Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was accused of shooting someone at a Jefferson City apartment last month is facing additional charges after a grand jury indictment was filed on Tuesday.  

David Jarrett, of Jefferson City, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child, first-degree assault and resisting arrest. He was previously just charged with unlawful use of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child.

An arraignment for the new set of charges is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, March 26. He was released from the Cole County Jail under his own recognizance on Feb. 26.

The probable cause statement says police were called on Feb. 13 to the 900 block of Cedar Way for a report of a shooting. The statement says Jarrett left the area with his 1-year-old child and the gun used in the shooting. Police arrested him on East Elm Street after a short chase. Two rounds were missing from the gun.

Jarrett allegedly went to a neighboring apartment where his mother resided and threatened to hit her after he was upset, the statement says. The victim went over to the apartment and told Jarrett to leave, which he refused the statement says.

Jarrett first allegedly shot at the floor before getting into a fight with the victim and shooting him in his torso, the statement says. The victim had bloodstains, but University Hospital staff determined no vital organs were hit, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Commission announced in a Wednesday press release that it will discuss amending its senior property tax policy during a Thursday meeting.

The release says the amendment would get rid of the need for seniors to sign up for the tax freeze each year. Applicants who maintain eligibility will be automatically renewed, the release says.

“Removing the annual renewal requirement should make it easier for participants to remain in the program, as well as allow County staff to administer the program more efficiently and cost-effectively,” Boone County Collector Brian McCollum was quoted in the release.

To be eligible, taxpayers must be:

62 years old or older by Jan. 1 of the initial credit year;

An owner of record of their primary residence or has a legal or equitable interest in such primary residence as evidenced by a written instrument; and

Liable for the payment of real property taxes on the homestead.

To maintain eligibility, seniors must continue to reside in the home they claim as their primary residence, the release says. If that person moves or buys a different home, they will have the opportunity to enroll again.

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Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri lawmakers on Wednesday questioned whether the state’s commercial driver licensing standards adequately protect public safety following a high-profile wrong-way semi-truck incident in Lincoln County.

The House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs held a public hearing on House Bill 3491, sponsored by Rep. Don Mayhew (R-Crocker). 

The proposal would modify commercial driver’s license requirements for certain foreign applicants by reinforcing English-proficiency standards and tightening eligibility rules, including foreign nationals. The bill also increases penalties tied to serious violations by fining not only for drivers who commit certain offenses, but also for the motor carriers that employ or contract with them. 

The hearing follows a February incident in which a semi-truck driver licensed in Minnesota was recorded driving miles in the wrong direction on Highway 61 near Troy before crossing the median and correcting course. The Missouri State Highway Patrol later reported the driver held a valid commercial license, but failed an English proficiency and road-sign recognition test during a roadside inspection.

The issue gained national attention after a video of the incident was shared on social media by U.S Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. 

Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Wood, who testified in support of the bill, described the stretch of Highway 61 where the Missouri incident occurred as particularly hazardous.

“This driver was operating on a part of [Highway] 61, which inherently is already one of the most-dangerous highways in the state of Missouri. But there are portions of it when you’re north of [Highway] 47 that have blind hills, there’s a tremendous amount of traffic that continues through that corridor. And the driver in this instance exercised no mitigating circumstances whatsoever,” Wood said.

However, according to Wood, under the current law, prosecutors have limited options.

“The only things available to us at that time would have been driving on the wrong side of the road and a careless and imprudent charge, which we charged. Both of those are Class B misdemeanors that only have up to a six months time in the county jail,” Wood said.

Wood added that tracking drivers without reliable identifying information can be difficult. 

“The problem we have moving forward is that we requested the court issue and no bond warrant simply for the fact that the driving behavior alone was egregious and supremely dangerous. However, whether or not this person is ever found or tracked down is a long shot simply for the fact that without a Social Security number, we don’t have any way to track who that person is, and we don’t have any or any assurances that they won’t simply change their name and apply for another CDL like this,” Wood explained

Mayhew told lawmakers the bill would mirror existing federal requirements, including English reading-and-writing standards for CDL holders, while increasing penalties for violations.

“The truck suffered very little damage. My constituent’s vehicle was totaled. All the occupants were injured,” Mayhew said during the hearing. “What we do here is we make sure that not only the operator of the vehicle, but also the motor carrier who owns the vehicle has some responsibility. So not only will the operator receive a fine in Missouri of $1,000, but the operator of the motor carrier will have one of $3,000.” 

Mayhew acknowledged Missouri cannot control how other states issue licenses, but argued lawmakers can set conditions for drivers operating within Missouri. Mayhew said the proposal responds to real-world safety concerns, pointing to a fatal crash in Florida involving a driver who made an illegal U-turn on an interstate.

