WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – A woman charged in connection with the death of an Iowa realtor in 2011 has filed a motion to dismiss the case. 53-year-old Kristen Ramsey is accused of first-degree murder of 27-year-old Ashley Okland in 2011. The arrest was made in May of this year, more than 15 years after the murder. Police responded to a model townhouse on April 8, 2011 and found Okland’s body with two gunshot wounds inside a West Des Moines home. According to the new filing, attorneys for Ramsey maintain her innocence. Ramsey and her team say that there was never any evidence that she ever possessed or disposed of a murder weapon. Additionally, Ramsey claims that she arrived to the townhome where Okland was killed after the incident had taken place. She claims that an eyewitness corroborated her claim to police fifteen years ago.
MADRID, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau/KCRG) — An Iowa farmer showed local and state officials his conservation techniques aimed at reducing nitrate runoff, as state leaders debate whether to pursue voluntary or mandatory measures to improve water quality. Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed the “Farm to Faucet” bill into law, funding conservation projects aimed at improving water quality. Farmer Nick Helland has been using conservation techniques for years to reduce nitrate runoff from his fields near Madrid. Helland has implemented three conservation projects on his property, sometimes filtering nearly 50 percent of the nitrates from runoff water. The Big Creek runs through his property and flows into the Des Moines Watershed. The largest project is a wetland built in the middle of his property that treats 170 acres, most of which belongs to neighboring farms. The $319 million “Farm to Faucet” bill funds water quality monitoring and conservation projects. Reynolds and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig are working to encourage more farmers to adopt similar practices.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC/KCRG) – A Davenport teen is facing several charges after police said he chased and rammed a person’s vehicle in an attempt to hurt them. In June, Davenport police went to the intersection of West 14th and Washington streets for an assault, according to court documents. Police said Kash X. Lightner, 18, chased the victim in a car and rammed their vehicle, causing hundreds of dollars in damage. Lightner also drove the wrong way on a one-way, sped while intentionally swerving and didn’t stop at a stop sign, police said. Lightner is charged with participation in a riot, assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was also cited for several traffic violations. Lightner bonded out of the Scott County Jail on Sunday morning. He has a preliminary hearing on July 28.
ARION, Iowa (WOWT/KCRG) – An Omaha woman is dead and three more people were injured after a train struck a car in Iowa early Sunday morning. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the incident happened at an intersection with a railroad in Arion around 1 a.m. Sunday. ISP says the vehicle involved in the incident, a Jeep, came to rest in a nearby ditch after being struck by the train. The occupants of the car, three adults and one child, were taken to area hospitals. One of the occupants, identified as 24-year-old Sandra Factor Pano of Omaha, was pronounced dead as a result of the collision.
