High school football highlights and scores: Week 12
ABC 17 News Team
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Week 12 of the Missouri high school football season is tonight.
Scores from Mid-Missouri teams will be posted below.
Columbia man pleads guilty to drug charges in 2023 overdose death case
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Columbia man has pleaded guilty to multiple drug charges in relation with an overdose death from 2023.
Derek Miltimore, 33, pleaded guilty on Friday to second-degree drug trafficking, two counts of drug possession and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. He was sentenced to 120 days of shock jail time and was ordered to complete a drug program. He faces a 20-year suspended sentence with credit for time served.
He was previously charged with second-degree felony murder, delivery of a controlled substance, second-degree drug trafficking, two counts of drug possession, one count of unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action.
Miltimore is one of two people accused in the May 2, 2023, death caused by a fentanyl overdose.
Chase Rieves, 34, of Columbia, was also charged in the case with second-degree felony murder, delivery of a controlled substance and drug possession. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. He has a jury trial scheduled for June 2026. A hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Columbia looks at banning camping near waterways as DNR deadline approaches
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The City of Columbia is looking at proposing an ordinance that would ban camping near streams.
A proposal shared to ABC 17 News by a city utilities spokesperson says the ordinace aims to reduce the amount of pollutants in waterways. The city was told by the state’s Department of Natural Resources earlier this month that the DNR was not satisfied with a previous storm water management plan.
The department set a Nov. 15 deadline for the city to draft new ordinance language after concerns of human waste from homeless encampments entering streams. The new ordinance has not yet appeared on a City Council agenda.
Previous reporting says the DNR has stated Hinkson Creek, Grindstone Creek and Hominy Branch contain E. coli from human waste from homeless encampments near the streams, posing significant risks to Columbia’s water quality and public health.
The proposed ordinance says no one can be arrested for violating it unless that person has received prior warnings. It states that it will be illegal to camp or store personal property within 50 feet of any stream, creek, lake or watery on public or personal property.
It states owners of property near a stream may not camp or store property near the waterway “unless such owner ensures secure receptacles for the disposal of trash, waste and debris are maintained and utilized to prevent pollutants from entering any such adjacent stream, creek, lake, or waterway.” It also states sheds are allowed.
Water issue causes part of Callaway nuclear plant to shut down
Matthew Sanders
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A water problem led to part of the Callaway Energy Center nuclear plant being shut down this week.
An executive with plant owner Ameren Missouri said Friday that “restoration of the affected systems on the non-nuclear side” of the plant was underway.
“Our focus is on returning the facility to full power for the benefit of our customers. The team remains committed to performing every step with safety as our highest priority,” site Vice President John Beck said in the statement.
Callaway County Emergency Management Director Michelle Kidwell said the partial shutdown happened after water that wasn’t properly filtered made its way into pumps meant for highly filtered water. The problem caused issues with water chemistry, leading to the shutdown.
Beck said Ameren has wrapped up its investigation into what happened.
Kidwell said there is no danger to the public.
The facility, located in southeastern Callaway County, is Missouri’s only nuclear power plant.
Owner of Boone County dog breeding business charged with animal abuse after dead dogs, remains found
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The owner of a dog-breeding and boarding business in Boone County has been charged with several counts of animal abuse after several dead dogs and remains were found.
Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, has been charged with three counts of felony animal abuse and 15 counts of misdemeanor animal abuse. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.
The probable cause statement and information on the Secretary of State’s website shows Sanders owns Magnum Opus German Shepherds.
The statement says deputies were called to the business after Sanders brought a dead dog to a veterinarian and an autopsy determined the dog died from strangulation. The dog was boarded at the business at the time of its death, the statement says. Court documents say Animal Control was called to the business before for reports of dogs dying in their care.
“Animal Control stated they have spoken to Melissa in the past about doing a walkthrough of the residence, but Melissa was hesitant,” the statement says.
