Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

HALLSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)

A number of law enforcement officers were seen in Hallsville on Thursday as they arrested a sex offender who had a warrant for his arrest, according to a social media post from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

Eric Dwayne Gathings, 51, of Hallsville, is currently being held in the Boone County Jail on a U.S. Marshal hold and Boone County accusations of failure to register as a sex offender and being within 1,000 feet of a school. Charges were not available on Casenet on Thursday evening.

Residents may have noticed a large law enforcement at the corner of Route B and East Highway 124 around 4 p.m. A number of people had called ABC 17 News about seeing law enforcement around that time and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office was seen with an armored vehicle when an ABC 17 News photographer was at the scene. Gathings was arrested at 5 p.m.

Boone County Sheriff’s deputies and a Hallsville police officer are seen near an armored vehicle Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, near the corner of Route B and East Highway 124 in Hallsville. [Sam Roe/KMIZ

The post from the sheriff’s office says Gathings was unlawfully residing at a residence located near the Sassafras Moon and that he failed to register the address.

“Over the last three weeks, probable cause was developed to believe Gathings was residing at 121/123 E Highway 124 in Hallsville, MO, which is within 1,000 feet of a public school and within 1,000 feet of a childcare facility. On 10/23/2025, a search warrant was issued to seize Gathings from 121/123 E Highway 124,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

He was found hiding in an attic in the building, the sheriff’s office wrote.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri state Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Cole County) announced Thursday on his social media that he plans to run for presiding commissioner in Cole County.

Bernskoetter has served the sixth district in the Missouri senate since 2019, which is made up of Cole, Camden, Miller, Moniteau and Morgan counties. He will reach the end of his term in January 2027 and is not able to run for the seat again because of term limits. He also previously served as a state representative for eight years.

He is running for the seat currently held by Sam Bushman since 2014. Bushman told ABC 17 News that he will not seek reelection and plans on endorsing Bernskoetter.

Bernskoetter wrote on his Facebook page that his campaign will focus on “conservative values” and fiscal responsibility.

“Cole County is my home and it’s been the honor of my life to represent our community as your State Representative and State Senator. I’m now ready to bring that same dedication and common sense conservative leadership to Cole County Commission ensuring our county continues to be a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Bernskoetter wrote. “We have a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars while making sure our roads, public safety and essential services are strong. As Presiding Commissioner, I’ll work every day to make sure Cole County remains a place where families and businesses can thrive. I’d be honored to have your support.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An 82-year-old Rolla woman was seriously injured in a single-vehicle crash Thursday on Route HH in Phelps County, north of County Road 82270, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report says the woman drove a 2007 Buick Lucerne northbound and it went off the right side of the road and hit a tree.

The woman was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, the report says. She was flown to University Hospital in Columbia. The Buick was totaled.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A judge has allowed the plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit to block an attempted nationwide layoff that would affect employees at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

The lawsuit — filed in California — showed the Department of Interior was looking to lay off 80 employees at the Columbia location and more than 2,300 people in various positions nationwide.

The Columbia Environmental Research Center has 102 total employees, according to court documents.

CERC researches contaminants and effects in water and land.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was already in law enforcement custody has been accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill a detective from the Columbia Police Department.

Nikolaus Harvey, 26, was charged on Thursday with conspiracy to commit a Class A felony. He was moved from the Boone County Jail to the Phelps County Jail. He is being held without bond. A court date has not been scheduled for this case.

The probable cause statement says an inmate told officials that Harvey offered to pay him $5,000 to kill the detective, but the inmate declined. Harvey allegedly wrote a note giving an accurate physical description of the detective, as well as an additional note and map detailing the location of guns that could be used, the statement says.

Harvey had allegedly blamed the detective for being held in jail, court documents say.

The witness handed the map over to law enforcement. He also had told Harvey he knew someone who could carry out the hit, the statement says. Law enforcement gave the inmate a phone number of a police officer that Harvey would talk to, the statement says.

Harvey allegedly spoke with the undercover officer and allegedly admitted to making the map and talked about how payment would occur, the statement says. Harvey then allegedly gave another note to the previous witness saying he would show the undercover officer where the guns were hidden, court documents say.

