Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Starbucks located near the University of Missouri’s campus on Ninth Street will be closed for at least the rest of Tuesday after a fire caused “minimal damage.”

Columbia Assistant Fire Chief Zac Grace told an ABC 17 News photographer that crews responded to a fire call at 3:12 p.m. Firefighters extinguished a small fire.

The Columbia Fire Department wrote on social media on Tuesday night that the fire was classified as accidental and no significant fire-related injuries were reported. The post says investigators determined a power cable for an “on-demand water heater had been bent by nearby kitchen appliances. Heat accumulated and ignited the cable.”

The Starbucks put a sign on the front door stating that it would be temporarily closed.

Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 3:45 p.m. stating the southbound lanes of Ninth Street were closed because of a “fire incident.”

The fire marshal is still investigating the cause.

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two people were injured – one seriously – in a Tuesday morning crash in Phelps County on County Road 3060, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report says a 2000 Harley Davidson – rode by a 34-year-old Newburg man – was heading eastbound when the bike crossed the center line and hit a 2022 Ford Escape that was driven by a 23-year-old Rolla woman.

The man had serious injuries and was flown to University Hospital, while the woman had minor injuries and was brought to Phelps Health by ambulance, the report says. Both vehicles were totaled.

The woman wore a seatbelt and the man wore a helmet, according to the report.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former substitute teacher from the state of California who tried to get children from Callaway County to send him nude photographs had his case moved to Boone County on Monday.

Matthew Bowman is charged with two counts of child enticement and two counts of misrepresenting his age to entice a minor for sexual misconduct. He was charged in Callaway County in April. Court filings show all status hearing and “pre-trial matters” will be held in Callaway County.

Court documents in previous reporting say he started “quick adding” young girls in Callaway County on the social media application Snapchat in February and allegedly lied about his age multiple times.

Bowman allegedly asked for nude photos of the girls, despite knowing their ages, and claimed he had family in Callaway County, the statement says. He allegedly used a location feature in the app to tell the girls that he knew where they were throughout the day and that he wanted meet them for sex, court documents allege. 

Bowman was arrested in the state of California.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

University of Missouri President Mun Choi and Provost Matthew Martens warned students to stay away from an area of downtown at night in an email sent to students on the first day of classes.

“Incidents downtown typically occur between midnight and 3 a.m.; make sure you’re home safely before then,” the officials wrote in the message Monday.

The message was also posted online under the heading “Welcome to a historic new year at Mizzou!”

The warning comes after a shots-fired incident and a large street brawl downtown over the summer, when most students were away on summer break.

Both incidents happened near East Walnut and Ninth streets, which is an area that Choi and Martens warned students about in their email.

“Some areas of downtown Columbia should be avoided at night, specifically sections of Walnut Street between 8th and 10th streets,” the email reads.

Choi called out Reign Bar, located in the area where MU leaders ask students to avoid late at night, in an email to Columbia city leaders.

“It happened again at Walnut and 9th Streets. We continue to experience violent fights and gunfire outside Reign Bar. How many warnings about this establishment do you need to hear before meaningful action is taken?” Choi wrote.

Owner of the bar Son of a Gun, located at 16 N. Ninth Street, Greta Gunderson said it’s not fair to call out a bar like that.

“I don’t know that they’re the ones that are having or causing a lot of these issues. They haven’t even been open a year. So, I think they’re doing everything in their power to make sure that they are of safe spaces as well,” Gunderson said.

She said she supports Choi’s push for increased downtown safety, but there’s only so much that bar owners can do.

“I can only control what happens inside my building and then the four seats that are right outside, and the same thing with Reign Bar,” Gunderson said. “Now, there’s that sour taste in people’s mouths about Reign Bar, and they can’t do anything to protect themselves once that’s been said.”

Owner of Room 38, which is very close to the warned area, Todd Myers didn’t use a specific bar name, but he said safety downtown needs to be strengthened.

“I don’t want to call out and hurt any small business. I would just ask that they just be held accountable, as I would be accountable for my actions if I were having an issue,” Myers said.