Animal Control went to serve a search warrant on Thursday, but no one answered when they arrived. Animal Control found a litter of puppies outside with no food or water, as well as unattended dogs inside the building along with a “strong odor,” the statement says.
Officers ended up finding four dead dogs outside the building “and an upwards of a dozen dog skulls were located in black garbage bags, inside and outside of the residence, near dog kennels,” the statement says.
Deputies wrote that Animal Control found several malnourished dogs inside the building “no food or water and appeared to be eating other deceased dogs.”
A total of 16 living dogs were found and two were on the brink of death, the deputy wrote. Five “intact” dead dogs were found along with several dog skulls, the statement says.
“The accurate number of total deceased dogs and dog skulls located is yet to be determined and is expected to rise,” the deputy wrote.
Sanders was eventually arrested Thursday during a traffic stop.
Vienna man charged with domestic assault after allegedly assaulting woman
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Vienna man was charged with several felonies in Maries County after he allegedly assaulted a woman on Nov. 7.
Brian Wagner was charged with second-degree domestic, unlawful use of a weapon, second-degree kidnapping and armed criminal action. A court date has not been scheduled.
The probable cause statement says Wagner began yelling at the victim after he accused her of sending screenshots of a conversation to another person. That then led to him choking, restraining and assaulting the victim and claimed afterward he wanted to kill her, the statement says.
Wagner allegedly refused to let the victim leave and shoved her into a wall, the statement says. He then allegedly placed the barrel of a shotgun under his chin, told the victim to pull the trigger and claimed her DNA was on the gun, the statement says.
The victim allegedly convinced Wagner she would head home, but she drove herself to an emergency room and had muscle strain and tissue bruising, the statement says.
Columbia to hold meeting next week on potential city hall remodel
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, MO. (KMIZ)
The City of Columbia will hold an “interested parties” meeting next week on the potential remodel of the first floor of city hall.
The post on the city’s BeHeard website says the meeting will be held 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19 in the Daniel Boone Lobby at City Hall. Public comments will be accepted through Dec. 4.
Information from the BeHeard website says the planned renovations will bring the all Utility Customer Service functions to one location in the building.
Some changes include “opening up the lobby for better access, improving security, reconfiguring seven customer service counters and upgrading mechanical and electrical systems to support the new layout,” the website says.
Columbia man pleads guilty to murdering his mother’s roommate
Olivia Hayes
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Columbia man pleaded guilty to murdering his mother’s roommate in October 2022 on Friday.
Adam Conner, 40, appeared by video and changed his plea of not guilty to a plea of guilty before a Boone County judge. Conner was charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Conner was sentenced to 30 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections plus credit for time served.
Conner’s mother called Columbia police to her home in the 1700 block of High Quest Drive on Oct. 10, 2022, for a welfare check. The woman said her roommate suffered from mental illness and wanted to make sure she wasn’t in the house.
While checking the residence, police began to investigate a suspicious death. Conner was also there when police went to perform the wellness check. In the courtroom Friday, the state said Conner lived in the home as well.
Officers found a closet in the garage with a 40-pound bag of birdseed in front of it. Police found a 58-year-old woman’s body inside the closet. The officer said the body was under a rug inside the closet with a wheelchair on top of it.
The victim was identified in court Friday as Patricia Kelly by a representative for the family. The representative in his victim impact statement said Kelly’s sister accepts Conner’s plea as justice for her.
According to the probable cause statement, police interviewed Conner, who allegedly said he last saw the Kelly early Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. Police say Conner gave an inconsistent timeframe.
It was later determined that Kelly died from blunt force trauma to the head. Police interviewed Conner’s mother, who claimed Conner told her not to go into the garage on Oct. 8th when prosecutors believe the crime happened.
Trash bags filled with blood-soaked clothes were found in the backyard. One trash bag contained a bloody claw hammer that crime-scene investigators claimed was consistent with Kelly’s head trauma.
