Category: kmiz-local-news

Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man is in custody after being charged with nine felonies after he is accused of robbing a person at gunpoint.

Aaron Jones, 24, of Columbia, was charged with first-degree robbery, four counts of Armed Criminal Action, two counts of unlawful possession for being a dangerous felon, unlawful use of a weapon – exhibiting and one count of stealing a gun.

Court documents state officers were called to the parking lot of a Dollar General on June 14 for a report of a robbery. Police said the victim told them he was robbed by Jones on Orchard Lane after meeting up to buy ammunition.

Officers said the victim told them he was meeting with Jones to buy ammunition for his gun. The victim allegedly told police that while showing Jones his gun, he pulled his gun and pointed it at the victim’s head.

The victim told police he was scared for his life and left the scene before he called 911, according to court documents. The victim said he knew Jones through a family member. Documents state he showed police text messages agreeing to meet with Jones, along with a photo. The officer confirmed Jones was the person using the photo from the Department of Corrections.

Prosecutors wrote in court documents that Jones has prior convictions resulting in probation, including stealing a gun in 2019 and unlawful use of a weapon while in possession of drugs in 2020.

A spokesperson with the Department of Corrections told ABC 17 News Jones was in custody from October 2022 until April 18 and he is currently on parole supervision.

An initial appearance is set for Tuesday afternoon at the Boone County Courthouse.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Local first responders have responded to multiple heat-related service calls since Friday.

The Columbia Fire Department told ABC 17 News on Tuesday that firefighters have responded to five calls. Cole County EMS said on Monday it had responded to three heat-related calls.

“Folks are out there doing yard work, hottest time of the day, they’re not drinking enough water, not even enough food, they start to feel faint and everything,” CFD spokesperson Katherine Rodriguez said. “That’s when we come in and we try to get that person feeling better.”

Boone County Fire Protection District also posted a warning of heat-related illness as Mid-Missouri faces a summer heatwave.

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather team is forecasting temperatures to feel like 100 degrees on Wednesday.

The Mayo Clinic found that heat-related illness can take effect within 15 minutes, with common symptoms including nausea, a high heart rate and feeling faint or dizzy. Individuals experiencing these symptoms should drink water and seek shelter indoors.

Heat stroke, which can be fatal, also includes symptoms of a high body temperature more than 100 degrees, no sweating and a headache. EMS should be called immediately, and the person should be moved to a cooler area until help arrives.

Rodriguez added the dangers often don’t stop at heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

“This extreme heat can play a huge contributing factor to a lot of our incidents, especially our cardiac events or respiratory issues,” Rodriguez said.

It’s also recommended to wear a hat and light clothing, drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen to avoid sunburn.

Columbia resident and mom Brandi Elmahdawi suggested ways she got creative to keep her children hydrated.

“Fruit is great and popsicles, I also do popsicles to keep cool,” Elmahdawi said.

Young child Londyn Millergave gave other options to stay cool.

“Probably go to the waterpark and get in the water, and drink slushies,” Millergrave said.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sturgeon man has been sentenced to probation after he was charged with six felonies in two cases.

Jadon Gooldy, 20, was charged with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action, along with one misdemeanor count of fourth-degree assault after he shot a gun and the shrapnel scratched a person in the leg.

Court records show Gooldy pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement on Monday. As part of the agreement, prosecutors amended the charges of first-degree assault to second-degree assault and dropped the two counts of armed criminal action.

Gooldy admitted to firing a shot near a person’s head. Shrapnel from the bullet ricocheted and hit another person in the leg, leaving a red mark, court documents state. Police said a crowd was gathered in the parking lot for an underground racing event.

He was sentenced to five years of supervised probation and required to give up his gun. He was also sentenced to 70 days in jail with credit for time served.

Gooldy also pleaded guilty in a second case where he was charged with unlawful use of a weapon – exhibiting, armed criminal action and a misdemeanor count of fourth-degree assault. He pulled out a gun during a road rage incident on April 11, according to the probable cause statement

The count of armed criminal action was dropped as part of the plea agreement, according to records. He was sentenced to five years of supervised probation. He was also ordered to serve 15 days at the Boone County jail with credit for time served.

Jail records show he was being held in the Boone County Jail as of Tuesday at 1 p.m. on a parole violation for a 2024 case where he kicked a police officer’s door causing damage. A hearing was set for Tuesday afternoon.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A complaint filed against University of Missouri head football coach Eli Drinkwitz has been thrown out due to a lack of commissioners on the Missouri Ethics Commission. 