He said he’s on Choi’s side when it comes to making downtown safer.

“He’s got a very tough job, very tough position, and now he’s working on safety in a public area that’s not necessarily his responsibility, but something–he definitely has safety responsibility for the students,” Myers said.

Choi has demanded increased downtown safety from Columbia leaders since a Stephens College student was shot and killed on Broadway — the heart of downtown Columbia — nearly a year ago.

The email also touts the work of MU’s safety collaboration with the Columbia Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. According to the email, the partnerships are increasing patrols and supporting safety measures in downtown and surrounding areas.

Thousands of students come to Columbia every year. The university reported a total student enrollment of 31,650 and over 9,000 new students on the first day.

The school year also started with a serious accident on Sunday. A former MU student fell off Harpo’s rooftop bar, an establishment popular with students. Corbin Rodenberg, 21, is in critical condition.

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Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A four-vehicle crash shut down some of the eastbound lanes of the Missouri River bridge at Jefferson City on Monday afternoon, the Jefferson City Police Department said in a news release.

The crash happened at about 4:20 p.m. on the Highway 54/63 bridge. A Chevrolet Trailblazer failed to stop for traffic and hit the back of a Chevrolet Silverado that was stopped in traffic, the release states. The pickup then hit a Hyundai Sonata and a Buick Lucerne that were stopped in traffic.

The Trailblazer driver, a 39-year-old Linn man, admitted to not paying attention before the crash.

A 71-year-old Warrenton, Missouri, woman in the Silverado suffered serious injuries, the release states. The truck’s driver, a 47-year-old man from Warrenton, suffered moderate injuries. They were not wearing seat belts.

Police say the man had a head injury and the woman suffered a leg injury. Both were taken to a hospital by ambulance.

The drivers of the other three vehicles were not hurt, according to JCPD.

Two eastbound lanes were shut down for about an hour.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Five Guys burger restaurant in east Columbia will open at its normal time Tuesday after a morning HVAC fire.

The damage was limited to a rooftop HVAC unit, Columbia Fire Department Capt. Brandon Wasson said. No one was hurt.

Wasson said firefighters cleared the building of smoke and the business would open at its regular time. The restaurant’s website says it opens at 11 a.m.

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Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 48-year-old Kaiser woman was seriously hurt during a crash in Camden County just before 7 p.m. Monday.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the woman was driving a 2008 Honda Element south on Highway D at Locust Road. The report says she was speeding down the curvy road and went off the right side of the road.

The car began to skid, crossed the center of the road and went off the left side of the road. The car crashed into a tree, causing it to overturn onto the passenger side.

The woman was taken to Lake Regional Hospital by ambulance with serious injuries.

The report states the woman was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The Honda was totaled.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools welcomes thousands of students back to campus for the first day of school on Tuesday.

With classes back in session, drivers need to be mindful of traffic impacts as the school year kicks off.

Crews have finished the roundabout project at Sinclair Road and Southampton Dr., which leads to Eagle Bluffs Elementary, Mill Creek Elementary and John Warner Middle School.

John Warner Middle School released from class at 2:35 p.m. an ABC 17 News reporter saw traffic backed up on Sinclair Rd for about 15 minutes. Eagle Bluffs Elementary School got out of school at 3:20 p.m. and traffic backed up on the road for about 25 minutes. The same reporter saw little-to-no cars in the elementary school pickup line by 4 p.m.

According to Columbia Public Schools, the district’s total first-day enrollment is 18,430 students. CPS said that this represents an increase of 60 students from the 2025-26 enrollment.

According to CPS, these numbers are considered unofficial, as the official enrollment number is calculated on the last Wednesday of September. This number does not include late enrollments that are still being processed.

Another area drivers may see some traffic is Clark Lane and Hanover Boulevard, where Missouri Department of Transportation crews have closed the intersection for roundabout work expected to take two months.

Crews will also continue working on the Providence Road bridge over Interstate 70. A spokesperson for MoDOT says the department is heavily monitoring the area to set up a traffic signal timing plan that can be used for the next two months on school days until the Providence interchange reopens.

Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead, leave early, slow down and pay extra attention, especially in school zones.

As the school year begins in Missouri, drivers are reminded of the new school bus safety law.

Missouri’s new school bus safety law — SB 1421 — takes effect Aug. 28 and significantly increases fines and license penalties for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses with flashing red lights and extended stop arms.

According to the law, the new penalties for illegally passing a stopped school bus are:

First offense: Fine of $500 to $1,000, five points added to your driver’s license, and a court-ordered 90-day license suspension.

Second offense (within five years): Fine of $1,000 to $2,000, five points, and a 90-day license suspension.

Third or subsequent offense (within five years): Fine of $1,000 to $3,000, five points, and a 180-day license suspension.

If a child is physically injured: Class E felony, up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

If a child is seriously physically injured: Class D felony, up to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

No driver’s license points are automatically attached to the ticket under current state law, and the standard fine for a first-time stop violation is about $130.

Additionally, Columbia Public Schools may look to improve state testing scores between student demographic groups heading into a new school year.

CPS has struggled for years with what some leaders have called the “achievement gap,” which refers to the disparity in standardized test scores between certain student demographics and their peers. This year’s scores show Black students were nearly 30 percentage points behind the overall student average, despite gains over the last five years.

That dynamic was seen in 2025 scores, as well. During the 2024-2025 school year, Black fourth graders scored 9.4% proficient in math, compared to 19.6% for students overall. The gap grew in fifth grade, at 7.3% and 21.4%, respectively.

The scores are used by state officials to grade schools and make up a major part of the state’s Annual Performance Reports for schools. The state can intervene in schools that show continued poor performance.

Water main break affects Grant Elementary

A water main break occurred Tuesday morning, which affected Grant Elementary and those in the nearby area. The Columbia Public Library closed on Tuesday as a result.

The district wrote in a press release that students and staff at Grant Elementary were given bottled water “and plans were in place to address meal preparations and other needs within the building.”

Water service has since been restored. A boil advisory is in place and bottled water will be offered to students and staff until it is over, the release says.

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Matthew Sanders

America and Canada are at each other’s throats again over trade.

Tensions have flared between the North American neighbors already in this administration, but the latest round includes 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian products. The tariffs will take effect in 30 days.

Trump uses tariffs as a negotiating tactic, and the U.S. and Canada have been in economic talks. At least one Canadian politician urged fellow Canadians to fight back against the U.S. by boycotting American goods, and the country’s prime minister pledged to protect American workers.

Do you think Trump’s aggressive negotiating position will help Americans? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman sued a Columbia apartment complex on Monday after she claims a maintenance worker rummaged through her dirty clothes hamper and sniffed her underwear.

A “Jane Doe” filed the lawsuit in Boone County on Monday against Country Club Apartments and employee Juan Carlos Vazquez Martinez. The woman accuses the apartment and Vazquez Martinez of invasion of privacy, negligent infliction of emotional stress and an additional count of negligent training against Country Club Apartments.

The petition in the case alleges that the woman moved into Country Club Apartments on June 1 and had to provide her own washing machine. She requested maintenance to look at it the next day to make sure it was properly installed, court documents say.

Vazquez Martinez allegedly spoke about unrelated topics with the woman for a few minutes after checking the washing machine, documents say.

The woman installed cameras on June 14 and called for a maintenance request for a water leak occurring from the washing machine, the petition says. Vazquez Martinez and another employee arrived the next day while the woman was not home.

Video allegedly caught Vazquez Martinez going to the woman’s closet, rummaging through a clothes hamper and then sniffing her underwear, court documents allege. Vazquez Martinez allegedly did this while the other employee was not in the room.

The woman shared the video with Country Club Apartments and the Columbia Police Department that same day and was told by the company that Vazquez Martinez was put on leave, court documents say. She then requested her locks to be changed.

A week later, the woman reached back out to the complex’s management and was told Vazquez Martinez was still on leave, but he was still on the property, court documents allege. The woman then saw Vazquez Martinez on the property multiple times through Aug. 12, the petition says.

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