Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Florissant man was charged with two felonies after he allegedly crashed a boat while he was drunk on Saturday and left the scene.

Joseph Crabtree, 41, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and boating while intoxicated. He bonded out of the Camden County Jail at 7:15 p.m. Saturday and has an initial court appearance scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 24.   

The probable cause statement says the crash occurred in Osage Beach after a pontoon boat hit two other boats at a dock. The driver of that boat left the scene and one person suffered an injury to their foot, the statement says. Law enforcement viewed video of the crash, which allegedly showed the driver of the boat pulling away after crashing, the statement says.

Troopers checked the registration and learned it was a rental. They went to the business where it was going to be returned and spoke with Crabtree, who allegedly said he was at the site of the crash but claimed no crash occurred, the statement says. Crabtree allegedly showed signs of intoxication and gave a sample of his breath, which determined his blood alcohol level was .147, the statement says. Crabtree allegedly stated that he drank for multiple hours that day and used marijuana, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman accused of pulling a knife on someone while ransacking a convenient store on Friday has been charged with multiple felonies.

Diranda Matress Thompson, 33, of Columbia, was charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree making a terroristic threat, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A hearing was held on Monday afternoon.

According to the probable cause statement, police were called to the Phillips 66 on Range Line Street after a caller claimed a woman was destroying the store and pulled out a knife on an employee. Police saw “numerous display shelves” on the ground and “food items across the floor throughout the store,” court documents say.

One of the victims allegedly told police that a woman got into a fight with a man and was told to leave by an employee, the statement says. Thompson allegedly yelled back at the employee and started tearing down display shelves, the statement says. She also allegedly threw food at an employee before pulling a knife out on another.

Another person allegedly heard Thompson threaten people in the store, the statement says. Thompson drove away, but police found her at a BreakTime on Paris Road, court documents say.

The store provided police with video that allegedly backed up what was described by employees, the statement says.

Thompson allegedly told police that she “left the store without issue,” and pulled out a knife after she was followed, the statement says.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office requested a federal emergency declaration Monday after storms ripped through Missouri last week, killing seven people.

Five people died in St. Louis and two in southeast Missouri’s Scott County when tornadoes hit Friday. Experts who surveyed the area say the St. Louis twister showed damage consistent with an EF-3 tornado, which packs winds of up to 165 mph.

Kehoe’s office said on Monday that the governor has asked President Donald Trump to issue a federal emergency declaration for the storm response, which would authorize federal assistance and up to $5 million for storm response and debris removal.

Kehoe also asked FEMA to help with a preliminary damage assessment in St. Louis, St. Louis County and Cape Girardeau, Iron, New Madrid, Scott, Stoddard and Wayne counties in southeast Missouri.

Six teams are set to survey damage on Wednesday to see if individual assistance will be made available from FEMA.

Missouri has created a website with information about disaster recovery to assist storm victims.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council will discuss a resolution to protect city officials when engaging in duties related to federal grants and contracts in Monday night’s meeting, addressing key pieces regarding the city’s compliance with government-wide requirements.

This resolution would protect the City Manager or designees from liability when it comes to performing their duties related to federal contracts and grants.

According to the meeting agenda, city officials are required to file “assurances and certifications” when a city is a part of a federal grant and contract. This means that the city will need to comply with government-wide requirements, such as Executive Order 14151.

Under this order, the city will reaffirm that it “will not engage in any unlawful discriminatory actions based on race, color, national origin, sex, or religion in its policies, programs, or activities. In addition, there is a reaffirmation that the City will ensure its personnel policies and practices are merit-based and do not discriminate.”

This comes after a city council meeting earlier in May, where they were set to discuss the language change to the city’s strategic plan regarding diversity, equity and inclusion, was tabled. That discussion will be tabled until June 16.

Monday’s city council meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Columbia City Hall.

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Matthew Sanders

Israel launched its newest ground operation, “Gideon’s Chariots,” over the weekend in Gaza.

The start of the attack was bloody, with scores killed on the first night. Reports on the ground say many of the dead are women and children.

Israel and Hamas started indirect talks over the weekend, as well, but they didn’t appear to hold much promise.

The war in Gaza has killed thousands of civilians, and observers are warning that the new operation could lead to many more deaths through an aid crisis and military action. Meanwhile, Israeli leaders have suggested support for President Donald Trump’s suggestion of emptying the enclave of its Palestinian residents.

Do you think Israel should intensify its war? Vote in the poll to let us know your opinion.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Task Force One returned to Columbia on Sunday afternoon following a two-day deployment to north St. Louis Friday in response to deadly storms.