During the hearing, some lawmakers questioned whether the bill would meaningfully address the issue. Mayhew admitted enforcement would largely depend on traffic stops and setting up checkpoints at state lines would be impractical. 

Others suggested the legislation was reactionary and asked whether it would prevent similar incidents in the future.

Lincoln County Sheriff Rick Harrell, who also testified in support of the bill, believes the proposal would help address a gap in the system that needs to be closed. 

“Without the enforcement arm, certainly there’s no reason to expect compliance with a certain percentage of the community,” Harrell said. “If we can’t effectively address the problem without an ability to enforce the law, then we need to close those gaps in the system.”

Tom Crawford, of the Missouri Trucking Association, said the wrong-way video was alarming but cautioned lawmakers to consider the industry’s diversity.

“We all saw that video, it’s horrific. Thank God there wasn’t another car popping over the hill. But one of the beauties of the industry that I represent is the diversity of that industry. That’s also one of the challenges of the industry that I represent. We do have a lot of folks, a lot of size of carriers, a lot of different scales, and a lot of cultures that work within our industry,” Crawford said.

The committee did not vote on the bill on Wednesday.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) spoke with ABC 17 News Wednesday about the ongoing military’ conflict with Iran.

The Senate took up a vote on a War Powers Resolution Wednesday that would require President Donald Trump to get congressional approval for additional attacks against Iran. The US and Israel struck the country on Saturday, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since responded with shots of their own.

The procedural vote failed by a vote of 53-47, with Hawley voting against the measure, although he previously supported a similar war powers resolution related to military operations in Venezuela earlier this year

“I think in this case, the administration is in compliance with the War Powers Act. They have transmitted the necessary notification to Congress under the War Powers Act,” Hawley said. “You got to notify Congress if you’re going to put Troops or in this case, air forces into harm’s away, you have to certify there are no ground Troops involved, which they have done,”

Hawley added the administration must notify Congress under the War Powers Act and that after 60 days of operations without ground troops, the White House would need to seek further congressional authorization.

“I think it’s very important that there are no troops involved currently in this conflict, and there have not been troops involved at any point,” he said. “That, to me has always been a red line. It was with Venezuela, I think that if there were troops committed to combat operations, Congress would need to authorize that. That’s currently not the case, so I think the president and the administration are complying with the law.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man is dead in central Columbia after he was shot on Wednesday afternoon.

Columbia Police Department spokesman Colin Imhoff said William Riechers, 20, of Columbia, was the victim in the shooting. He was pronounced dead at the scene. There is no information on if a suspect is in custody.  Imhoff said the shooting occurred around 3:45 p.m.

Police were called to the intersection of Allen and Bryant streets in a neighborhood just west of Providence Road. Officers put up crime scene tape on Allen Street, which closed it off from North Garth Avenue.

There is no threat to the public. Crime scene tape came down at 6:30 p.m. At least a dozen officers were at the scene.

An ABC 17 News photographer saw someone on a stretcher and CPR being conducted by first responders. A tarp was then placed on the body. The body was moved to a white van at 5:49 p.m.

A reporter saw 13 evidence markers placed by police.

Because of its proximity, four schools in the Columbia Public Schools district were put on a “secure,” where no one can enter or leave the buildings, according to an email from district spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark. Douglass High School and Ridgeway and Grant elementary schools were included in that, though it primarily affected staff since school had been dismissed. Hickman’s dismissal was delayed for about three minutes, Baumstark said.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Jefferson City has outlined its process on its website for replacing now-former Ward 2 Councilman Aaron Mealy.  

The city shared a link on its social media to its website on Wednesday detailing the process, which has a couple of notable differences than what was described to media on Monday night. Mealy had announced his resignation in an email to media following Monday night’s City Council meeting.

Interested residents should “submit a letter of interest outlining their background and qualifications to the City Clerk at EDonaldson@jeffersoncitymo.gov,” the website says.

A resident can be nominated by any council member and must complete a declaration of candidacy form within four working days after they are nominated, the website says. A public form would then be conducted, followed by a council vote. The candidate needs to receive a simple majority of the council vote, the website says.

Qualifications include being a US citizen who is at least 21 years old who has lived within city limits for a year, and within the specific ward for six months. The candidate cannot have unpaid taxes, be guilty of defalcation or have been previously removed as a member of the council, the website says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man has been charged with a pair of felonies after authorities say he molested a child multiple times.

Jacob Knowles, 31, was charged on Tuesday with first-degree child molestation and resisting arrest. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Wednesday and he appeared from the jail without bond.

