Category: kmiz-local-news

Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former state trooper was sentenced to three months in jail after he was found guilty of sexual assault and kidnapping.

Jeffrey Durbin was found guilty of the two counts in January, but his sentencing was delayed after the defense argued juror misconduct.

A Boone County judge ordered Durbin to serve three months in the Monroe County Jail starting Sept. 2. He will also have a year to pay the $5,000 fine.

In January, the jury recommended that Durbin serve no prison time for the sexual abuse charge but did recommend a fine. It was recommended that he spend three months in Boone County jail for kidnapping, along with a fine.

At the sentencing hearing on Friday, Boone County prosecutors presented an impact statement from the trial in January from the victim.

The defense asked for Durbin to be sentenced to 30 days and for it to be in the Monroe County Jail. Their reasoning included safety and to help the distance for his wife and daughter during visitation. They also tried to allow Durbin time due to his loss of employment.

Prosecutors asked for him to pay the fine recommended by the jury, along with the three months.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Friday marks week one of high school football season, a time in Columbia and across the state battle week-to-week to ultimately land a seat in the championship.

The games bring an influx of excited fans each week at each Columbia high school. Columbia Public School has had a bag policy for several years, requiring people coming to watch the games to bring a clear bag. Small clutches or wallets will be allowed inside.

CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark told ABC 17 News via email that CPS is now allowing fans to bring in sealed or unopened water bottles to games and events this year.

Samantha Symonds works as the Assistant Principal of Activities and Athletics at Battle High School. Symonds said using the policy at games last year went smoothly, but the school ran into a few hiccups reaching people who were not from Columbia.

“We tried to put it on social media everywhere we could, but it was hard to reach some of those people that aren’t directly connected with Battle or with that game,” Symonds said. “Some of them showed up and it was a surprise and they’d get a little frustrated.”

Symonds said the district is also working to clarify that people can bring diaper bags to games, but should be prepared for them to be searched.

“We had a lot of parents coming in with like Ziploc bags and wipes and stuff and it was a little difficult on them,” Symonds said. “I think it’s necessary just because you see so many things happening on the news and everything, I think now is the time to do it.”

According to Symonds, Battle High School will also utilize weapons detection systems at all crosstown rivalry games as an extra precaution, due to the large crowds the games bring in. Symonds said Battle High School did not run into any problems with people attempting to bring in a weapon to games last year.

According to the district’s policy, re-entry to games and events will not be allowed. All bags will also be searched.

Columbia Police Department Assistant Chief Mark Fitzgerald also told ABC 17 News the department collaborates with CPS for games throughout the year.

“We have school resource officers that typically go to all of the home football games and we have relationships with CPS where we actually have additional off-duty officers that go to most of the games,” Fitzgerald said.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Climax Springs man suffered serious injuries after a motorcycle crash in Camden County on Thursday afternoon.

According to an online crash report, a 42-year-old man on a Yamaha V Star motorcycle crossed the center line on Bollinger Creek Road north of Crainshaw and hit a minivan head-on.

The man on the motorcycle was flown to University Hospital. The minivan driver was not hurt.

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ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

KOMU 8 announced Sports Director Ben Arnet, 43, passed away on Thursday.

Arnet was a Columbia native, graduated from Hickman High School and graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism where he later became an instructor and the Sports Director for KOMU 8 for five years.

In 2004, Arnet moved to Tucson, AZ and would later work covering sports in Wichita, KS and Buffalo, NY.

In 2011, Arnet moved back to Columbia and helped Mizzou Athletics launch Mizzou Network.

In 2014, Arnet started doing play by play for SEC Network Plus. He also hosted “This Week in Mizzou Football” and “This Week in Mizzou Basketball” on KOMU 8 and Fox Sports Midwest from 2014 to 2018.

Arnet leaves behind his wife and daughter. Our hearts go out to KOMU 8 and Arnet’s family as they go through this difficult time.

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Matthew Sanders

The Missouri Tigers led off the 2025 football season Thursday night with a big win at home over Central Arkansas, 61-6.

The Tigers had one quarterback go down when Sam Horn left the game with a leg injury. That cleared the way for Penn State transfer Beau Pribula to lead the offense for the rest of the game, and he didn’t disappoint.

Pribula had 283 passing yards and two passing TDs. He added another TD on the ground.

However, the competition was much easier than the teams the Tigers will face later this season.

Were you impressed with what you saw from Pribula? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boone County judge has ruled that a lawsuit against University of Missouri fraternity members can continue.

Judge Joshua Devine ruled on Thursday that the lawsuit filed by former student Riley Strain’s family can continue after the defendants argued to have their names dropped.

Devine granted the motion filed by Delta Chi Fraternity, Inc. to dismiss count three, vicarious liability, against the group.

The claims of Strain’s step-parents, Christopher Whiteid and Melissa Gilbert, were dismissed because they were not his natural or adoptive parents.

The wrongful death claims against the fraternity and bar are still active after the ruling, along with negligence claims against the bar and individual fraternity members.

Strain’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Delta Chi fraternity in March, claiming the fraternity did not follow safety protocols during a March 2024 fraternity “formal” event in Nashville that led to Strain’s death. The lawsuit also claimed Strain’s fraternity brothers did not accompany him back to the hotel when he was kicked out of a bar and didn’t check on him until later.

