Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Fewer people were killed on Missouri roads during the Fourth of July weekend this year compared to last year, according to data provided by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Statistic provided by MSHP counted from a period of 6 p.m. Thursday, July 3-11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 6. This year, there were eight fatalities, 246 crashes with 115 injuries and 114 people arrested for driving while intoxicated.

A press release says that in the 2024 counting period, 14 people were killed and 560 were injured in 1,366 crashes, while 149 people were arrested for driving while intoxicated. Statistics for 2025 could change if deaths are reported late, according to the release.

On the water, there were nine boat crashes this year that led to four people being injured and 13 people arrested for boating while intoxicated. Last year, there were 10 boat crashes that led to seven people being injured, while 12 people were arrested for boating while intoxicated, the release says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 19-year-old Columbia man was found guilty on Thursday of three felonies in a July 2024 shooting.

Jeremiah Johnson was found guilty of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. He is currently being held at the Boone County Jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5.

A man was shot at 1 a.m. July 10, 2024, in the 200 block of Lincoln Drive. Court documents in previous reporting show that shell casings were also found in the 400 block of McBaine Avenue and a gun was found near a Jeep Compass that was registered to Johnson.

Johnson allegedly told police that he was shot at and fired back, court documents in previous reporting say.

According to a probable cause statement in previous reporting, a woman heard banging on her front door around 2:30 p.m. the day before and saw Johnson and a woman who she didn’t know. The woman had apparently wanted to fight the woman at the residence, the statement says.

Johnson then allegedly sat in his vehicle, held a gun, but did not fire it then, the statement says. A witness also allegedly told police that she saw Johnson hold the gun while in the vehicle. One of the women was allegedly able to show police a photo from Johnson’s Instagram account that showed the gun, the statement says.

The witness allegedly told police that Johnson threatened to come back to the area and “shoot this place,” according to the statement.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 64-year-old Columbia man was in the Boone County Jail on Monday, facing six felonies for allegedly shooting at his mobile home park neighbors over fireworks.

Nevada Henderson was charged Monday with three counts of first-degree assault, being a felon with a gun, armed criminal action and child endangerment. His initial court appearance was set for Monday afternoon.

One of Henderson’s neighbors at the Blue Acres mobile home park told deputies that Henderson came out of his mobile home yelling at them over fireworks early Saturday, according to a probable cause statement. Henderson then walked toward them and began firing as they ran to their home for cover, according to the statement.

Deputies say they found several 9mm shell casings next to Henderson’s vehicle. Police found a .22-caliber pistol in Henderson’s home, but he denied having a 9mm handgun.

Henderson is being held without bond.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Fayette woman charged with murder for the death of an 8-month-old girl in 2021 is back in the Boone County Jail after she was released by mistake.

According to jail records, Jennifer Johnson, 49, of Columbia, was booked into the Boone County Jail around 5 p.m. on Saturday. She was arrested and jailed in Pulaski County, Arkansas, on June 26.

She was extradited to Boone County after an arrest warrant was issued for Johnson in June, following her release on parole from a Missouri prison.

Online records show she was sent to the Arkansas Department of Corrections. A spokesperson for the Arkansas DOC said in an email there was not anyone by her name in their custody.

Johnson is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child for the death of Hannah Kent in 2021.

Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson told ABC 17 News in June that this is the first time he has seen something like this happen and is working with the Department of Corrections to address the issue.

Columbia police arrested Jennifer Johnson in April 2021, after being called to a home in the 1000 block of Elleta Boulevard in Columbia. 

According to court documents, police were dispatched to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Columbia on the morning of April 18, 2021, where they were informed that an 8-month-old, Hannah Kent, who was under her care, had died.

Jennifer Johnson allegedly told police that she last saw the infant alive at 2:15 a.m. after giving her a bottle, the probable cause statement says.

A court hearing is set for July 14 at the Boone County Courthouse.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Transportation will begin nightly lane closures of U.S. 63 near Grindstone Parkway for interchange improvements.

From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. until July 14, MoDOT will be closing one lane northbound on U.S. 63 to prepare for outside lane widening.