The GPS location of the Kelly’s Life Protect device was at the residence. The Columbia Fire Department was dispatched at 3:11 a.m. Oct. 8th. The device was allegedly pressed three times between 2:57 and 2:59 a.m., according to the statement.
An employee at the call center sent a message to the subscriber and heard “constant panting” but could not verify if the person was safe. court documents state. Columbia firefighters arrived at the home, and when they opened the garage, fire officials said a man, believed to be Conner, was on the phone and said the victim was at the hospital, according to court documents.
‘The city didn’t handle it well’: Owner of dog killed by Sturgeon cop gets over a quarter-million dollars in settlement; city hopes to move forward after fallout
Mitchell Kaminski
STURGEON, Mo. (KMIZ)
The City of Sturgeon and a former police officer will pay a combined $500,000 to settle a lawsuit over the 2024 shooting of a blind and deaf 13-pound dog named Teddy — an incident that led to national outrage, staff resignations and ultimately the shutdown of the city’s police department.
Under the agreement, Nicholas Hunter, Teddy’s owner, will receive $282,500 through the Missouri Public Entity Risk Management Fund. The remaining $217,500 will go to the Crinnian Law Firm, which represented him. Sturgeon’s financial responsibility was limited to a $1,000 insurance deductible.
Hunter filed the federal lawsuit in May 2024 after Officer Myron Woodson shot Teddy while responding to a “dog at large” call. Body-camera footage showed Woodson attempting to use a catch pole for several minutes before shooting the dog at close range. The city initially claimed the officer thought the dog was “behaving strangely and displaying signs of possible injuries,” behavior the city described as “perceived to be rabid.”
As part of the settlement, Hunter agreed not to pursue further legal action.
Hunter v Woodson settlementDownload
Fallout inside Sturgeon
The shooting sparked international attention and an intense public backlash that overwhelmed city operations.
On May 20, the city claimed in a social media post that the officer saw the dog “behaving strangely and displaying signs of possible injuries” that was “perceived to be rabid behavior.”
Then-mayor Kevin Abrahamson resigned shortly after and was replaced by Seth Truesdell.
“Since the incident happened, we had to follow certain procedures for discipline and promotion, demotion, all that stuff for a police officer, and that it follows under a state statute,” Truesdell said. “One of those things was that he (Woodson) had to be placed on administrative leave with pay. And I know there are a lot of people that are upset about that and they want to armchair quarterback that, you know, ‘The city should have fired him’ and all these other things. But there was there’s a certain process you just have to follow.”
Truesdell said after the shooting, the city was inundated with hundreds of calls a day.
“We were getting death threats, bomb threats, city officials doxed to their home address, their kids’ pictures blasted all over Facebook,” Truesdell said. “I lost my entire city staff. So I had to replace everybody that was working for the city twice.”
Two newly hired office workers resigned within weeks, telling the mayor they no longer felt safe.
“Their first month or two working, there was nothing but death threats and phone calls. You couldn’t get any business work done because the phone was ringing off the hook constantly,” Truesdell said. “ They just decided that, and I think some of it was their spouses decided that they didn’t feel comfortable with them working there, especially with not really having a police department.”
The turmoil contributed to Sturgeon’s decision to “mothball” its police department. The city now contracts with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement and with Boone County Animal Control for animal services.
“The city didn’t handle it well,” Truesdell said. “I want to be right on the record saying that the city did not handle it well. Once I took over, we decided that as a collective that we were going to go down a different route and before we could get a lot of that stuff rectified, we were getting inundated with over 700 calls a day from all over the world.”
Following the overwhelming backlash, Truesdell said the city has since stabilized and moved forward.
“I didn’t think it was going to be settled this quick, so I’m happy that it’s settled regardless of my personal opinion on the amount,” Truesdell said. “I’m happy for Hunter. I’m happy for everybody that’s involved that it’s finally kind of moved on.”
