Category: kmiz-local-news

Olivia Hayes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Cole County Prosecutor’s Office has dropped charges against a man who was accused of driving under the influence in a fatal crash after his blood sample came back clean.

Jervontaye I. Warmack was charged in November with involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and driving while intoxicated. Police said he hit a person riding an electric scooter in the 3600 block of westbound Highway 50 on Oct. 31.

The victim died and was identified as 15-year-old Antony Reyes.

Police had allegedly smelled marijuana on Warmack and said his speech was slurred, court documents in previous reporting say. Officers also described him as “giggly” when they spoke to him after the crash. The probable cause statement said Warmack failed a field sobriety test. A blood sample was taken when he was arrested.

Prosecutor Locke Thompson said the blood sample was to have more-accurate results on Warmack’s state.

“Generally those [field tests] are pretty reliable, but they’re not always 100% accurate,” Thompson said. “With us also having a deceased victim, we went ahead and asked for the blood draw as well.”

Warmack allegedly told officers he had not smoked marijuana and that he didn’t see the victim before the crash, the statement said.

Thompson said evidence an back up in the testing lab caused a delay in getting the results sooner. Nearly nine months after the incident, the results revealed Warmack was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.

A crash reconstruction by Jefferson City Police also played into the decision. Thompson said police found the scooter rider cut across the divided median and across oncoming traffic.

“It is clear from the crash investigation that he was not at fault for the accident,” Thompson said.

Thompson said the case is closed. ABC 17 News requested a copy of the crash recronstruction.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The defense in a child murder case out of Benton County claims a woman accused in the case should be held by the Department of Mental Health.

Kourtney Aumen, 26, of Lincoln, Missouri, is charged with first-degree murder, child abuse, two counts of armed criminal action, two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and one count of first-degree assault. Her case was moved to Webster County last year.

She and others were accused in the beating and killing of 4-year-old Jessica Mast in December 2020, previous reporting shows.

A court filing from Monday by the defense claims Aumen was deemed competent in January 2025, but the defense requested she stay at a hospital because she had 11 medications. She was allegedly ordered to the DMH’s custody on May 14, 2025, but the filing says she was never moved from the jail.

A doctor allegedly determined she was incompetent to stand trial during an evaluation at the jail on July 9, 2026, the filing says.

“It is apparent that if Defendant Aumen is to be restored to competency, those efforts must be administered in a hospital setting,” the filing states. “Additionally, to stem further the deterioration of Defendant’s mental health prior to and during the resolution of this case, her return to a Department of Mental Health facility would be in Ms. Aumen’s best interest as well as the interest of justice.”

Jessica Mast’s parents – Mary Mast and James Mast – previous pleaded guilty to a number of crimes in the case, previous reporting shows.

Aumen is being held at the Benton County Jail without bond, online jail records show. A hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Republican candidates hoping to represent Jefferson City in the Missouri House say they’re hearing a lot on the campaign trail about one issue — a ballot measure that would phase out state income tax, if approved by voters.

Missouri’s 60th District covers Jefferson City south of the Missouri River. The seat is being left vacant by outgoing Rep. David Griffith, who is running for Cole County Clerk. Republicans Kyerra Johnson, Scott Spencer and Shane Kampeter are vying for the seat.

FULL INTERVIEWS: Kyerra Johnson; Scott Spencer; Shane Kampeter

Suzanne Luther is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The tax measure, known as Amendment 5, was put on the ballot by Gov. Mike Kehoe, who is leading an initiative to eliminate income tax and create the legal power to place taxes on more goods and services.

The measure also comes as the state’s budget reserves are predicted to hit new lows. The state is expected to spend more than $1.7 billion for the year, with reserves expected to shrink from around $5.8 billion in fiscal 2023 to around $600 million by the end of fiscal 2027. The fund will be fully depleted by early fiscal 2028, according to the state auditor’s estimates.

Questions linger because of the uncertainty of how sales taxes would be expanded, with no concrete plan in writing from the General Assembly or Kehoe. All three Republican candidates for Missouri’s 60th District have heard voters asking for more clarity.

“Their [voters’] concern is that it’s very open-ended legislation, leaving it up to future legislative bodies to decide what sales taxes are going to be increased,” Spencer said. “The legislature is asking them to trust them, but the legislative body only has a 45% approval rating, so I think there are some real concerns that they’re going to do the right thing.”

Kampeter pointed out that taxes could be expanded to services that are currently sales tax-exempt. For example, the Missouri Realtors are fighting the plan because it could put sales taxes on real estate sales.

“A lot of them [voters] are just worried that, what’s it going to look like?” Kampeter said. “You get rid of one tax, that’s going to have to come somewhere else, and so that’s where, you know, everybody’s worried, what is it going to be on? Is it going to be on that? You know, your haircuts, your lawn care, your food at grocery stores?”

