Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person was brought to a hospital on Friday after they fell through the ice at Cosmo-Bethel Lake.

Columbia firefighters responded to the park at 2:37 p.m. after two people fell through the ice while they were ice fishing.

A Columbia Fire Department spokesperson said one of the anglers fell through the ice and a second person ended up in the water while they tried to rescue them. The second person was able to escape to shore and other residents tossed a rope to the person who was still stuck in the ice, CFD said. Firefighters were able to rescue the fisherman and that person was brought to an area hospital by ambulance.

Ice skating had opened last week at Stephens Lake Park and ice fishing opened at Cosmo-Bethel Park after intense cold the previous weekend had led to area lakes freezing 4-inches deep.

However, the City of Columbia announced on Tuesday that it had closed ice skating and ice fishing at both lakes because of warming temperatures. Friday had a high of 51 degrees Fahrenheit.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A registered sex offender has been charged in Callaway County with several sex crimes.

Bradford Beck, 51, was charged on Thursday 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. His address on Casenet is listed as Columbia, though the sex offender registry shows his address as Holts Summit.

Beck is in the Callaway County Jail without bond. An initial court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning.

The probable cause statement says one of the child victims told their mother on Tuesday they were raped by Beck at about four of five times from the end of December through the end of January. During the first assault, Beck allegedly gave the youth alcohol and marijuana before raping them, court documents say.

After one of the assaults, Beck allegedly told the child to not tell anyone because he could “be in jail for the rest of his life,” the statement says. He then accused that victim of “ruining his life,” after he was confronted by the victim’s mother, court documents say.

A second child victim came forward to law enforcement after they saw Beck was listed on the Callaway County Jail’s online roster on Wednesday. Beck allegedly started raping that victim in November and had threatened to hurt members of their family, while also bribing the child with gifts, the statement says.

Court records show Beck pleaded guilty on Sept. 28, 2015, to sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 15 years old and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No injuries were reported on Thursday night after a fire was reported at an apartment building in Mexico, Missouri.

A Friday press release from the Mexico Public Safety Department says firefighters were called at 7:17 pm. to the 500 block of South Olive Street. First responders found linens burning in one of the apartments and quickly put it out, the release says.

There was “minimal damage” to the apartment, the release says.

Crews determined a resident fell asleep while they were smoking before the fire started, the release says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 43-year-old man from Dixon was seriously injured in a crash Thursday on Highway 133 in Pulaski County, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report says the man’s 2003 Saturn L200 was heading northbound when it went off the right side of the road. The driver overcorrected and the car then when off the left side of the road, hit a tree and fence and caught fire, the report says.

The man was brought to Phelps Health by ambulance, according to the report. It is not known if he wore a seatbelt.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

Click here to follow the original article.

Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person is in custody and charged with multiple felonies after the Morgan County R-2 in Versailles went on a temporary lockdown on Thursday evening.

Superintendent Bryan Pettengill said in a statement that the campus was put on lockdown Thursday evening after a report of a person trying to bring a gun on school property.

“Law enforcement was already on site when the individual arrived and took the person into custody without incident,” Pettengill said in a statement.

He added that no students or staff were in danger. The lockdown was lifted after confirmation from law enforcement.

Dalton Sidebottom, 35, of Versailles, was charged with two counts of third-degree domestic assault, two counts of misdemeanor second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of second-degree making a terroristic threat and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held at the Morgan County Jail without bond.

According to the probable cause statement, Sidebottom allegedly made threats to “shoot his family.” Sidebottom had allegedly routinely assaulted a female at his residence, including on Thursday, the statement says. The probable cause statement made a reference to someone coaching during an athletic event at the school district and that a caller was worried Sidebottom may hurt someone at the school.

Court documents say at least 10 students and several staff were at the building at the time of the lockdown.

A victim was at the school and met with law enforcement to discuss what happened, the statement says. Sidebottom allegedly made multiple threats to kill her and “nanny cams” at their residence had recorded multiple assaults that were later viewed by deputies.

The victim had also viewed Sidebottom’s laptop and he had allegedly been “researching bullets that would cause the most damage to the human body,” the statement says. Sidebottom allegedly made threats to “hunt down” the victim’s family and shoot them, the statement says.

Sidebottom’s truck was stopped by the high school’s main entrance and told law enforcement there was a gun in his vehicle’s floorboard, the statement says.

He then allegedly identified himself assaulting the victim in the “nanny cam” video while he was interviewed by law enforcement at the Morgan County Justice Center, the statement.

Click here to follow the original article.

Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County Judge Joseph Shetler dismissed a lawsuit against Hawthorne Bank on Friday over a land auction.

An auction for a piece of land that several people have claimed was meant to become a county park.

Plaintiffs in the case claim to have a special interest in how the land is handled, according to court documents. Two of the plaintiffs, Mark Knapp and Gary Scheperle, were named in the Lawrence and Mary Renn Trust, which left 178 acres of land in Elston to Cole County.

The judge dismissed the case without prejudice on Friday, claiming the plaintiffs had a “lack of standing and a failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.”

“I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut,” Knapp told an ABC 17 News reporter after Shetler dismissed the case. “Just really disappointed.”

