotate and limit work cycles and hydrate as much as possible. Plus, that second alarm gave us well over 30 firefighters. So we have the bench strength to take care of our people,” he said.

During intense heat, Scheaffer said that crews work in cycles of around 30 minutes. Once the cycle is up, crews then go into what’s called “formal rehab” to ensure they do not overheat.

“They’re monitored by our partners at the ambulance services, as well as a battalion chief who’s managing that area. They’re just making sure that they get hydrated and their vitals are taken,” he said.

Adding that once they are determined to be okay, they are then able to go back to work.

Scheaffer said that this protocol is very routine for structure fires like the one that occurred today.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Some left-leaning political organizations are getting together on Saturday for a “Get Out The Vote” rally advocating that voters turn down August ballot Amendments 4 and 5.

If passed, Amendment 4 would require a majority of voters in all eight of Missouri’s congressional districts to approve the initiative petition on the ballot. People in opposition argue that it is too strong to pass an initiative petition because only one district needs to vote it down.

“The public in Missouri needs to read that amendment so they understand that 5%–that’s how they’ve written it–5%. Any district can go against a majority vote,” Abortion Action Missouri volunteer Peggy Neale-Lewis said. “That’s ridiculous. I mean, there is no logic, and it’s written that way.”

Amendment 5 is a proposal to phase out the state income tax. Before lawmakers can adjust any taxes, voters need to approve the measure. Some people, including some Republicans, are hesitant to give immediate support because Amendment 5 asks voters to trust lawmakers in the 2027 legislative session to create a plan to phase out the income tax.

Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 955 deputy business manager Andrew Hutchinson said rejecting Amendment 5 at the ballot box protects Missouri consumers from the “everything tax.”

“If Amendment 5 passes, this would allow them [lawmakers] to not only raise sales taxes but apply it to services that have never been taxed before. Everything from haircuts to labor charges at the auto shop to healthcare to prescription medicine,” Hutchinson said.

He also notes that both Republicans and Democrats are against the measure.

“Partisanship doesn’t play that big of a role,” Hutchinson said. “We have a lot more Republican, conservative-leaning members [of LiUNA] in Kirksville, and I think they’re fully clear that passing Amendment 5 would do harm to the state.”

In Columbia, groups including Abortion Action Missouri, Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action and other grassroots organizations will gather at noon at the Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 2615 Shepard Blvd.

Another rally called “Good Trouble Lives On” in Jefferson City started at 10 a.m. at the Capitol and will be followed by a march downtown.

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