Construction on New Haven Road has been postponed until July 14, according to MoDOT. New Haven Road will be closed west of Warren Drive to just East of the westernmost entrance of the Woodstock Community from July 14 until mid-August.

Any of these projects can be delayed by the weather.

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Haley Swaino

EDITOR’S NOTE: The victim’s age has been corrected. It was wrong because of a source error.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 23-year-old Moberly woman was killed in a shooting Sunday night in Moberly.

Authorities still haven’t said anything publicly about a suspect. But Brad German with the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control confirmed the woman’s age Monday.

The Moberly Police Department wrote in a social media post that officers found a woman dead while responding to a shooting in the 900 block of East Logan Street on Sunday night.

The post says the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control is leading the investigation. However, the patrol gave no other details, such as how the shooting happened.

The Moberly Police Department said it was investigating the shooting around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to the original social media post.

MPD said there is no threat to the public.

An update was posted just after 2:20 a.m. Monday stated the Moberly Police Department responded around 7:30 p.m. Sunday to a shooting at a residence.

Rayvon Davis lives on East Logan Street and said the woman lived across the street from the house she was shot and killed.

Davis was a neighbor, friend and coworker to the woman. She said she immediately called their mutual friend and coworker Lyndsey Smith Sunday night when she learned the identity of the woman who died.

“I didn’t want to believe it honestly,” Smith said.

Like Davis, Smith said robbery would be completely out of character of her friend.

“The man said that she was trying to break into his house,” Smith said. “I honestly don’t believe that at all.”

Friends of the young woman asked we not use her name at this point out of respect for her family.

“We definitely lost an amazing person in the community,” Smith said. “She’s definitely going to be missed.”

ABC 17 News is trying to still confirm the name of the victim with law enforcement. ABC 17 News has also reached out to Moberly Police Chief Bobby Calvert.

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Keriana Gamboa

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Fire Department responded to a house fire in the 800 block of Washington Road a little after 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The person living in the home told ABC 17 News they accidentally left grease on the stove, which sparked the fire.

Firefighters saw smoke coming from the home upon arrival and entered the home to find a small stove fire in the kitchen. The fire was put out in about five minutes, according to CFD Captain John Simmons.

No injuries were reported.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw five CFD engines on scene.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives reported widespread power outages across several Mid-Missouri counties on Sunday.

As of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, more than 565 people were without power in Pulaski County, 70 in Benton County and two in Camden County, according to the AMEC outage map.

Nearly 500 Co-Mo Electric Cooperative customers were without electricity around 4 p.m. Sunday, the map showed. That number dropped to six as of 10:30 p.m.

The City of California said power outages were affecting much of the town around 3:15 p.m. Downed poles, power lines, and roads were blocked, including South High Street, according to a post from the city.

Citizens are asked to not call police about power outages, as its dispatch has been flooded with calls.

“We need to keep the lines open for emergencies,” the post says. “Hopefully power will be on soon.”

Multiple city agencies are working to clear roads and restore power, according to the post.

No weather-related outages have been reported in Boone County. However, the Missouri Department of Transportation and Boone County Joint Communications reported multiple downed trees blocking roads.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two men and one teenager were seriously injured in a crash Saturday in Cole County on Lake Road at Pleasant View Drive according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report states that the driver of a 2023 Hyundai Elantra – a 19-year-old Wardsville man – was driving east at around 7:53 p.m. when the car went airborne on a hill, drove off the road, hit a fence and then went airborne a second time, hitting a tree.

Other passengers in the car were a 19-year-old Holts Summit man and a 16-year-old juvenile boy. Both were also in serious condition.

The car was totaled and all crash victims were driven to University Hospital. All of the victims were wearing seatbelts.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One man was seriously injured in a crash Sunday on Missouri Route A, just south of Seven Springs Road. According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report states the driver of a 2025 Chevy Silverado – a 37-year-old Richland man – was driving south at around 12:30 a.m. when he traveled off the right side of the road. He later overcorrected, drove off the roadway, overturned and hit a tree.

The car was totaled, and the man was flown to University Hospital. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

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