Plaintiffs argue that the land was left to Cole County to be turned into a park, but the administrator of the trust, Hawthorn Bank, misled the county commissioners in how much money was left in the trust to turn it into a park.

Plaintiffs asked the judge to remove Hawthorn Bank as an administrator and appoint a new one, and cancel the land auction scheduled for Saturday. However, with the judge’s decision, the auction will continue as normal.

Knapp said the trust requires whatever the county receives from the land to go toward either student scholarships or a charitable organization.

The bank filed a motion to dismiss the case on Thursday. The bank had argued that the group had no standing and that the two people who were named in the trust — Knapp and Gary Scheperle – had received their money and are no longer considered beneficiaries. The judge agreed with that in his judgement.

“Plaintiffs Mark Knapp and Gary Scheperle are no longer beneficiaries of the Renn Trust, they are not owed any further fiduciary duties by the Trustee, and they do not have standing to bring this lawsuit as former beneficiaries,” Shetler wrote in his decision.

In the motion to dismiss, Hawthorn Bank’s attorney Micheal Schmid, asked the judge for relief and for the plaintiffs to pay the bank’s attorney fees.

The auction starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at the VFW Post, located at 1003-105 Irwin Drive, Jefferson City. It will be sold in six different tracts.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jazsmin Halliburton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Editor’s note, 2/6: The title of the source from the Jefferson City Fire Department has been corrected.

Jefferson City fire crews were able to knock down a house fire in about 20 minutes in central Jefferson City early Friday morning.

Jefferson City Fire Department crews were called to 207 E. Atchison St. for a structure fire at 3:15 a.m. Friday. The street reopened just after 6:30 a.m.

Jefferson City Fire Department Asst. Chief Jake Holee told ABC 17 News at the scene that a Cole County ambulance driving by spotted smoke coming from a home’s attic. The EMS crew was able to warn the five people inside to evacuate. No injuries were reported.

Four adults, one child and a pet were displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross, according to a release from the Jefferson City Fire Department.

When fire crews arrived, they found heavy smoke and fire in the attic, according to a press release. Holee told ABC 17 the fire was brought under control within 20 minutes. Holee told ABC 17 crews that 20 fire personnel and two chief officers responded to the scene. Fire crews were assisted by one Cole County Fire Protection District Engine Company, four officers with the Jefferson City Police Department, four Cole County EMS units, and two EMS Chief Officers. 

Holee could not say if the home is a total loss, but there is heavy damage.

The fire is believed to be accidental. The cause is under investigation, according to the release.

When ABC 17 News crews arrived at the scene, there were four JCFD fire trucks, two Cole County EMS ambulances, and three JCPD police cars blocking the area.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

City of Columbia and University of Missouri leadership have held multiple meetings to discuss public safety since a downtown shooting in the fall focused attention on violent crime.

But some Columbia City Council members are asking why the meetings can’t be opened up to the public. Meetings so far have taken place with only part of the council — few enough not to trigger requirements to make the meeting open.

Do you think the meetings should be opened up? Let us know by voting in the poll.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Mizzou women’s basketball team on Thursday night earned its third victory in a row after it squeaked out an 87-82 road win against the SEC-winless Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Tigers (16-9, 4-6 Southeastern Conference) trailed Arkansas 22-19 after the opening period, but took a 41-38 advantage heading into halftime. The Razorbacks (11-13, 0-9) outscored Missouri 26-25 in the third quarter to cut the Tigers’ lead to 66-64 before the final frame.

Junior guard Shannon Dowell directed the Tigers with a game-high 25 points as Missouri went 51% (31-of-61) from the field. Junior guard Grace Slaughter produced 24 points and junior guard Abbey Schreacke tallied 17. Sophomore guard Chloe Sotell pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds as the Tigers took a 41-33 advantage on the boards.

Dowell also made four of the Tigers’ 12 baskets from beyond the arc. Missouri went 38% from 3 for the game.

Razorbacks senior guard Taleyah Jones had a team-high 24 points as Arkansas shot 40% (31-of-77) from the floor. Senior guard Wyvette Mayberry totaled 19 points and junior guard Emily Robinson put up 17. Freshman guard Bonnie Deas brought down a game-high 13 rebounds.

The Tigers host the Georgia Bulldogs (18-5, 4-5) at 3 p.m. Sunday. Georgia lost to the Tennessee Volunteers 82-77 on Thursday night and enter Sunday’s contest on a two-game skid.

Check back for updates.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Hawthorn Bank has asked a Cole County judge to toss out a lawsuit filed by a group last week that sought to block the land auction of a piece of land.

Gary Scheperle, Mark Knapp, Tony Porter, Steve Brandt, Gary Bemboom, Tony Brenneke and Charles Steck sued the bank on Friday, claiming that 178 acres in Elston was intended to be used as a public park by its former owner Lawrence Renn Jr.

The group claims the administrator of Renn’s trust, Hawthorn Bank, was not being honest with the county on how much money the trust had when the commission discussed the issue in 2024. The lawsuit asks the judge to remove Hawthorn Bank as a trustee and to block an auction scheduled for Saturday.

In a motion filed on Thursday, Hawthorn Bank claimed that the group had no standing and that the two people who were named in the trust — Mark Knapp and Gary Scheperle – had received their money and are no longer considered beneficiaries.

Click here to follow the original article.