The 88-member emergency response team was sent to assist with recovery efforts after severe weather caused widespread damage across parts of the city. Team members were stationed in impacted zones and at a designated St. Louis Fire Department staging area to help coordinate recovery operations.

According to Cathryn Shaw, Executive Director of All Among Us, a nonprofit that serves women and families in need, several neighborhoods in north St. Louis were left uninhabitable.

“I think we have a couple neighborhoods here that the majority of the homes in these neighborhood are going to be condemned,” she said.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw extensive destruction in both north St. Louis and the Central West End, including homes leveled, trees uprooted, and power lines barely intact.

“These people have lived in their homes for over 50 years and their roofs are gone. You know, their yards that they have built these beautiful like sitting areas and areas to welcome their family. It’s gone,” Shaw added.

Shaw, whose organization typically provides groceries and basic essentials, said the scope of this disaster has shifted the city’s needs dramatically. Shaw emphasized the urgent need for outside assistance.

“Well (they need) money. They need volunteers to come down. They certainly need tree removal,” Shaw said. “They need counselors. They need people to come just to sit with people and talk and listen to them and let them process their trauma.”

Missouri Task Force One members utilized technology such as drones to assess the damage from above, with three to four drones deployed to map and monitor the affected areas.

One member described the storm’s impact as particularly severe due to the dense population of the areas hit. Many neighborhoods remained without power Sunday, while others have only limited service restored.

Despite the devastation, Shaw said the response from residents, first responders, and volunteers has been nothing short of inspiring.

“Yesterday, what was so rewarding was to see everybody in St. Louis who literally had cooked all night to be on the street at six o’clock yesterday morning serving hot meals to people and not just the volunteers, but all the pole in the community,” Shaw said. “They could get a hot meal. Every third block had a hot meal going on. It was really inspiring and humbling to see yesterday… to see the city of St. Louis coming together.”

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 32-year-old man has died after he was shot near the McDonald’s on Nifong Blvd. in south Columbia Sunday afternoon.

The Columbia Police Department announced that Derek Gonzalez, 32, of Columbia, died at a local hospital after he was shot on Sunday in the 500 block of East Nifong Blvd.

Police said in a news release that officers found two people shot and both were taken to a hospital.

A CPD police officer on scene told ABC 17 News a man and a woman were shot. Police said the woman suffered serious injuries but is now in stable condition.

A person was detained at the scene but was released from custody without charges.

According to a social media post from CPD, there are no outstanding suspects.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw at least 10 Columbia Police Department vehicles, three Boone County Sheriff’s Office vehicles and several ambulances around 12:50 p.m. in the McDonald’s parking lot on Nifong Blvd.

Several evidence markers were also seen in the parking lot of the McDonald’s.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

More than 30 items are on the agenda for Monday’s Columbia City Council meeting, ranging from million-dollar infrastructure projects to DEI initiatives.

The items are under the “consent agenda” section of the meeting, meaning that the City Council members will not discuss the items and instead either vote on them or move them to a later date for discussion.

According to meeting memos, the majority of the projects fall under infrastructure and public works. The most expensive project being considered Monday is the Henderson Branch extension, a $5.4 million construction plan to add a sewer line west of town. While expensive, supporters argue that it would help with future expansion.

The City is also considering constructing another salt dome on the south side of town. The project costs $4.7 million and plans to help with snow-clearing in the winter by giving salt trucks a second location on the other side of town to refill. Construction would be complete for the 2026-27 winter season, if approved.

A cost-share agreement with MoDOT is also up for vote. If passed, the little over $1 million plan will add pedestrian safety features like sidewalks and signals around the Interstate 70 and Route 63 connector.

Two paid studies are also on the table, one with Black & Veatch for $133 thousand to review costs for a South Side power line project. The review will be used for plans to improve the power line system to prevent blackouts.

The second study would come out of federal grant funding and hires Great Rivers Engineering for $500 thousand to review Business Loop 70 for transportation needs and opportunities.

Also on the docket is an item that would assure that whenever a federal grant is accepted, the City would file “assurances and certifications.” This means the City complies with government-wide requirements. While the bill does mention age, race, and disability, and sex discrimination, critics worry that modern DEI practices will be pushed aside.

Another notable item would make the city a Blue Shield City, an initiative launched by Gov. Kehoe in March that would give state grants to cities for law enforcement training and equipment.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday at Columbia’s City Hall.

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Nia Hinson

CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A St. Ann man was seriously injured when his van crashed in Camden County Saturday morning.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the 60-year-old man was driving a 2013 Ford Transit on St. Croix drive just after 5 a.m. The crash happened when his van crossed the center line– went off the left side of the road– and hit two trees.

He was transported by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital with serious injuriess.

The report states he was wearing a seatbelt during the time of the crash.

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