Johnson said the public needs more transparency around the process.

Individually, the candidates vary in their stances towards the measure. Both Kampeter and Spencer said the amendment, as proposed, is not ready for a vote.

“I deal a lot with real estate. That was a promise that they won’t go to real estate, but there’s nothing down in writing. Same thing with agriculture, there’s nothing down in writing,” Kampeter said. “I know in Florida it’s worked, but, you know, they have tourist taxes, they have oil, so it’s worked there.”

Spencer said the ballot issue is neither “well-defined” nor “narrowly focused.”

Johnson voiced support for Kehoe adding the measure; however, she said voters need to be more informed.

“I will say that when it comes to sales tax and removing the income tax, we have to make sure that we’re clear on what the angle is, where the tax is going to be picked up at,” Johnson said. “I want to understand that also, because I, too, my family, were going to be affected by that as well.”

For economic solutions, Kampeter suggested reviewing the state spending and making cuts to unnecessary state programs and looking at other innovative ways of economic development.

Both Johnson and Spencer similarly supported cuts to state programs across the board. However, Johnson also touched on keeping state funding focused on Missouri and its residents.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri State ID Access Coalition is demanding that the Missouri Department of Revenue provide public disability accommodations.

The coalition sent a letter to the DOR director in May asking for ADA accommodations on the department’s website, over the phone and in person at licensing offices throughout the state.

The coalition is made up of 22 organizations, including CoMo Mobile Aid Collective, Empower Missouri and Services for Independent Living.

About a month before the coalition sent its demands, the Department of Justice extended the deadline for state and local governments to bring websites and apps to standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The coalition acknowledged that the DOR has made accommodations for people who are homebound or can’t physically make it to the in-person office, according to the letter. However, the coalition is asking for permanent solutions, including a section on the DOR’s website that details homebound citizens’ rights, a dedicated contact form and a phone number to request accommodations.

Coalition director John Stamm said the requests are simple.

“We just want a very easy-to-find form on the website, a phone number that folks can call, an easy-to-find email, so that people can just reach out to the Department of Revenue directly and say, ‘Hey, I can’t get to a license office. I need an ID. What’s next? Help me figure out this process,'” Stamm said.

DOR Director Trish Vincent responded with a letter in June and said the “Department of Revenue does not plan on expanding any additional services on-line that are not already available to every citizen in the state of Missouri.”

Vincent said accommodations for homebound people in extreme cases will continue to be the same. People can email DLBmail@dor.mo.gov to get more information on those services.

The coalition said in Tuesday’s release that it will spam Vincent’s office with mail demanding the accommodations, along with sending formal letters and having in-person conversations with state lawmakers.

Services for Independent Living spokesperson Karen Sicheneder said the DOR website already complies with federal ADA requirements, but some people might need additional help.

“Some of the things that they [the coalition] were asking for is an easy way to make a reasonable accommodation, especially for people who have disabilities that require them to be homebound,” Sicheneder said.

Stamm said his coalition receives reports from its members of a couple of hundred homebound people needing help accessing the license offices a year.

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Matthew Sanders

HUNTSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)

Seven law enforcement officers were injured after eight SWAT team members fell through the deck of a Randolph County apartment building Tuesday morning while serving a felony warrant, according to Steven Lewis, the United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri.

“Someone described it almost as if a trap door opened and it fell that way,” Lewis said. “Not away from the structure, but straight down, which gave them almost no time to react.”

Four hurt were Deputy U.S. Marshals, two North Missouri Drug Task Force members, and one county deputy, Lewis said. All seven were taken to hospitals for treatment, and none of the injuries were life-threatening.

“All received injuries that would be consistent with a pretty serious fall. Some broken bones, some other type injuries,” Lewis said.

Lewis said some may need surgery. Randolph County Sheriff Andy Boggs told ABC 17 News that no deputies were hurt in the SWAT raid, but rather a Moberly police officer.

The sheriff’s office wrote in a news release that the team, made up of North Missouri Drug Task Force members, local SWAT officers and U.S. Marshals, was serving a high-risk warrant at 402 Vaunita St. in Huntsville when the collapse occurred.

Lewis told ABC 17 that two people were taken into custody Tuesday— one in the morning at the apartments and another who wasn’t home during the raid but was found later in the day.

An ABC 17 News reporter arrived on scene around noon and was told by a woman who identified herself only as a “caretaker” of the property that management was not allowing media on the property. The reporter saw half the deck of a two-story apartment was missing. Three of the six upstairs units no longer had access to their doors.

A group of people were seen using a ladder to bring down some belongings from an apartment and load them into a car.