The probable cause statement says a youth told someone at their school on Monday that they had been inappropriately touched by Knowles and that Knowles also exposed himself to the victim. The most-recent assault allegedly occurred on Friday, the statement says.

When police arrived to Knowles residence, he allegedly ran out of the home to get away, the statement says. Officers were able to grab him and arrest him. Knowles allegedly told officers that he ran away because he didn’t want to be arrested.

A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, while a preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. Thursday, April 9.  

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Callaway County sex offender who was charged last month with a slew of child sex crimes is facing more charges.

Bradford Beck, 51, was charged on Wednesday with second-degree child molestation, first-degree sodomy and first-degree rape. He was charged last month with four counts of child molestation, three counts of first-degree sodomy, three counts of first-degree rape and two counts of tampering with a victim in a felony prosecution.

Beck is being held at the Callaway County Jail without bond. A hearing in both cases is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday.

In his new case, Beck is accused of raping a girl he brought back to his residence in December. He allegedly told the youth not to tell anyone and that he had connections to organized crime, the probable cause statement says.

In his other case, he is accused of giving a child alcohol and marijuana before raping them.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A lane of Interstate 70 eastbound in Boone County was closed Wednesday for emergency repairs.

The Missouri Department of Transportation said in a news release that the lane is closed at mile-marker 133/8, near the Route Z exit for Centralia. Drivers are asked to use alternate routes.

The work is expected to last into Thursday.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Nearly 15 years after his death, Columbia Police are still trying to piece together the last 12 hours of Timothy Jones’ life.

A jogger found the 43-year-old Columbia man just after 9:30 a.m. Dec. 20, 2011, at the end of White Oak Lane in Columbia near the MKT trail connector entrance.

“He was found deceased, face down,” said Lt. Matt Gremore with the Columbia Police Department Criminal Investigations Division. “I can’t get into the amount, but I can tell you that he had stab wounds.”

Gremore was in his third year with the department, working as a midnight patrol officer at the time of Jones’ death. He says he had only interacted with Jones once, three days before his death. He took over the Jones homicide investigation in 2020.

Police did not immediately identify Jones publicly after he was found dead. However, by Christmas of 2011, CPD had publicly identified Jones and released surveillance footage and a still photo from two locations where they believed he was last seen alive.

“The detectives back then collected evidence all over downtown, all the way down to Forum, anywhere that they think that he could have been seen on video,” Gremore said.

The still photo taken from surveillance footage at Jimmy John’s downtown, in the 1000 block of East Broadway, shows Jones leaving the restaurant just after 10 p.m. Then, footage from a nearby building shows him walking west along East Broadway on the sidewalk across the street. It was raining in the surveillance footage.

Gremore said even with the images police were able to retrieve from around the time of his death, the lack of technology at the time has hindered the investigation.

“If you go through a neighborhood now, the odds of showing up on a Ring doorbell, surveillance cameras like that stuff’s everywhere,” Gremore said. “There’s not video everywhere like there is now or even cellphone data.”

White Oak Lane, where Jones was found dead, is nearly two and a half miles away from the downtown stretch where he was last seen alive. Gremore said police are still unsure how Jones made it from downtown Columbia to White Oak Lane, but he does have an idea.

“He traveled a lot by bicycle. My guess is he probably traveled by bicycle to end up down here at some point,” Gremore said.

From Jimmy John’s in downtown Columbia to the end of White Oak Lane it’s about a 52-minute walk, a nine-minute car ride, and a 14-minute bike ride.

Jones was believed to be homeless at the time of his death, according to Gremore. His family members say he was having marriage problems and had just been kicked out by his wife, his brother, Terry Jones, said. However, Terry said Timothy had many friends or family members he could have called for a ride or a place to stay that night.

Gremore said through the investigation, CPD has not been able to identify any motive behind the Jones killing or a link to any other crimes that happened around that time in 2011, but given the manner of his death, Gremore doesn’t believe the attack was random.

“I would say typically in your stabbing cases, most people knew the victim when that happened,” Gremore said.

Police have still not recovered the weapon used to kill Jones, nor do they know what time he was killed in the stretch of time from when he was last seen on Dec. 19 to when he was found dead the next morning on Dec. 20.

A lot of questions with few answers still linger around the final 12 hours of Timothy Jones’ life more than a decade later.

“In a homicide investigation, that’s huge to try to figure out what led up to it. So who was he with in those 12 hours? Who would have that information to know who he was with?” Gremore said.

CPD is investigating 17 unsolved homicide cases with 19 victims dating back to 1985.

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