Category: kmiz-local-news

Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No charges will be filed after a gun was found at Blair Oaks Schools on Monday.

Cole County Sheriff’s Office said in a release that deputies were contacted around 9:30 a.m. on Monday for a possible weapon offense on school property.

Deputies found a student had left an unloaded, small-caliber firearm in a locked car after hunting the day before, according to the release. The gun was covered by clothing in the back seat of the car, not visible.

“There was no brandishing of the firearm, and no threats were made,” the release states. “The firearm was inadvertently left in the vehicle and was not intentionally brought onto school property for any improper use.”

The Sheriff’s Office said the incident was documented, but after reviewing the case, the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office “was not interested in pursuing criminal charges.”

Prosecutor Locke Thompson said in a statement the Sheriff’s Office did not refer the criminal case to his office after a conversation.

“They spoke with us about the situation and both our office and the Sheriff’s office were in agreement that the situation did not rise to the level of criminal conduct,” Thompson said in an email.

A letter was shared with Blair Oaks parents Monday from Superintendent Ben Meldrum.

“Blair Oaks families: This morning, District administration was notified that a firearm was located in a student’s vehicle on campus. A search was conducted immediately and a firearm was located,” the statement to parents reads. “We appreciate the individual who made the report so quickly and law enforcement’s prompt response. Though this incident did not involve any threat of violence to students or staff, the Safe Schools Act requires specific action on the part of the District, and we are moving forward with next steps. We cannot share additional information regarding this incident due to student privacy laws.”

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Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol are investigating a tractor-trailer crash on westbound Interstate 70 in Cooper County.

An ABC 17 News videographer arrived at the 109.8-mile marker at 6:45 a.m. and saw a tractor-trailer hauling two loads of cargo in a ditch on the side of the road, with caution tape around it.

The Highway Patrol’s Troop F posted on X about the crash, saying no injuries were reported. The post asks drivers to be careful when traveling through the area.

🚨Crash on WB I-70 at the 109.8MM🚨

Troopers are investigating a non-injury crash this morning, involving a tractor trailer, on westbound I-70 in Cooper County.

The truck is off the roadway. Crews are still on scene, so please be careful when traveling through the area. pic.twitter.com/oQBmmjoTvj

— MSHP Troop F (@MSHPTrooperF) September 29, 2026

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia’s Office of Violence Prevention will present a Community Violence Intervention Landscape Analysis Tuesday morning.

The presentation on Columbia violence data will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club at 1200 North Seventh Street.

The Community Violence Intervention Landscape Analysis was conducted with the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform. The City of Columbia Office of Violence Prevention contracted with the institute in January to explore ways the city can curb violent crime.

In the following months, the Office of Violence Prevention met multiple times with community members, awaiting data from the institute to form a multi-year plan.

In June, the institute provided the city with an update as it works on two reports: a “Gun Violence Analysis Report” exploring the drivers of gun violence in the city and the Community Violence Intervention Landscape Analysis, which will be presented Tuesday.

Once both reports are presented, the institute plans to deploy a multi-year plan that incorporates all of the research in an effort to boost violence reduction and intervention.

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Demetra Alarcon

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Attorney General’s office says Reign Bar has responded to Catherine Hanaway’s letter from last week addressed to the establishment.

ABC 17 News asked for a copy of the letter, but a spokesperson at the AG’s office said they would not provide the letter.

Hanaway sent a letter to the business last week, asking it to address “nuisance conditions.” Reign Bar was previously targeted by University of Missouri System President Mun Choi, who warned students to avoid the area.

The group Race Matters, Friends held a press conference today to address downtown public safety governance, municipal accountability and the recent scrutiny Reign Bar has faced.

RMF Vice President Traci Wilson-Kleekamp said on Monday that the AG’s letter puts blame on the business, when the crime is not actually happening inside the business.

“And also putting the blame on business owners when there’s nothing happening in their businesses; it’s happening on the streets,” Wilson-Kleekamp said.

A number of incidents have occurred on East Walnut Street since July that caught attention of community members. In late July, a large street brawl resulted in seven arrests. About two weeks later, in August, shots were fired in the same area. In September, a man assaulted a security guard in the same area as well.

City of Columbia spokesman Christopher Ave previously told ABC 17 News that the area has been the site of early morning gatherings before Reign Bar opened.

Reign Bar opened in October 2025, according to business information filed with the Secretary of State’s Office. In August 2025, Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude had noted a “hot spot” for gun violence shifted from the 900 block of East Broadway in 2024 to the 800 block of Walnut Street in 2025, previous reporting shows. Multiple incidents were reported in the 700 and 800 blocks of East Walnut that spring and summer.

As for the next steps in the matter, Wilson-Kleekamp claims it is in the city’s hands

“It’s pretty intense. We need to understand what’s driving violence. I can tell people I can recommend books to read, but apparently, until our municipal administration takes it seriously and until the council holds them accountable, there will be no change,” Wilson-Kleekamp said.

Wilson-Kleekamp went on to say that the group will continue holding these press conferences and spreading awareness about the need for safety until there is change for the better.

“So the questions we need to ask as citizens is, if I don’t like homelessness, why would I be okay with cutting things that would make it worse, right? If I’m concerned about the jail, why would I cut $1 million from the municipal court?” said Wilson-Kleekamp

ABC 17 News reached out to the City of Columbia for comment regarding the press conference. A city spokesperson declined to comment directly on the conference, but stated that the city treats all businesses fairly.

