Category: kmiz-local-news

Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person was hospitalized with serious injuries after a single-vehicle crash in Boone County on Saturday, according to Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp.

It happened shortly before 3:30 p.m. on northbound Highway 63, just north of the 763 on-ramp.

Courtesy: Nikki B

Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 3:31 p.m. that said one lane of Highway 63 was closed due to a crash. Drivers were asked to choose a different route.

All lanes were reopened for normal traffic by 3:52 p.m., according to another BCJC notification.

Blomenkamp said the driver was taken to University Hospital.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is reminding drivers that October ranks as a high-activity month for deer, and vehicles should be cautious on the road, especially during dawn and dusk.

The MSHP reported 2,951 deer-related crashes last year, resulting in four deaths and 420 injuries. On Monday, an Eldon man was seriously hurt in Cole County after hitting a deer and crashing his motorcycle.

Statewide deer numbers appear to be declining. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, hunters harvested around 327,000 deer in 2023 compared to about 276,000 in the 2024 season, an over 15% drop.

This year, deer harvest numbers have remained generally average in Mid-Missouri, with several counties bringing in around 100-200 deer. Other counties like Callaway, Morgan and Camden have hunted more than 300 deer. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources also planned a managed deer hunt in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park and the Gans Creek Wild Area for November due to signs of overpopulation.

The MSHP reports that the majority of deer crashes happen between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Deer are also most active in October and November due to mating season.

Drivers are reminded to stay aware of deer in both rural and urban areas, with the MSHP reporting that around a fifth of last year’s deer crashes happened in urban areas. To help avoid a crash, drivers should not swerve around deer to reduce the chances of losing control. It’s also recommended to keep a safe following distance in case the vehicle ahead stops suddenly for a deer.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The street where the fire occurred has been corrected.

A home in north Columbia was damaged after reports of it being struck by lightning on Saturday afternoon.

According to Fire Marshal Chris Gilstrap, firefighters were called to a home on Smiley Lane for a fire. Several people in the area reported seeing lightning, followed by smoke coming from the home, Gilstrap said.

“A preliminary investigation leads to a lightning strike that caused a fire,” Gilstrap said.

Assistant Fire ChiefLester Shewmake said the fire was brought under control within eight minutes.

No one was home during the time and no injuries were reported, Gilstrap said.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw damage to the roof of the home.

Columbia fire marshals are continuing an origin and cause investigation, according to Shewmake.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

“No Kings” protests took place across the United States on Saturday in opposition of President Donald Trump, including in Columbia.

Chants of “no fear, no hate, no ICE in our state!” were heard in the morning, as hundreds of protesters gathered at the Boone County Courthouse Plaza.

This marked the second such protest in Columbia, with the first taking place in June.

Carmel Skrable was holding a sign that said “We want America back,” while sitting on the columns near the courthouse.

“Growing up in America, you had so many freedoms that I’ve taken for granted,” Skrable said. “Now, I’m starting to question those freedoms.”

Skrable said arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement that “snatch people off the street,” as well as inflation and insurance rates potentially going up is where her frustration lies.

“I’m here because I want America back the way I remember it,” Skrable said.

Owen Ramsingh’s wife and his best friend, Robert Olson, were at the protest to raise awareness about his story and raise money for legal fees.

ICE detained Ramsingh in September after he came back from the Netherlands, where he was born. ICE cites drug charges on his record from his youth for his arrest. Ramsingh has held a green card since 1986, and he is now being held in El Paso, Texas.

Robert Olson said the organizers of the protest invited them to set up a booth.

“It’s a story that people around here can actively help with,” Olson said. “It’s a cause that they can have influence on right away.”

Protesters also marched through city streets, chanting and waving their signs. One protester even traveled four hours to join her friends in the march.

“There’s a lot of things about this administration that I don’t agree with,” Tori Willis said. “ICE is a huge part of it. I think they’re treating people inhumanely, immoral.”

Willis’ sign said “They blame immigrants, so you won’t blame billionaires.”

Willis said the sign points out that politicians are using immigrants as a distraction from other issues.

“All the corrupt mess and all the villainization of these communities, you know, they’re pointing us away from the Epstein files, they’re pointing us away from the things they’re trying to do underneath,” Willis said.

No counter-protests were seen.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Patients are asked to put on a loose-fitting short-sleeved shirt and grab their insurance card before heading to MU Health Care’s drive-thru vaccine clinic at the South Providence Medical Park in Columbia on Saturday. The afternoon clinic is MU Health Care’s first drive-thru vaccination event of the season.

