DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG/KCCI) – The Des Moines Public School Board voted Saturday to place Superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts on administrative leave after he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, on Friday. The vote during Saturday’s special meeting was 7-0. This means Matt Smith, former associate superintendent, will continue as interim superintendent until further notice. Prior to Saturday’s vote, the board told KCCI that they were aware of a previous gun charge Roberts received in Pennsylvania before he was hired. However, the district said Roberts provided “sufficient context and explanation of the situation to move forward in the hiring process.” The district says it was not aware of a May 2024 order of removal against Roberts, which required him to leave the United States. Roberts is currently being held in Woodbury County Jail in northwest Iowa. Roberts was detained Friday morning, September 26th, for being in the country illegally and for being in possession of a loaded handgun. Federal law prohibits those in the country illegally from possessing weapons.
BRIGHTON, Iowa (KCRG) – An Iowa teenager has been killed in a hunting accident in rural Brighton. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says 17-year-old Carson Ryan of Washington was squirrel hunting on Saturday afternoon when he was mistaken for a squirrel by someone he was hunting with. Carson was struck in the back of his head. He was taken to UI Health Care Medical Center where he died. According to the Washington High School website, Carson was on the homecoming court. This week is homecoming week for the school.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – A man is facing several charges after Iowa City Police say he choked an officer while causing a disturbance at a grocery store. 38-year-old Christopher Garrett is charged with Assault on Persons in Certain Occupations, Third Degree Criminal Mischief, Second Degree Burglary, Interference with Official Acts, and Trespass. According to court documents, Iowa City Police were called to the Hy-Vee on Waterfront Drive Sunday afternoon for a report of a man refusing to leave the store and demanding that employees give him money. Officers found Garrett sitting on the customer service counter. When they approached him, they say Garrett raised his arm in an “assaultive manner” and began fighting with police. Police say during the fight, Garrett punched an officer in the face multiple times before grabbing the officer by the neck and squeezing his trachea. The officer was able to push Garrett off of him and took Garrett into custody after using a taser. During the assault, Garrett also picked up and threw a computer at the officers. According to the criminal complaint, the officer who was choked experienced trouble breathing, abrasions and pain to his neck, and difficulty swallowing. Police say Garrett also damaged a computer, the store’s point of sale system, and a counter top.
WADENA, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa State Patrol says a 13-year-old from Fairfax had to be airlifted to UIHC in Iowa City after crashing a mini bike into another vehicle in Fayette County. Iowa State Patrol says the crash happened just after 3:00 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of W Sacramento Ave and S Mill Street in Wadena. Iowa State Patrol says the teen failed to stop at a stop sign and hit the front passenger wheel of the vehicle. The teen was airlifted to UIHC by Gunderson Air. There’s no word on how badly the teen was hurt.