The complaint filed by Anthony Willroth, of Hold CoMo Accountable, stemmed from an Oct. 22 appearance on the weekly radio show “Tiger Talk” in which Drinkwitz spotted Columbia mayoral candidate Blaire Murphy in the crowd and gave him an endorsement on air. Drinkwitz eventually donated $10,000 to the campaign.

Since Mizzou Sports Properties and Learfield Sports sponsor the show, Willroth cited a violation of Section 330.050 of the University of Missouri’s Collected Rules and Regulations.

Under Missouri statutes, all MEC investigations must be completed within 90 days. However, on June 18th,  the commission ruled that because there were not four commissioners able to consider the investigation within the statutory timeframe, the MEC could take no action on the complaint. 

Under Missouri statutes, all MEC investigations must be completed within 90 days. On Wednesday, June 18, the commission ruled it could not act on the complaint because fewer than four commissioners were available to consider the case within the required timeframe. Missouri law requires at least four commissioners for a necessary quorum. 

The complain against Drinkwitz wasn’t the only one from the April Boone County elections dismissed due to a lack of commissioners. On May 28, the MEC also ruled it could not act on a complaint against John Williams and the Citizens for a Better Columbia PAC filed by Hold Como Accountable for the same reason.

Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office told ABC 17 News that Kehoe entered office with an existing lack of quorum on the MEC, adding that the requirements for appointments are stringent, which can make finding qualified candidates who are interested in the position difficult. 

In response, Gov. Mike Kehoe asked the Missouri Republican and Democratic parties to work with their congressional district committees to submit eligible nominees to fill the current vacancies. According to Kehoe’s spokesperson, Gabby Picard, the office has received nominations from both parties and has already started the interview process to fill the positions.

The Missouri Democratic Party told ABC 17 News in an email that it submitted eight-to-10 names for the governor’s consideration, but added that they sent a similar list to former Gov. Mike Parson and were “perplexed when he suggested he was having trouble finding people willing to serve.” 

“Over $300 million in total was donated across every ballot campaign and candidate running for election in Missouri in 2024, mostly in amounts larger than $5,000. That’s a lot of money flowing, and Missouri deserves a strong ethics commission to provide oversight and enforce our campaign finance laws to ensure our elected officials are accountable to the public and not special interests,” MDP spokesperson Chelsea Rodriguez said. 

ABC 17 reached out to the Missouri GOP, but has yet to hear back. 

Under Missouri law,  the MEC is designed to operate independently, free from interference by the governor or any state agency.

The governor appoints all six commission members, but only from lists of nominees submitted by the state’s two major political parties. Members must be Missouri residents, registered voters for at least five years and must disclose their financial and political contributions before being appointed.

Each member serves a four-year term with no more than three members belonging to the same political party, and only one member can represent each congressional district. When a vacancy opens up, the same nomination process is followed. If party committees don’t submit names in time, the governor can make the appointment directly, still following the same qualifications.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The fleet of B-2 Stealth Bombers that carried out airstrikes in Iran on Saturday has returned to American soil, landing Sunday afternoon at Whiteman Air Force Base in Johnson County, according to footage from CNN and ABC.

The base is the only one in the country that houses the nation’s stealth bomber fleet and is the sole operational base for the B-2.

Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed in an interview with ABC News that the mission was the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown. The longest mission on record occurred in March 2011 during Operation Odyssey Dawn, when B-2s flew nonstop for about 30 hours round trip from Whiteman Air Force Base to Libya.

The B-2 bomber remains a multi-role aircraft, capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions, according to the Air Force’s website.

Information from the Air Force says the aircraft was first publicly displayed in Nov. 22 1988, in Palmdale, California, and its first flight a year later on July 17, 1989.The first aircraft, Spirit of Missouri was delivered to Whiteman Air Force Base on Dec. 17 1993.

Since then, the fleet has been used in multiple combat operations like Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. According to the Air Force, the B-2 completed its first-ever combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi freedom. It released more than 1.5 million pounds of munitions.

The B-2 reached full operational capability status in December 2002 and six years later on Feb. 1, 2009, the Air Force’s newest command, Air Force Global Strike Command, assumed responsibility for the B-2 from Air Combat Command.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A “handful” of students and staff from Columbia Public Schools attended a national speech and debate tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, where a hoax threat occurred, according to a district spokeswoman.