In 2024, Missouri faced one of the toughest cold and flu seasons to date, peaking at a little under 20,000 flu cases, the highest numbers seen in the past decade. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported 67 influenza cases in the state the week of Oct. 5, 2025, with 41 cases reported in Boone County.

Flu shots will be available for those 6 months and older Saturday. Following new CDC guidelines, COVID-19 shots will only be available for high-risk and vulnerable groups, meaning adults 65 and older or adults with a self-attested qualifying condition. Patients who claim they have a qualifying condition must sign a consent form before receiving a COVID shot.

MU Health Care Dr. Laura Morris adds that patients without qualifying conditions should still talk with their doctor or grab a doctor’s note and head to a local pharmacy to get a COVID booster

“If you’ve been vaccinated, you are very much less likely, sometimes as much as 50%, even up to 80 or 90% less likely to end up dying from the disease, or in those serious health care situations,” Morris said.

Saturday’s event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

MU Health Care is offering several Flu and COVID vaccination events in October:

Oct. 20 at the Fayette Family Medicine Clinic from 4-6 p.m.

Oct. 21 at the Keene St. Family Medicine Clinic from 5-7 p.m.

Oct. 23 at the Ashland Family Medicine Clinic from 4:30-6:45 p.m.

Oct. 25 at the South Providence Medical Park from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Oct. 25 at the Boonville Family Medicine Clinic from 9-11 a.m.

Oct. 30 at the Missouri Orthopedic Institute from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A silver advisory issued on Friday night for an 84-year-old man who went missing at a gravel road southeast of Cairo has been canceled, according to a release from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.

Carl J. Garrison was found safely after he went missing at 3 p.m. Friday, according to an updated advisory.

Previous information indicated he stopped his truck on a gravel road, his significant other got out of the vehicle and he drove off.

The vehicle was described as a white 2023 Ford F150 with Missouri plates reading “6FJH04.” The vehicle was last seen on an unknown gravel road that is southeast of Cairo.

This Ford F-150 was driven by a missing man. [Courtesy Randolph County Sheriff’s Office]

Garrison is described as an 84-year-old white man who is 5-feet, 8-inches tall, weighs 200 pounds and has blue eyes.

The advisory said he has “possible cognitive impairment and hearing impairment.”

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Mitchell Kaminski

​​COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

​​The Missouri Department of Transportation and law enforcement officials are urging drivers to slow down and stay alert in work zones along Interstate 70, where construction, traffic congestion, and recent crashes have raised safety concerns in Boone and Callaway counties.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F crash reports, 39 crashes involving 82 vehicles have occurred along I-70 between Jan. 1-Sept. 30. Troop F covers much of Mid-Missouri. MoDOT told ABC 17 News in September that eight semitrucks have overturned in work zones.

Despite the wrecks, MoDOT reports no work-zone deaths in the first two quarters of 2025. Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp said his crews have responded to more than half-a-dozen crashes in I-70 work zones in eastern Boone County during the past two months.

Construction and delays

MoDOT’s Central District has 12 active construction areas along I-70 in Boone and Callaway counties, with multiple pavement and bridge projects expected to cause delays through 2027.

On the westbound side, work zones include pavement projects near the Highway 54 interchange in Callaway County, Route J, Route M and the Highway 63 connector in Boone County. A long-term bridge reconstruction project between the Highway 54 west ramp and Route M in Callaway County is expected to last through February 2026.

For eastbound travelers, similar construction is underway between Highway 54, Route J and Route Z interchanges, as well as bridge work near Route HH in Callaway County. Several projects will continue into late 2027.

MoDOT officials said the $2.8 billion Improve I-70 Project remains on schedule for completion in December 2030. Nearly 500 people are currently working across the corridor, and MoDOT engineers report several “close calls” in recent months as crews and heavy machinery operate beside moving traffic.

Recent crashes and traffic impacts

Recent incidents have underscored the hazards in the corridor.

Sept. 13: A car overturned near mile-marker 140 in Callaway County, shutting down part of westbound I-70 for nearly an hour. Traffic backed up for miles, and a wide-load vehicle later became stuck after avoiding construction warning signs.

Oct. 4: A multi-vehicle crash near Boonville closed both directions of I-70 around mile-marker 91. At least one vehicle caught fire, and troopers reported heavy smoke and damaged vehicles blocking the highway. No injuries were reported, but the incident kept lanes closed for several hours.

MSHP and MoDOT say they are working closely to identify crash hot spots and increase patrols to curb aggressive driving in construction zones.

