ANAMOSA, Iowa (KCRG) -The family of one of the victims killed in the Anamosa State Prison nearly 3 years ago is filing a new lawsuit against the Prison, the Department of Corrections, and the State of Iowa. Lorena Schulte, who worked as a prison nurse, and Robert McFarland, who worked as a corrections officer, were killed by two inmates during a failed prison escape attempt on March 23, 2021. Michael Dutcher and Thomas Woodard both pleaded guilty to the crimes. They’re each serving life sentences. Schulte’s family previously filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Department of Corrections, claiming the warden failed to provide a safe working environment, failed to provide sufficient staffing, and failed to prevent the attack, among other failures of duty. Now, in another lawsuit filed on January 9, 2024, the family claims gross negligence. Court records show the family claim that the warden failed to implement and follow the state laws and prison policies. They also say that the defendants knew of ongoing safety issues at the prison and failed to supervise Dutcher and Woodard as well as failed to respond to employee safety complaints.
WEST BRANCH, Iowa (KCRG) – On Wednesday, multiple school districts went into lockdown across the state after receiving a call that referred to a possible active shooter being on the premises. Marion Independent High School was one district that received a reported swatting call Wednesday afternoon. After briefly locking down the building, law enforcement officers ultimately determined that the threat was not credible. They are still investigating the incident. Officials say that as an extra precaution, there will be an increased police presence around the school on Thursday. West Branch Community Schools confirmed with KCRG-TV9 that they locked down their district buildings after receiving a call, and worked with law enforcement to confirm that the threat was a hoax before removing the lockdown. The district confirmed that they would have a “police presence visible” at all school locations at dismissal times as an extra measure of safety.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa Court of Appeals upheld the conviction of a Grundy County man who shot and killed an Iowa State Trooper in 2021. Michael Lang is serving a life sentence. A jury convicted him of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and assault on an officer. Lang shot and killed Sergeant Jim Smith during a standoff. Smith was a 27-year veteran of the force. Police say Lang led officers on a chase, assaulted an officer who pulled him over, then barricaded himself inside his home in Grundy Center. Officers then entered when Lang refused to surrender. This is when Lang shot Smith. Lang argued he should’ve been able to claim self-defense because officers used excessive force, but the Iowa Court of Appeals says he can’t make this argument since it was not made in district court.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Cedar Falls Fire Rescue team is giving safety tips after responding to two winter-related fires on Wednesday evening. At approximately 5:04 p.m., emergency crews responded to a fire in the 1100 block of Orchard Drive. Residents reported to dispatch about a fire on the exterior of the home that they were attempting to extinguish with a fire extinguisher. By the time responders arrived, the fire was out. An investigation into the cause of the fire revealed that a resident had previously been “using a heat source to melt ice on the exterior of the home in the area of the fire.” At approximately 7:17 p.m., crews responded to the 1200 block of Catherine Street for a report of a fire in the basement of a home. Responders arrived to find fire and smoke coming from the basement. All the residents had already evacuated safely. Crews extinguished the fire, with it appearing to have originated in the home’s furnace system. The basement sustained fire and water damage while other parts of the home sustained minor smoke damage. Officials are offering winter fire safety tips in the wake of these incidents: keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, or space heaters; test smoke alarms at least once a month; only one appliance (like a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time; and have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year. They say that residents are urged to practice the tips, especially during times of extreme cold, when furnaces, fireplaces, and heating devices are getting maximum use.