Spokesperson Michelle Baumstark wrote in a text message to ABC 17 News that fewer than 20 people from CPS were in Des Moines when an evacuation occurred. The event was held last week and the evacuation occurred on Thursday.

“It was a hold and secure and one area of the very large exhibition venue was evacuated. There was a person who appeared to be under the influence who was arrested,” Baumstark wrote. She also wrote that the hold-and-secure lasted for about 20 minutes.

Baumstark wrote that about 7,000 students from high schools and middle schools from around the country attend the event every year and that the event is held by a “third party.”

The National Speech and Debate Association on Thursday wrote on its website that  an unidentifiedattendee entered the stage during the National Speech and Debate Tournament’s Humorous Interpretation Finals, interrupting the round. The individual was subdued and removed from the premises by the actions of onsite law enforcement”

The organization wrote that no weapons were involved, but “the incident scared students and otherattendees present.” It also wrote on its social media that no one was injured.

Baumstark said that a several area high schools had students in attendance. ABC 17 News has reached out to the Jefferson City School District.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A portion of Providence Road in Columbia near Big Bear Boulevard will close on Tuesday as crews fix a portion of the road that “buckled” on Monday.

Crews began working to repair the buckle on Monday morning, according to a social media post from Columbia Public Works. The closure will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday as crews pour concrete, a Monday afternoon release says. The closure will last about an hour, the release says.

Providence Road will be closed in both directions, with northbound traffic being detoured east onto Big Bear Boulevard, the release says. Southbound Providence will be closed.

The release says that drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes, such as Range Line Street and North Garth Avenue, to avoid delays, the release says.

The social media post from Columbia Public Works says that road buckles can occur during extended periods of hot weather, when heat causes pavement to expand.

Road buckles have been reported recently in Cape Girardeau and other parts of the country, including South Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire after days of violence in the Middle East.

Trump wrote at 5:02 p.m. Central Standard Time that the ceasefire would begin in about six hours.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on his social media at 7:46 p.m. CST, however, that an agreement has not been reached. He wrote that Iran would stop firing if Israel also halted. CNN reported at 9:25 p.m. that Iran fired more missiles at Israel.

Trump’s ceasefire start time would come to around 11 p.m. CST. Araghchi wrote that Iran would stop firing at 4 a.m. Tehran time. The news of the new round of missiles from Iran was reported around 6:18 a.m. in Tehran, or 9:22 p.m. CST.

Israel’s military launched an attack against Iran on June 12, which kicked off the latest scuffle between the two countries. Iran and Israel returned fire for days and the United States launched an attack on Sunday. Iran eventually attacked a U.S. military base Monday in Qatar.

“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED! Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World,” Trump wrote.

As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around.

As of now, there is NO “agreement” on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no…

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 24, 2025

“As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around. As of now, there is NO “agreement” on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards,” Araghchi wrote.

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An inmate at Jefferson City Correctional Center was charged with several felonies after he allegedly stabbed a corrections officer on Feb. 29, 2024.

Gary Owen Miller, 50, was charged in Cole County with first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, one count of violence toward a DOC employee and two counts of having a weapon at a prison. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says that the corrections officers was picking up food trays when Miller stabbed him with a 37-inch long, prison-made weapon. The officer was stabbed in his upper abdomen/lower chest, the statement says.

Another corrections officer searched Miller and allegedly found another prison-made weapon that was 9-inches long, the statement says.

DOC filings show that Miller is serving an 80-year sentence for charges including second-degree murder, first-degree assault, kidnapping and first-degree burglary.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Moberly man was charged with two gun crimes after he allegedly pointed a rifle at two youths on a trail.

Jeffery O’Neal, 58, was charged with illegal gun possession and unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held at the Randolph County Jail on a $10,000 bond. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says that deputies were called around 7:45 p.m. Sunday after two children said a man pointed a gun at them. The gun was sitting on a cooler before O’Neal picked it up, the statement says.

The youths were allegedly riding a four-wheeler on trails “they were allowed to be on,” the statement says. The vehicle broke down and one of the children tried to restart it, the statement says.

One of the children ran away and the second youth eventually got the vehicle working, the statement says.

O’Neal allegedly told law enforcement that the gun was loaded.  He claimed he saw the youths come down the trail, but was using a “firing range,” according to the statement. The statement says that O’Neal is a convicted felon and isn’t allowed to have a gun.

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