The woman said management has helped find accommodations for upstairs units 10-12, where the porch collapsed, but did not elaborate. She also said tenants in apartments 8 and 12 were arrested.

The reason for the porch collapse is being investigated, according to the release.

Multiple nearby residents told ABC 17 News they were not surprised at all to see a SWAT team zooming down their street.

“The drugs that are in and out of here [the apartment complex], it’s terrible,” Huntsville resident Melanie Foster said. “And I won’t be sad if it goes.”

She said it’s not just the activity there that worries her; it’s also how badly the building seems to be falling apart.

“It is a hazard, it’s a danger,” Foster said. “If that happened, as you can see, the next half is getting ready to go.”

An ABC 17 reporter noticed the remaining half of the deck had at least one portion where it appeared to be slightly caving in.

The Tuesday release from the sheriff’s office did not provide the reason for the warrant being served. The U.S. Marshals spokesman also could not provide further information Tuesday.

ABC 17 News is awaiting a statement from property management. The city does not require building inspections for apartments.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department, Columbia Fire Department, and Boone County Office of Emergency Management will work together to ensure security policies are in place ahead of the first day of the Boone County Fair.

The Boone County Fair begins Tuesday at 5 p.m. and runs daily until 10 p.m., ending July 25, located at 5212 Okland Gravel Rd. in Columbia. Fairgoers must be aware of the security policies in place to ensure safety.

Boone County Fair manager, Jessie Kempf said they plan to utilize the same safety measures as last year because that system worked well for the fair.

“Everything is pretty much the same as we had last year. Our safety protocols are very standard,” Kempf said. “We didn’t have many incidents last year, so we just rolled with the same plan.”

No backpacks or large bags will be allowed into the fairgrounds. Only the following bags will be permitted:

Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches.

Guests may use a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag.

Small clutch bags cannot be larger than 4.5 inches x 6.5 inches with or without a handle or strap.

All alcohol, illegal drugs or paraphernalia will be confiscated.

Loitering in the parking lot will not be permitted and loiterers will be asked to leave the premises.

No reentry will be allowed into the fairgrounds.

Weapons, facemasks, and face coverings are strictly prohibited.

The weapons detection system used by Columbia Public Schools will be at the entrances of the fairgrounds.

The procedure for entering the fair with the weapons detection device is simple and non-invasive, according to Kempf.

“You’ll pay, walk a few feet, walk through the weapons detection. It’s non-intrusive,” Kempf said. “And then if there is a further search that’s needed, then you can do that.”

In the event of an emergency, there are prepared procedures for multiple different hazards such as:

Active shooter/gun shots

Bomb threats

Fire/explosion

Tornadoes

Lost person

Trespassing

Kempf said most of these procedures have not happened, but in place to prepare all staff in the event one of them does.

“We have not had any issues with that,” Kempf said. “But they’re there in place. If we ever would need something like that. Boone County Emergency Management does a great job to make sure that we’re all safe,” Kempf said.

The Columbia Police Department will be patrolling throughout the fairgrounds, while The Columbia Fire Department will be on-site to provide fire protection and emergency medical services. The Boone County Office of Emergency Management will handle all incidents and act as the proper authority when Fair personnel are not available or if an incident is escalated.

Portable camera trailers will be placed throughout the fairgrounds, including drones that will be used for aerial surveillance. Overnight security will be placed at livestock barns for the safety and security of youth exhibitors and their animals, according to the Boone County Fair Safety Plan. There will also be a central command on the grounds with emergency personnel at all times.

ABC 17 spoke with personnel of the City of Columbia who were inspecting the fair rides and other activities to ensure they were up to safety codes.

The safety inception report was requested by ABC 17, but it has not been provided.

Kempf said, at the time, she had not received word about the inspection but had not faced problems ride inspection before.

“We haven’t run into any issues in the past, so we kind of get everything tied up and buttoned up before they leave,” Kempf said.

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Steven Lambson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Jefferson City council approved two resolutions related to a planned conference center Monday night, and also nominated two people for the vacant Ward 3 seat.

One resolution approved the project development plan, including the budget, finance plan and schedule. The resolution included an amendment to reflect the final budget and schedule.

The other resolution included details of the price construction contract and construction schedule. According to the schedule, construction is expected to start in November 2026 and be completed by November 2028.

The hotel is set to have 215 rooms, a three-star restaurant, a lobby lounge & bar, a café/market, a terrace-level lounge with an outdoor patio, and a fitness center.

The conference center will have 9,860 square feet of dedicated meeting space, including a 14,250-square-foot Grand Ballroom, plus an additional 11,900 square feet of flexible event space, for a total of approximately 31,000 square feet of net conference center space, plus adequate support and back-of-house spaces. It will also have a parking garage with 567 parking spaces, with an additional 52 parking spaces available on adjacent surface parking lots.

