Category: kmiz-local-news

Olivia Hayes

BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Severe weather and flooding forced Missouri Task Force One to suspend search operations along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas on Sunday, according to the latest update from the Boone County Fire Protection District.

BCFPD said the team returned to its base of operations where members reconfigured equipment and were reassigned as a quick response force in anticipation of additional water rescue needs, should flooding intensify further.

During the weather delay, task force one personnel conducted essential maintenance and cleaning of equipment used during Saturday’s operations.

The team anticipates returning to the field Monday to continue their mission of search and recovery. A 60-member rescue task force from the Czech Republic, will join their operations along the river.

The combined teams will continue search missions utilizing boats, specially trained canines, and local volunteers operating heavy equipment to clear and search through large debris fields.

While Sunday’s storms caused a rise in water levels, Boone County fire officials said the rain has calmed, and waters are beginning to recede.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Jefferson City Fire Department battled an early morning fire Sunday, according to a press release from the department.

According to the release, crews responded to a call for a residential structure fire at around 12:41 a.m. Sunday on the 800 block of Weathered Rock Road.

Firefighters found fire showing from a second-floor window and focused on an interior attack of the fire, getting it under control in 30 minutes. There was significant fire and smoke damage to one apartment, and water damage to the first-floor apartment beneath the fire.

Cole County EMS, the Cole County Fire Protection District and the Jefferson City Police Department were also on scene.

No one was injured in the fire, but two families were displaced. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Olivia Hayes

MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two people are dead and two others hurt after a crash in Mexico Saturday, according to the Mexico Public Safety Department.

MPSD said shortly after 6:30 Saturday morning it responded to a crash on the 4800 block of South Clark street near Highway 54. The report said responding personnel found that a blue, 2016 Kia was being driven southbound on Clark when it crossed the center line and collided with a black 2012 Chrysler in the northbound lane.

MPSD said it used extrication equipment and assisted the Audrain Ambulance District in removing people from the vehicles and treating them.

Kristain Pritchett, age 22, and Austin Terry, age 27 died as a result of the crash.

Joshua Frye, age 22, and Elliot Kitson, age 29, were both taken by ambulance to MU Hospital in Columbia.

Hospital officials confirmed to ABC 17 News that Elliott Kitson is in fair condition. However, they had no information to provide regarding the condition of Joshua Frye.

The 4800 block of South Clark was blocked until almost 8:00 Saturday morning.

A witness who was there during the time of the crash, Jerry Wide, said he was driving to work when he saw it happen right in front of him.

“The black car in front of me. The blue car turned right in front of them and he had no time to react and he hit him head on right into the side. I ran to the black car because he was the closest to me,” Wide said.

He told ABC 17 News that he was following the black Chrysler at a distance of approximately two car lengths.

“He was probably doing 50 miles an hour, I was right behind him doing that too,” Wide said. “When he hit, I had to slam on my brakes or if I wouldn’t have been paying attention, I would have been involved in the accident myself.”

Friends of Kristain Pritchett are demanding justice following her death, Stella Williams describing her as an outstanding person in a statement to ABC 17 News. They urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable.

“The driver needs to be held responsible when he’s released from the hospital. He took someone’s daughter, granddaughter, cousin, best friend, and he was supposed to be the one to protect her as her boyfriend,” said Williams.

The crash is still under investigation.

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Marie Moyer

A 54-year-old man from Batonville, IL, died in a crash on Route F, in Camden County, a half mile south of Route TT, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

The report says the crash occurred at around 12:45 a.m. Saturday when a 2022 Subaru Ascent traveling south failed to make a turn and drove off the right side of the road, hitting a tree and flipping over. The driver of the Subaru was wearing a seatbelt and was pronounced dead on the scene. Next of kin were notified.

The vehicle was totaled. MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 54-year-old woman from Fulton was seriously injured Friday afternoon in a crash in the eastbound lane of Interstate 70 near the Boone-Callaway County line, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

According to the report, a 2011 Toyota 4 Runner – driven by the woman – and a 2014 Freightliner M2 – driven by a 25-year-old man from Tacoma, Washington – were heading eastbound near a construction zone when they both tried to change lanes.

The tractor-trailer rear-ended the Toyota, which ended up getting stuck between a concrete barrier and the semi, the report says.

The report says neither driver was wearing a seatbelt, but the driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured. The woman was brought to University Hospital by ambulance, the report says.

The Toyota was totaled, while the Freightliner had moderate damage, the report says.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Negotiations are still ongoing between MU Health Care and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, but a state senator is alleging they could be close to a deal.

A spokesman with MU Health Care told ABC 17 News in an email that the hospital system talked with Anthem throughout the day on Friday, but an agreement has not been signed. No discussions are planned for the weekend.

“We have been engaged throughout the day with Anthem, but do not yet have a signed agreement. Our goal remains to reach a deal that restores in-network access for Anthem members,” MU Health Care spokesman Eric Maze wrote.

Anthem customers using Medicare Advantage plans have been out of MU Health Care’s network since February. Other customers have been out of network since April after the two sides failed to reach an agreement. Both sides have disputed price points alleged by the other side.

Both sides spoke at a Missouri senate committee hearing last month, where Anthem claimed progress had been made.

Earlier this week, Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) made a social media posting indicating she wanted a deal to be accepted this week. Laughlin in a post at 11:58 a.m. Friday claimed that the two sides were close to coming to a deal.