With football season underway, MoDOT has been issuing weekly traffic updates ahead of University of Missouri home games, when I-70 traffic volumes typically spike. Officials also remind drivers that fines double in work zones when workers are present.

MoDOT encourages motorists to check traveler information maps and plan for extra travel time through Boone and Callaway counties as construction continues.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Drug overdoses across the state declined by 25.6% last year, dropping from 1,948 deaths in 2023 to 1,450 in 2024.

This marks the second consecutive year of declining fatalities, according to the University of Missouri–St. Louis Addiction Science Team.

Each region across the state experienced a decrease in overdose deaths in 2024 compared to 2023. Central Missouri saw the largest decline at 37%. The university reported 123 deaths in 2024, down from 194 in 2023.

Heather Harlan — health program coordinator at the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department — said she believes part of the reason for the drop is that people who are using drugs are getting the message to be more careful.

“They’re changing how they’re using the drugs,” Harlan said. “The state has worked very hard and a lot of local entities have worked hard to make access to treatment easier so that people are ready they can get the help that they need.”

According to the university, overdose deaths involving all drug types decreased in 2024 compared to 2023. Last year, 63% of overdose deaths involved an opioid, which represents a 10% decrease from 2023.

Statewide, 1-in-3 adult overdose deaths involved both opioids and stimulants, and more than half involved a stimulant alone. In the Central region, deaths involving both opioids and stimulants dropped from 73 to 30 within a year. Stimulant-related deaths alone fell from 100 to 63, and fentanyl-related deaths declined from 141 to 57 during the same period in that region.

“Fentanyl is showing up in all drugs,” Harlan said. “That includes methamphetamine, cocaine, and it’s suspected in vape and THC products. So we want people to be very careful and only purchase substances from reputable, licensed sellers.”

Mortality rates in the Midwest dropped to 17 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2024, compared to 29 deaths in 2022, which was the highest rate recorded since 2020.

“We still have so many, tens of thousands of people dying. We have been losing four Missourians a day,” Harlan said. “So we think it’s time to continue to work to bring that number down as much as we can, and that’s what we’re dedicated to doing here,”

Harlan said she suspects numbers to drop again for reports for 2025

“We’re hoping it continues to go down because every day here at the health department, our team knows that every one of those numbers is a person,” she said.

The Department of Health and Senior Services said the previous year’s decline was largely due to the availability of naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses. Harlan also believes the availability of naloxone played a role in this most recent decrease.

The department will host a Save a Life training evening from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Columbia Public Library.

People struggling with drug abuse can contact Engaging Patients in Care Coordination at 1-800-395-2132, or reach out to the Missouri Department of Mental Health and Human Services for help.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Kurt Doolady — an assistant chief with the Boone County Fire Protection District and Missouri Task Force 1 program manager – stepped down from his position with the department on Thursday after a felony charge was filed against him in Camden County.

BCFPD Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp told ABC 17 News in a text message that Doolady retired at 5 p.m. Thursday. Doolady first became a volunteer with the department in 1990 and was hired full-time in 2002, Blomenkamp wrote.

Doolady was charged on Tuesday with second-degree domestic assault. A $10,000 bond was set in the case. He was not listed on the Camden County Jail’s online roster on Friday afternoon.

The probable cause statement says deputies were called at 3:17 a.m. Oct. 11 to a Sunrise Beach location for a reported assault.

The victim was allegedly assaulted after they confronted Doolady about smoking cigarettes, the statement says. Doolady allegedly pushed the victim into a retaining wall, punched them several times and choked them, the statement says. The victim got free after biting Doolady, the statement says.

Deputies noted a number of injuries on the victim, including cuts, swelling and bruising around their face, neck and arms, the statement says.

Doolady allegedly told deputies he was attacked and a fight occurred because he would not go to bed, court documents say. Deputies noted some injuries to Doolady, but “did not observe injuries consistent with his report.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park and the Gans Creek Wild Area will close for two days next month for a managed deer hunt, according to a Friday press release from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The closure will occur Nov. 3-4. Hunters for the event have already been selected and will use only muzzleloaders, the release says.

The release says studies at the park have determined the number of deer per acre indicates overpopulation and the hunt is designed to help other wildlife and the ecosystem.

“Missouri state parks are usually wildlife refuges where hunting is not permitted. However, when an overpopulation of deer develops, the Department of Natural Resources and the Missouri Department of Conservation hold special managed hunts to prevent harm to the ecosystem,” the release says.

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