At the end of the meeting, two people were nominated to fill the Ward 3 vacancy left by Derek Thomas, who resigned in June after he moved out of state due to medical issues affecting his family.

Of the three residents who submitted letters of interest – including Susan Cook, Hal Dulle and James Spradlin – only Cook and Dulle were nominated. The city plans to have a candidate forum on Aug. 3 and plans to appoint a new council member on Aug. 17.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Police say a Columbia man took money at gunpoint during a meeting set up on Facebook, and followed that a few days later by removing a victim to remove his clothes at gunpoint.

Lance D. Graves, 20, was arrested and charged Monday with two counts each of armed criminal action and armed robbery. Graves was jailed without bond.

A probable cause statement says police were sent to the 600 block of Claudell Lane on July 11 after a victim reported being robbed of $400 by a man he had met up for a Facebook transaction. The victim had planned to buy a handgun in the transaction, according to the statement.

Investigators were later shown a social media video that appeared to show Graves ordering another man to remove his clothes at gunpoint, then taking the clothes, according to the statement. Police said in a news release that the second robbery took place Thursday in the 2200 block of Thomas Drive.

Columbia Police Department detectives, informants and juvenile officers identified Graves in the video, accoding to the statement.

No court date has been set.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

All emergency services dispatching was brought under one roof on Monday in Randolph County.

The Randolph County Ambulance District was the final group to integrate its dispatching services in the Moberly Joint Communications center, according to an ambulance district news release. The district was the last public safety agency in the county to operate its own dispatching system before joining the Moberly Joint Communications operation Monday.

Other agencies using the service are Moberly Police and Fire, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department and the county’s rural fire districts.

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Olivia Hayes

ABC 17 News is interviewing candidates heading into the Aug. 4 election. On the ballot for Columbia’s Ward 4 seat is Ryan King, Dave Sorrell and Sharon Jones.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

OLIVIA HAYES: We’re here with Ward 4 city council candidate Sharon Jones. Sharon, thank you for joining me today.

SHARON JONES: Thank you, it’s a pleasure.

HAYES: So we’ll start with, what is your history with Columbia? Tell me about that.

JONES: I moved here from Springfield, Missouri, when I went to college in, uh, Fayette, Missouri, which is just north of here, Central Methodist University, and as I was graduating out of there, my then boyfriend and now husband and I moved here to Columbia. So we’ve been here in Columbia full-time since about 2000.

HAYES: And what made you decide to run for this seat?

JONES: I have been on planning and zoning for about 6 years. I got interested in the planning and development because I watched Columbia grow up, and since Nick Foster was leaving, I had some people reach out to me and say, ‘Hey, you’re chair of planning and zoning. Would you like to be on city council? We’d love to support you.’ So I thought it sounded like a great way to continue my service to the community.

HAYES: When we spoke to Nick Foster shortly after his resignation announcement, he said that whoever took over the seat, he wanted them to match the same ideals that he had. Is there anything that you plan to pick up where Nick Foster left off and keep the ball rolling on?

JONES: We’ve talked a lot over the years, Nick and I, about the short-term rental ordinances and the long-range planning documents that the city is getting ready to do, and I hope that I can take some of what I’ve learned from him and the collaboration we’ve done and move that forward in my own way, uh, as we do these long-range plans.

HAYES: What do you think is the biggest challenge currently facing Ward 4?

JONES: I think the biggest challenge we have in Ward 4, because it moves all the way out to the west, almost into the county, or frankly into the county, I think our biggest challenge is that sort of western edge of the community and getting services out there. Getting utilities out there, getting infrastructure, like good quality roads all the way out as we sprawl that way.

HAYES: And you previously shared that you plan to continue your work life as a lobbyist. How do you plan to balance those responsibilities with the work for responsibilities that you would kind of take under your belt if you were to be elected?

JONES: Yes, so being a lobbyist or really it’s advocacy that I do is very interesting because it’s all sort of concentrated while the legislature is in session, and then when they’re not in session I have a lot more flexibility to work from home or from Goldie’s, which has become a habit of mine, or you know, take a day off and go and have meetings so I think it’s going to work really well. I also have a great team of employees in both of the businesses that I own who can manage things day to day if I need to step back, so I can do more city council work.

HAYES: Definitely, it’s good to have a support system behind you. Is there anything else that you want the ward for voters to know about you?

JONES: I think it’s really important to know that I come at everything from the same frame that I come at my work from, which is I am here to make sure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity. That they have a workplace where they can feel safe and respected, that they have a home where they can feel safe and proud of their community that they live in, so I really want to make sure that I’m making Columbia work for everyone.

HAYES: Alright, well thank you so much for sharing that with us and thank you for joining us. Again, we have Ward 4 city council candidate Sharon Jones.

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