“On the healthcare issue to use a football analogy we are on the 1 yard line and it is third down. And I believe we are going to score a win. It could still fall apart but I don’t think it will. President [Mun] Choi and Rich from Anthem are close to an agreement. I will let you know,” she wrote.

Laughlin wrote a second post at 1:33 p.m. thanking both sides, claiming a metaphorical “touchdown” occurred and that details would be available next week.

ABC 17 News reached out to an Anthem spokesperson on Friday evening.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Former Mizzou football coach Gary Pinkel has filed a lawsuit to keep his driver’s license.

Pinkel’s lawyer – Bogdan Susan — on Wednesday filed a petition in Camden County asking the court to not suspend the former coach’s license after he allegedly refused to take a breathalyzer test

A Missouri State Highway Patrol report on Tuesday showed that Pinkel was arrested at 11:46 p.m. Monday in Camden County on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The report said that he was brought to the Camden County jail and was released. Criminal charges have not yet appeared on Casenet.

The petition alleges that Pinkel was “not legally arrested or stopped” and that the trooper did “not have reasonable grounds to believe that Petitioner was driving a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated” and that Pinkel refused the test under Missouri’s Implied Consent law.

Another motion indicates that Pinkel could lose his license on July 23, if the order for stay is not granted.

A summons was issued for the Department of Revenue on Friday and a hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 25 at the Camden County Courthouse.

Pinkel, 73, served as MU’s head coach from 2001-15. Pinkel previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DWI in 2011 in Boone County. He was sentenced to two years of probation and completed the sentence.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Veterans Commission’s veterans suicide prevention report that was published this week shows 171 veterans in the state died by suicide in 2022.

The report shows that 42.6 of every 100,000 Missouri veterans died by suicide, higher than the national average of 34.7 of every 100,000.

Guns made up roughly three-quarters of veteran deaths in the state, while it made up two-thirds of the state’s overall suicides and 55% of the nationally reported number. Veteran deaths made up 14.5% of the state’s 1,179 reported suicides for that year.

Date from the report shows that the central region of the state reported 22 deaths by suicide for the year. The St. Louis metro area had the most with 52, while the southwestern portion had 39 and the Kansas City metro area had 36.

The prevention program aims to decrease the number of veteran suicides, the report says. The report claims that roadblocks include the ongoing stigma of mental health struggles and help-seeking for veterans. The report also says that access to mental health services is difficult for veterans.

“Barriers such as transportation shortfalls and a lack of awareness of available resources are limiting factors for Veterans seeking mental health support,” the report says.

Those needing immediate attention can call the national suicide hotline at 988.

veterans-suicide-prevention-report-2025Download

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

President Donald Trump visited Kerrville, Texas, on Friday to tour damage left behind from flash floods and speak with local officials.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Task Force 1, a search and rescue team based in Columbia at the Boone County Fire District, has been busy helping in the aftermath of the floods that have killed scores in Texas.

However, the group’s spokesman, Boone County Fire Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp, has been limited in the information that he can divulge due to state government rules, Blomenkamp and a FEMA spokesperson told ABC 17 News.

Blomenkamp spoke Thursday with anchor Jazsmin Halliburton about the team’s missions in the Kerrville, Texas, area.

Jazsmin Halliburton: Now Chief Gale, I appreciate you for joining us this afternoon, but what are you able to tell us about the team’s mission currently in Kerville, Texas?

Gale Blomenkamp: Yeah, so I can tell you that we were activated on Monday. We left Boone County on Monday evening. We arrived in Texas late Tuesday night. We received our first mission assignment on Wednesday morning and we had crews in the field assisting with the search and rescue efforts in Kerr County on Wednesday afternoon.

They continued that search and rescue missions and recovery issues yesterday and they’re back out there this morning doing what they can to help the citizens of Texas.

Halliburton: We’re very grateful that you guys are going to be able to be out there and to assist however you can. And I know considering the course of information that we learned from FEMA and the amount of information that’s a little bit more limited, does that make your job not only as the public information officer for Task Force 1, does that make other people’s jobs for other task force that’s also helping as well?

Blomenkamp: I think it’s important that we are able to share the good deeds that our citizens from Missouri are doing down there to help the citizens of Texas and you know it’s above my pay grade. So I can’t sit here and second-guess that. I just understand what their wishes are and that’s what we’re gonna do, but, I’m gonna work my hardest to keep the citizens around here up informed and updated what we’re doing and, and again we’re out in the field today. We’re doing our best work. Of course.

Halliburton: Now for this amount of limited information that will be shared, do you know if this is just centered around the state of Texas or will this be for future missions that the task force goes on?

Blomenkamp: I believe it’s very centric to what we’re doing with this mission. It is very difficult for the citizens of Texas. It’s a, it’s a huge loss for that state, and it’s very tragic. And so I just think they’re being very cautious. They don’t want something to get out there that doesn’t need to be out there.

But as far as what our team’s doing, we continue to work for them. We will do whatever is asked of us, and we will continue that mission until we’re sent home.

Halliburton: Is there anything else that you would like to add or for people to know about just keep people in their thoughts and prayers, especially those affected by the storms?

Blomenkamp: Thank you to all the employers to let their people go and their family members for letting them take off for Texas.

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