The group said that all City Council members were invited to the meeting, but none appeared.

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Ryan Shiner

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Prep work to demolish the Stamper Grain Towers in Moberly started on Monday.

The city had announced in January that the grain towers would be demolished. Previous reporting shows the project will cost $422,375, with $321,000 coming from a Community Development Block Grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

The city wrote in a Sunday social media post that the project is expected to take “multiple weeks.”

“The crew will utilize high-reach excavator arms to ‘nibble’ away at the towers,” the post says. “Once the structure is below a level where it could pose an impact to the RR tracks or associated power lines, they may employ other measures.”

The rebar and steel from the building will be recycled and the concrete will be “ground into gravel” and is expected to be used in other projects, the posts says.

The demolition will also be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel.

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Ellyse Edwards

CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Zach Williams, 23, was killed in a hit-and-run crash near Camdenton over Labor Day weekend on Sunday, Sept. 6.

His cousin, Kelsey Trower, is asking anyone with information to contact investigators.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says a vehicle struck a pedestrian on westbound U.S. Highway 54 near Cedar Heights Drive, just west of Camdenton, and the driver left the scene. The driver has not been identified.

Trower told ABC 17 that Williams was dropped off around 11 p.m. Sept. 6 near the entrance to the Cedar Heights condominiums, off Highway 54. She said investigators are looking at the time between 11 p.m. Sept. 6-4:15 a.m. Sept. 7.

Trower said Williams had been on his way home from Camdenton and got out of the vehicle after a dispute. She said investigators are reviewing nearby camera footage, including Flock cameras and a camera at a golf course across the road.

“Zachary was a light. I mean, he smiled, and he just lit up the room,” Trower said.

She said Williams was loving and devoted to his two daughters.

“He had two little girls, which were his world,” she said. “Zach was a good dad. They have to grow up without a dad now.”

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Kyle Green told ABC 17 that the investigation is active and the Highway Patrol cannot release any information at this time. He said any statement, if one is released, will be posted on X, but no statement is expected soon.

“Any information is helpful at this point because we don’t have a lot to go on,” Trower said.

The family is asking anyone who saw something in the area or noticed new damage to a vehicle around that time to contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A gun was found on the campus of another Mid-Missouri school on Monday.

Blair Oaks Superintendent Ben Meldrum wrote in a statement to parents a gun was found in a student’s vehicle on campus. Meldrum told ABC 17 News that the gun was “never in any school building.”

“Blair Oaks families: This morning, District administration was notified that a firearm was located in a student’s vehicle on campus. A search was conducted immediately and a firearm was located,” the statement to parents reads. “We appreciate the individual who made the report so quickly and law enforcement’s prompt response. Though this incident did not involve any threat of violence to students or staff, the Safe Schools Act requires specific action on the part of the District, and we are moving forward with next steps. We cannot share additional information regarding this incident due to student privacy laws.”

A similar incident was reported at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia earlier this month, and a student at Hickman High School was found with a gun in their backpack on Monday.

ABC 17 News has reached out to the Cole County Sheriff’s Office.

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was arrested Sunday morning after a high-speed chase ended in a Boone County cow pasture.

Kameran Bloodson, 19, was charged on Monday with aggravated fleeing, leaving the scene of an accident and misdemeanor speeding. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Monday afternoon.

The probable cause statement says a deputy was monitoring southbound Highway 63 at Turkey Creek at 2:29 a.m. Sunday when Bloodson was seen driving a Dodge Challenger 112 miles per hour.

The deputy turned on his emergency lights and a chase started. Court documents claim Bloodson at one point was going 150-160 mph while passing other vehicles on Highway 63.

Bloodson allegedly turned into a business’ gravel parking lot in the 13000 block of South Highway 63, lost control of the vehicle and crash it into a barbed wire fence and cow pasture, the statement says.

Bloodson tried to run away, but was eventually caught about 150 yards from the vehicle after he was “covered in mud and cow feces, and gave up,” the statement says.

The crash allegedly caused more than $1,000 worth of damage, per the statement.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man has been charged with multiple felonies after authorities say he used a machete to attack a victim on Saturday.

JT Pearson, 61, was charged in Boone County with first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and second-degree kidnapping. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Monday.

The probable cause statement says police were called to a Columbia residence on Sunday for an assault that occurred the day before. Pearson answered the door and allegedly told police that the victim cut themselves on accident while cutting up chicken, the statement says.

The officer noted the victim had 2-inch cuts on their hand and arm, resulting in authorities bringing the victim to a hospital. The victim told police at the hospital that Pearson started threatening them after they took a phone call, the statement says. Pearson allegedly threatened to kill the victim while wielding the machete, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter and other charges was sentenced on Monday to 25 years in prison.

Donald Legleiter, 37, pleaded guilty in Boone County to first-degree involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, first-degree property damage and leaving the scene of an accident in a fatal crash that occurred in McBaine. He is currently being held at the Boone County Jail.

The crash occurred on Allen Street in McBaine on July 14, 2025. Previous reporting indicates Legleiter had backed up in his SUV and run over a motorcycle with Jeffrie W. Cash on it.

Legleiter allegedly drove from the scene and abandoned the 2024 Toyota Highlander in a bean field, according to court documents in previous reporting.

Cash died from his injuries on July 17, 2025.

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