Harvey was interviewed by law enforcement at the Phelps County Jail and denied all allegations, including that he discussed a hit or wrote any notes, the probable cause statement says.

He was charged earlier this year after he was accused of stealing from 20 vehicles in Columbia over the course of two months. He was charged in one case with misdemeanor stealing, stealing a gun and stealing drugs. A hearing is scheduled in that case for 8:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 3.

In another case, he is charged with first-degree burglary, felony stealing and possessing burglary tools.

Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson said conspiracy cases are taken seriously.

“A group of crimes that can be committed without actually finishing the crime conspiracy and attempt are both offenses where you haven’t actually completed the offense,” Johnson said.

While Harvey’s plan did not follow through, Johnson said the plan itself is a crime.

“Conspiracy  is that you agreed with one or more other persons to commit an offense, it has to be a serious felony. In Missouri, it has to be an A,B or C felony,” Johnson said.

Johnson emphasized the importance of of coming forward.

“Normally, we talk about if people have information about crimes that have been committed,” Johnson said. “But it is important, too, if you have information that somebody is going to commit a crime, to go to somebody and share that information. Because maybe we can stop that harm from happening.”

A person convicted of conspiracy can face up to three to 10 years in prison, according to Johnson.

ABC 17 News reached out to public defender Benjamin Ellis — who represents Harvey in several other cases — but he declined to comment.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly used a knife to stab his brother in his leg.

Steven Swanson, 32, was charged on Thursday in Boone County with first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says police were called at 2:05 p.m. about a possible incident of domestic violence.

A witness told police that Swanson had stabbed his own brother in his right leg and ran away with the knife, court documents say. Swanson arrested shortly after and police found him with the knife, the statement says.  

Swanson allegedly told police that an argument began, he pulled out a knife, his brother told him to put the knife away and Swanson then stabbed him, the statement says.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services is rolling out 39 more naloxone distribution boxes throughout Boone County.

The Public Health and Human Services office, located at 1005 Worley St., is currently the only place with a naloxone box. PHHS announced the first box’s appearance on Tuesday. Boxes of the medicine — which is used to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses — are available 24 hours a day.

Health Department spokesman Austin Krohn said more boxes will be set up with community partners, like the Reentry Opportunity Center.

The ROC has free naloxone available, but people have to ask for it. Program Director Jessica Chambers said people often feel ashamed for requesting it.

“Well, now they don’t have to ask,” Chambers said. “They could just open up the box and receive it themselves.”

Natalie Rice attended a “Save-A-Life” naloxone event PHHS held Thursday. Rice shared her mom’s story at the start of the event.

Teresa Rice struggled with addiction for 11 years and going in and out of rehab before she died from a drug overdose in June 2022.

“Narcan gave us five, six more times that we had with her, without those, I mean, she probably would have been gone when I was 11,” Natalie said in an interview.

Natalie now carries naloxone with her and encourages her friends to as well because it could save someone’s life.

Missouri drug overdoses declined in 2024 for the second year in a row, according to previous reporting. There were 1,450 drug overdose deaths last year, which is nearly 500 fewer deaths since 2023.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Boone County EMS used 147 doses of naloxone in 2023.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A traditional day off for students at the end of the fall semester is at risk of being eliminated next school year.

The University of Missouri is at the beginning stages of reviewing its academic calendar for next year to be in compliance with its mandated number of academic hours for classes that meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, according to an email from Director of Undergraduate Studies James Crozier.

The school could remove “Reading Day”, also known as “Stop Day” by students and alumni, for the fall 2026 semester because of a law signed earlier this year that would make Veterans Day a holiday for UM System employees, according to an email from a university spokesman.

At its meeting on Thursday afternoon, the MU Faculty Council voted to remove Stop Day from the fall 2026 calendar. Members had to suspend their traditional rules to take the vote immediately, since the decision must be finalized before fall enrollment begins.

Crozier told ABC 17 News in an email that the change would only affect the 2026 fall semester, and would not require cancelling the spring semester’s Stop Day, or any future Reading Day.

