Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe on Monday announced in a press release that he appointed Beth Wulff to become Maries County’s next collector.

Wulff, of Vienna, currently served as the deputy county collector and replaces Jayne Williams, who had served in the role since 1999 before retiring.

The release says Wulff is a “a member of her local parochial schools, where she serves as SCRIP coordinator.”

She earned an associate’s degree in business and computer specialization from Metro Business College, the release says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday after he pleaded guilty last week to first-degree involuntary manslaughter.

Diego Popp Popp was accused of hitting 50-year-old John Brummit on Highway 50 West on July 14, 2024, according to previous reporting.

Police wrote Brummit was riding a bicycle on the shoulder of the highway when Popp hit him and drove away.

Popp allegedly told officers the next day that he did not stay because he was afraid of getting in trouble for being “drunk” at the time of the crash, previous reporting indicates.

He was initially charged with second-degree involuntary manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident and misdemeanor reckless driving. His manslaughter charge was upgraded in August 2024.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man was charged with two felonies after he allegedly tried to assault and smother his mother.

Danial Lowe, 34, was charged with first-degree domestic assault and first-degree kidnapping. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond, but a mugshot was not available on Monday afternoon. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says the victim spoke with police on Sunday after she was assaulted and not allowed to leave her residence for multiple days. A person described as a witness said the victim had asked for help after her son had been hitting her, the statement says.

Lowe allegedly tried to smother the victim with a pillow at one point and was “behaving erratically, believing himself to be either God of the Devil,” the statement says. The victim was brought to an area hospital and was diagnosed with a broken clavicle and soft tissue damage in her ear, resulting in losing her hearing, the statement says. Additional injuries were observed by medical staff and police.

Lowe allegedly denied assaulting the victim and told police she fell, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Fulton man was charged with several felonies after he allegedly raped and assaulted a woman on Oct. 16.

Joseph Mazella, 39, was charged in Callaway County with first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, second-degree domestic assault, third-degree domestic assault and misdemeanor fourth-degree domestic assault. He is being held at the Callaway County Jail without bond.

The probable cause statement says police were called to a residence on Saturday about a sexual assault that occurred two days prior.

The statement says Mazella had first assaulted the victim by slamming them into a door, choking the victim and making them fall and hit their head, the statement says. A witness also described the assault and police noted the victim had visible injuries. Police wrote an argument preceded the assault.

Mazella then allegedly raped the victim, the statement says. Mazella allegedly admitted to having an argument and the first assault, but claimed the sex was consensual, the statement says.

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Dan Kite

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Camdenton man is facing a pair of felonies following an incident at a Lake Ozark bar on Friday.

Jordan T. Cardwell was charged Saturday in Miller County with first-degree making a terrorist threat and resisting arrest on a felony charge.

According to a probable cause statement, officers with the Lake Ozark Police Department were called to Rock Island Bar in the 1200 block of Bagnell Dam Boulevard for a disturbance call. Cardwell was identified as trying to fight multiple patrons after being “cut off” by bar staff, according to witnesses.

One witness alleged that Cardwell threatened to “shoot up the bar” as he was being escorted out of the bar, a statement that was reportedly confirmed by several of the nearly 20 patrons at the bar, according to the statement. He was later arrested outside the bar.

Once in custody, he reportedly injured himself by banging his head on glass in the patrol car, then attempted escape multiple times after being let out of the car. He was taken to a Lake-area hospital where he allegedly attempted to escape again.

He was booked on a $25,000 but is no longer in the Miller County Jail.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man from the Kansas City area was charged with a felony after authorities say he exposed himself to a child at a hotel in Columbia on Sunday.

Kyle Baranowski, 39, of Independence, was charged on Monday with sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 15 years old and misdemeanor trespassing. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Monday.

Court documents do not name the hotel or location of the building. The probable cause statement says a manager at the hotel told Baranowski to leave between 8-9 a.m. that day after Baranowski allegedly exposed himself to a youth.

Baranowski was not staying at the hotel, the statement says. He allegedly went back to the building, was told to leave again and he allegedly told the manager “No,” the statement says. Police saw Baranowski at a stairwell of the hotel and detained him.

The child victim allegedly told police that they saw Baranowski urinate on a bush outside the hotel. The victim then claimed that they were later with adults who told Baranowski to leave and Baranowski allegedly responded by putting up his middle fingers and pulling down his pants, the statement says.

Court records show Baranowski has pleaded guilty in several cases for first-degree trespassing in Boone County since December 2024.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia police confirmed a man is dead after he was hit by a dump truck on Monday afternoon near the intersection of Business Loop 70 and Range Line Street.

Columbia Police Department Lt. Scott Alpers told ABC 17 News at the scene that it is still unclear how the crash occurred and officers are still working with witnesses.

Police later announced in a press release that the victim is Roger Bone, 56, of Jefferson City. The driver of the dump truck was not injured, police wrote.

The dump truck pulled over near a motel on Range Line Street. An ABC 17 News reporter saw police tape placed around the truck and the front of the motel. Police later wrote in a press release that the victim rode a bicycle and that he died at the scene.

Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 2:18 p.m. indicating a motor vehicle crash was reported at the intersection. A second notification was sent nine minutes later stating that first responders had closed the road.

A reporter saw first responders bring out a white tarp at 2:30 p.m. The victim’s body was transported from the scene at 3:28 p.m. The northbound lanes of Range Line Street reopened at 3:46 p.m. A tow truck arrived at the hotel around the same time.

An audit on the road is being conducted to eliminate traffic-related deaths and serious injuries. It prioritizes safer conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, seniors, motorcyclists and school-aged children. The City of Columbia and traffic experts conducted walk-throughs of the road last week and noted several improvements were needed.

Some of those included adjusting traffic signals in the area, filling in gaps on sidewalks and adding more crosswalks. The city also said last week that the audit should be completed by spring 2026.

Research from CBB Transportation Solution also found that more than 60% of fatal and serious injuries along the corridor involve people outside of vehicles, according to previous reporting.

McKenzie Ortiz, of the city’s Bike and Pedestrian Commission, said after hearing about Monday’s deadly crash that she’s hopeful both city and state leaders will make the changes to the road a priority.

“I’ve experienced near misses myself so many times,” Ortiz said. “I mean even today, I almost got hit at an intersection and that’s just the reality of being a vulnerable road user in Columbia; whether you’re on a motorcycle, a bicycle or you’re walking. People just either don’t pay attention or there’s just not enough separation between you and the cars.”

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia has suggested an ordinance that would make panhandling illegal at high-traffic intersections.

“They’re calling it a pedestrian safety measure, but in reality it’s a getting the homeless out of the median ordinance,” said John Trapp, Executive Director for Columbia’s Room at the Inn.

The ordinance would regulate the use of medians, road crossings and islands by both motorists and pedestrians at intersections with speeds of 35 mph or greater, average daily traffic volumes of 15,000vehicles or greater, or where the median width is fewer than 6 feet wide.

The City hired George L. Crawford & Associates to conduct a street and intersection pedestriansafety study. The study identified 47 pedestrian crash areas that meet the criteria.

Mike Burden, CEO of Local Motion, says the ordinance would restrict behavior without providing additional safety precautions.

“Columbia already regulates unsafe crossings through its existing ordinances and effective improvements come from redesigning high speed corridors, lowering speeds, making intersections more accessible for all users,” Burden said.

Street and Intersection Pedestrian Safety Study (Draft)Download

The study recommends guiding pedestrians to crosswalks and designated areas to enhance safety. This measure also aligns with the city’s Vision Zero plan that focuses on safety measures to protect all road users.

If adopted, the ordinance will:

Prohibit crossing a major road anywhere except in a crosswalk, a pedestrian-control signal or an intersection if those things aren’t available.

Prohibit being on a median less than 6 feet wide except when crossing the road.

Prohibit getting out of cars while in a traffic lane or within a major intersection.

Prohibit approaching cars on a major road unless the car is legally parked.

Prohibit people in vehicles from engaging with pedestrians at major intersection.

Trapp said he understands the city’s approach, but it could have unintended consequences.

“It is unsafe for them to be out there, but there’s a good chance that they will just relocate elsewhere to where they have a First Amendment right to panhandle,” Trapp said. “Most likely downtown.”

Map GraphicsDownload

The rules would not apply to police, rescue personnel, people who have vehicle breakdowns, public employees, workers with a valid permit or people distributing items with valid permits, or people entering stopped vehicles in passenger loading zones, such as bus stops.

The city would start a public education campaign for drivers and pedestrians if the ordinance passes.

Sydney Olsen, with the City of Columbia, said they plan to introduce the ordinance at Monday nights meeting. If the council agrees to table the discussion then they will hear a report from staff and discuss the content at their second meeting in November.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Attorney General Cathrine Hanaway was publicly sworn-in on Monday at the Capitol.

She is the state’s 45th attorney general and the first woman to hold the position.

Hanaway was appointed by Repulican Gov. Mike Kehoe in August to fill the rest of Andrew Bailey’s term. Bailey is taking a job as co-deputy director of the FBI. Hanaway was sworn-in during a private ceremony in the Missouri Supreme Court in September.

Hanaway was a Republican House Speaker from 2003-05, the only woman to hold the post. During her time in the Missouri House, Hanaway was one of the main sponsors of a 2003 concealed carry bill. The bill was initially vetoed by then-Governor Bob Holden and later overruled by the General Assembly.

She has also been a federal prosecutor.

Hanaway was also lead counsel for the Grain Belt project while she worked at law firm Husch Blackwell. Many Missouri conservatives oppose the project, which would build a wind energy line across the state.

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Matthew Sanders

Protesters were out again in force across the country this weekend under the banner of No Kings.

Events in Columbia and Jefferson City drew large crowds of people who gathered to speak their disapproval of the Trump administration. Photos and videos from major cities showed giant crowds at their protests.

President Donald Trump and his Republican supporters have labeled the protests as paid agitation, calling the events “hate America rallies.”

Do you agree with the message of the No Kings protests? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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