According to the mayor, Woodson was hired after the city had taken the word of a sergeant who was working with him full-time with the Hallsville Police Department. Truesdell admitted the city did not do its due diligence.
“We just, I think, assumed that, ‘This guy’s working at Hallsville. This guy has been a police officer for a while. Let’s just go ahead and move on.’ And we figured that there’s due diligence had been done by others,” Truesdell said. “I think the city, from here forward, you really got to do your due diligence when you hire somebody and make sure there aren’t any skeletons in the closet that you’re not going to know about.”
Expert: Dog shootings by police ‘way more common than people think’
James Crosby — a retired police lieutenant who wrote the National Sheriffs’ Association’s Law Enforcement Dog Encounter Training course — said Teddy’s death reflects a national problem, one that the public rarely sees because departments are not required to disclose it.
“It is way more common than people think,” Crosby, who has testified on more than 15 dog-related shooting cases, said. “One of the reasons is that police departments, sadly, are not required to report to any central government entity or anybody when they use deadly force against an animal. Most jurisdictions consider it to be no different than if they shot a suitcase.”
Despite the availability of federally approved training, Crosby said most departments wait until it’s too late.
“The training across the country is limited, but it’s available,” he said. “But departments are not taking advantage of that usually until after they get sued.”
According to Crosby, the risk police face from dogs is minimal — especially compared to the risk of firing a weapon, adding that dog-related shootings almost never present the danger officers claim.
“It’s very rare for a healthy adult to be killed or even seriously attacked by a dog. So when assessing risks, the human is way more dangerous to the police officer than a dog. In fact, more police officers are killed by horses and cows than have ever been killed by dogs,” Crosby said. “Whenever you pull the trigger and there’s lead going downstream, something’s got to happen to it and the on on the risk, on the other hand, is minimal. No police officer has died kind of related to a dog attack since 1932. And that officer was allergic to the rabies vaccine.”
He said understanding dog behavior requires little specialized knowledge and that simple tactics prevent harm.
“It doesn’t take a lot of training or high-level experience with dogs to learn the basics of understanding what a dog’s likely to do, to understand its body language and therefore be able to predict its behavior,” Crosby said. “It’s even easier to learn basic strategies to keep the dog away from you.”
After reviewing the bodycam footage, Crosby criticized Woodson’s use of force.
“My first reaction was kind of sit here and bang my head on the desk, going, ‘How in the world could a normal-sized trained police officer think that 13 pounds of Shih Tzu was somehow a threat, for crying out loud?’” he said.
Crosby added that even Woodson appeared to know there were other options.
“If you listen to the video, he stops and talks to himself and goes, ‘Maybe I should just throw a towel over the dog,’ and then for some reason decides not to and just shoots it twice,” Crosby said. “I think for as egregious as this was and recognizing the value of pet dogs as parts of our family, I think the half million dollars was a very fair settlement.”
Woodson was charged this week in an unrelated Boone County case with misdemeanor trespassing. A court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Boone County Courthouse.
Missourians to get full SNAP benefits following deal to end shutdown
Matthew Sanders
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Department of Social Services has started working to get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients their benefits after the president signed legislation ending the federal government shutdown.
The department said in a news release Thursday that it was working to deliver SNAP benefits to Missourians “as quickly as possible.”
“With federal funding back in place, our team is moving swiftly to issue full November benefits,” DSS Director Jess Bax said in a news release. “We know how important this assistance is to Missouri households, especially after the uncertainty of recent weeks, and we thank the public for being patient with us as we navigated communicating effectively.”
The department said it will continue to distribute partial benefits until its systems are updated to distribute full benefits. SNAP recipients do not need to do anything to get their benefits.
The state started transferring partial benefits on Tuesday amid conflicting court decisions over whether the Trump administration had to fully fund November SNAP benefits. Those benefits became unavailable because of the federal government shutdown that started Oct. 1 and ended this week.
In the meantime, governments and private charities had chipped in with extra help for needy people.