The university is required to have 29 academic days scheduled for Tuesday/Thursday classes and 43 for Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes. Crozier indicated that Veterans Day falling on a Wednesday in 2026 is what led to the discussion, but noted that Veterans Day could again impact future Stop Day schedules, depending on how the calendar falls. He said those decisions would be made on a year-to-year basis.

A statement attributed to MU spokesman Christopher Ave indicated after the Faculty Council votes to recommend removing the day from the academic calendar, it would then go to the chancellor and president for review. If UM System President Mun Choi also recommends the change, it would be submitted to the Board of Curators for final approval.

Stop Day has been a long-standing MU tradition that gives students a day off before finals to study and catch up on classwork. However, it’s also become widely known as a social day for students.

“What I’ve heard its a great time and I’m still looking forward to it,” MU freshman Brendan Cline told ABC 17 News.

“It would be kind of a bummer if it got taken away but it would also be nice to get the day off school,” MU freshman Joshua Fenter added. “I’m sure we would still be able to do some fun stuff at the end of the year.”

Last May, large crowds on East Campus brought an increased police presence, and Columbia police handed out flyers reminding students about the city’s nuisance ordinance. Despite the possible change, many students told ABC 17 News they expect some kind of replacement event to happen if Stop Day is canceled.

“Being replaced by Veterans Day is kind of a bummer as it is, but Veterans Day is Veterans Day. You always got to honor them, but not being able to have a stop day is kind of a negative point,” MU freshman Garen Simpkins said. “I will be highly shocked if students don’t participate in that given how big a culture there is around it, even if it is Veterans Day.”

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Olivia Hayes

MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ)

Mexico’s Public Safety Department says it saved a woman and a child from a house fire Wednesday afternoon.

According to a press release from the department, MPSD responded to the 1000 block of Robinhood for a house fire after neighbors reported seeing smoke and flame coming from a home nearby. The neighbors got two dogs out “before the fire became too intense,” the release said. First responders found the fire coming from the south side of the home, and the fire was starting to catch the neighbor’s house.

The release said that during the response, a woman called Audrain County Joint Communications about she and a child trapped in the basement of the home.

Virgene Higby, the home’s owner, tells ABC 17 News the two people rescued were her daughter-in-law and grandson.

“Major Thompson an Officer Goodman saved my daughter-in-law and my grandson,” Higby said.

Rescuers got the woman and child out of the basement through a window on the north side of the home, the release said. Medics said they did not need further medical attention. The original house suffered serious fire damage; the neighboring house had minor fire damage.

Investigators believe “the accidental loss of embers while smoking” caused the fire.

“It burned the underside of the stairs,” Higby said, gesturing at the stairs in her garage. “That’s what tells them that the fire originated right here.”

Higby said investigators told her a cigarette likely sparked the fire and that paint and aerosol cans in the garage accelerated it.

She said she is speaking with insurance Thursday to figure out her next steps. Higby is leaning on her friends, family and faith during this time as she looks to rebuild.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Board of Education gave an update Thursday morning regarding a working conditions survey, which was administered to teachers and staff.

The administration reviewed the results of the survey and found different strengths and areas to grow. According to the meeting agenda, the survey identified four areas:

District Leadership

Assessment and Accountability

Strengths and Retention

Student Behavior

CPS Chief Human Resource Officer Michelle Holz told ABC 17 News that those four areas will be the main priorities of the district.

Each area identified recommendations made from the work conditions survey. District leadership recommendations from teachers and staff were to continue strengthening trust, leading transparently, open communication and focusing efforts where they matter most.

With assessment and accountability, recommendations were made to partner with principals and teacher leaders to reach academic goals and protect uninterrupted planning.

Strength and retention recommendations to continue to elevate and celebrate teacher leaders. Also, to continue strengthening retention by fostering a school environment where staff will feel connected and valued, with practical supports like timely maintenance, reasonable class sizes, trust in teachers’ practice, and strong support for effective building leaders.

In the area of student behavior, it is recommended that the district keep building on what is working in student behavior so classrooms stay safe, focused and supportive.

Holz said there is no set timeline for when these recommendations will be put in place. “I would say it’s an ongoing process that we continue to get our teachers, our educators’ feedback to make sure that we’re listening to their voices and that we’re taking their concerns very seriously,” said Holz

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