Since its filing, numerous defendants have requested that Devine remove them from the lawsuit. Attorneys agreed on dismissing nine fraternity members earlier this month.

Strain went missing on March 8, 2024, after being kicked out of Luke’s Bridge 32 bar on Broadway and 3rd Avenue just before 10 p.m. Police found his body in the Cumberland River on March 22, 2024. Strain’s death was ruled a drowning, with a toxicology report also finding alcohol and other substances in his system.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A discrimination lawsuit filed by the former warden of Jefferson City Correctional Center provides details about the workings of the facility, including when multiple inmates died by homicide.

The lawsuit filed by Doris Falkenrath, the warden at JCCC from April 2021 until June 2024, claims that she was discriminated against for her race, gender, age and disability.

Falkenrath claims that when she took over as warden, she experienced a hostile environment. Her lawsuit states that operational issues and staffing shortages got worse while she was at JCCC.

“JCCC faced increasing safety risks, including offender deaths due to fentanyl overdoses, suicides, and other causes. Staff were regularly assaulted, and gang activity increased,” the lawsuit states.

Falkenrather claims staff suffered injuries, attacks and “escalating security incidents” during 2022 and 2023, but her superiors didn’t lend her proper support. This includes three offender homicides, documents state.

A superior called the “director” is listed in documents by the initials “A.P.” Former Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe announced her retirement in November 2023.

Falkenrath’s lawsuit also details the time around when Othel Moore Jr. died in custody and the use of the Correctional Emergency Response Team. 

Petition for DamagesDownload

The CERT members were dispatched to JCCC as part of a callout at Falkenrath’s request after a homicide and other violent incidents in October 2023, according to documents. The “callout” was scheduled for Dec. 8, 2023.

Falkenrath said she was not at the prison at the time because of a funeral, but the deputy warden later told her about Moore’s death. Moore is not mentioned by name in the lawsuit, and any names of the other employees are labeled as initials.

Falkenrath claims that after Moore’s death, detectives from Cole County requested video footage, and that when she reached out to provide the footage, she never heard from the investigator. That is when she said another official told her the investigator would instead be working with detectives.

The lawsuit claims she cooperated with officials from Cole County when asked, but felt that she was being blamed.

The lawsuit says Falkenrath also filed a complaint about alleged discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

In June, Falkenrath said the deputy director told her she was being disciplined for Moore’s death, alleging that she didn’t cooperate with the Cole County Sheriff’s Office.

Falkenrath is suing the department on six counts of discrimination based on race, gender, age and disability, along with hostile work environment and illegal retaliation.

A spokesperson told ABC 17 News that the Department of Corrections does not comment on litigation.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Marshall woman has been charged after she was accused of driving on the wrong way of Highway 65 while intoxicated.

Lauren Ngaue, 32, is charged with aggravated fleeing a stop causing physical injury, second-degree assault, DWI resulting in serious physical injury, armed criminal action and two traffic misdemeanors.

Court documents state Pettis County deputies were informed about a wrong-way driver southbound on Highway 65 in the northbound lanes. Deputies said they saw the car as it was driving 90 miles per hour, head-on towards their patrol cars.

Deputies used spike strips to disable three of the tires at the intersection of Highway 65 and Highway HH. The driver, identified as Ngaue, continued to drive away from law enforcement with their lights on, leading to a chase.

Still in the wrong lanes, the driver hit another car, causing damage to both cars, according to documents.

Ngaue was taken into custody after she was checked out by EMS and refused any care.

Deputies said she smelled of alcohol, was moving slowly and had slurred speech. She allegedly told them she had several beers and “shooters” of alcohol that were found in the car.

The other driver was placed into a C-collar and taken to Bothwell Regional Health Center after they were extricated from the vehicle. Deputies also reported the driver had blood running down her face.

Ngaue was on probation for assault and DWI, according to records.

She is being held at the Pettis County Jail without bond.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

State Road M is back open after it was closed for several hours following a crash with a semi-truck.

Callaway County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post that State Road M in Callaway County was closed north of Interstate 70 and south of Hatton-McCredie School.

The road was closed for several hours while tow companies worked to remove a semi-truck that was carrying anhydrous ammonia.

North Callaway County Fire Chief Matt Walton told ABC 17 News the road reopened just after 7 p.m.

Some bus routes for North Callaway R1 were adjusted because of the closure.

Callaway County deputies, North Callaway County Fire Protection District and the Missouri State Highway Patrol were on scene for traffic control and safety.

The driver was not reported to be hurt.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A new crossing arm will be installed in Moberly as part of a project to make crossing safer.

Norfolk Southern Railroad will be adding a cross arm to Coates St. westbound lane to keep drivers from stopping between the two sets of tracks.

This means Moulton St. traffic will now be one-way going north from Coates to Farror. It will return to two-way traffic after Farror.

The city will also be constructing new sidewalks across Coates. Norfolk Southern Railroad will install the railguards.

After construction is done, the city will paint angled parking spots along half of Moulton to allow for more parking for the nearby stores.

Work is expected to be done in early December.

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