CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Cedar Rapids police identified the man killed in an accident Tuesday night as 66-year-old Scott Devore of Cedar Rapids. Police said it happened just after 7:30 p.m. in the southbound lanes of the Edgewood Road bridge over the Cedar River. The incident closed the southbound lanes until just after midnight Wednesday morning. Police said Devore’s vehicle was the only vehicle involved in the crash. The vehicle reportedly left the road and hit a tree, killing Devore. He was the only person in the vehicle, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation into this accident remains ongoing.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The man charged with killing Michael Valentine at the Taboo Nightclub and Lounge back in April has entered a plea of not guilty. Dimione Walker was booked into the Linn County Jail on September 2nd, nearly four months after the deadly shooting where three people died and nine others were injured. Walker was originally arrested on April 18th near Chicago in connection to the Taboo nightclub shooting. Since then, he was being held in Illinois on a separate charge of parole violation for possession of a weapon. Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said his office had to obtain a governor’s warrant to bring Walker back to Iowa. Walker is facing a charge of first-degree murder for allegedly shooting 25-year-old Michael Valentine. He’s facing several other charges, going armed with intent, and felon in possession of a firearm. He has also demanded his right to a speedy trial. 32-year-old Timothy Rush also faces multiple charges, including two charges of second-degree murder for the deaths of Marvin Cox and Nicole Owens.
OTTUMWA, Iowa (KCRG) – On September 11th, at approximately 1:43 pm, Ottumwa Police responded to the 1000 block of E. Main regarding an assault that had taken place in the parking lot. Responders arrived to find the victim severely injured and unconscious. Reports stated that a male assaulted him and left the scene. The victim was identified as 49-year-old Grant Cochran. At 2:27 pm, police located and arrested 39-year-old Leon Stewart and charged him with Willful Injury. Then, on September 14th, Cochran died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the assault. As a result, Stewart was additionally charged with Murder in the 2nd Degree.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Cedar Rapids K9 Officer Lara will receive a bullet and stab protection vest thanks to a charitable donation. Canine Officer Lara’s vest is donated by the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. and is sponsored by The Humane Society of the United States. The vest will be embroidered with the sentiment “Honoring those who served and sacrificed”. To date, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has provided over 4,740 vests to K9s in all 50 states. The program is open to U.S. dogs at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement canine officers throughout the United States.
