Cedar Rapids Police say a man shot and killed three members of his family yesterday morning in a home on the northeast side of Cedar Rapids. The victims were 61-year-old Jan Perry Jackson, 68-year-old Melissa Ferne Jackson, and 19-year-old Sabrina Hana Jackson. A fourth family member, 20-year-old Alexander Ken Jackson, suffered a gunshot wound to the foot and was treated at a hospital. After a day-long investigation, police say they believe Alexander Jackson shot and killed his father, mother, and sister. He was taken into custody and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. The shooting happened at 4414 Oak Leaf Court NE in Cedar Rapids, with the first call to police coming shortly before 8:30 yesterday morning.
Murder trials for the two men accused of murdering two staffers at the Anamosa State Penitentiary have both been delayed. Thomas Woodard and Michael Dutcher are each facing two counts of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and attempted murder. Both their trials were scheduled to start on June 22. Woodard’s trial has been rescheduled to start on September 21, while Dutcher’s trial is now set to begin August 3.
Law enforcement officials say an adult tried to convince a teenage girl to get into his vehicle. Sumner Police said the incident took place around 10:30 yesterday morning outside of the city’s public library. They said the girl was asked to get into a blue-green colored extended cab pickup truck. She instead went into the library and was unharmed. Officials said the suspect was an adult male with dark hair, but no further description was available. Those with information are asked to call Sumner police.
Officials in one central Iowa county have issued a prohibition against open burning as extremely dry conditions continue. Hardin County emergency management coordinator Thomas Craighton said that various fire chiefs in the county had agreed to issue the ban, which applies to all parts of Hardin County. Campfires are still allowed if burned inside a ring, but they must be fully extinguished when finished. Over half of the state is classified as being in moderate drought conditions, including Hardin County. The new weekly report comes out tomorrow morning.
Authorities in northwest Iowa are investigating the death of a man who had apparently been hit by a vehicle along U.S. Highway 75 in Plymouth County. The man’s body was found early Monday morning after a motorist called 911 around 3 a.m. to report he had hit something on the road. A second 911 caller reported seeing a body in the road. Plymouth County Sheriff’s deputies checking the scene found the man already dead in the road.
The Iowa Department of Corrections has fired two nurses after they reportedly gave large overdoses of COVID-19 vaccines to dozens of inmates in the Fort Madison prison. It happened back on April 20 at the maximum security prison for men, when authorities say 77 inmates received up to six times the proper dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The overdoses reportedly happened after the prison switched from administering the Moderna vaccine to Pfizer. Experts said the Moderna doses come pre-mixed, but the Pfizer vaccine comes as a concentrate and is supposed to be diluted. The DOC did not explain how the overdose happened. A Department spokesperson said the inmates suffered normal side effects of the vaccine.
A Mitchell County woman is pleading not guilty in relation to a collision that injured both drivers. 66-year-old Dorothy Werner of Osage is charged with serious injury by vehicle. The Iowa State Patrol says Werner was driving on U.S. Highway 218 just after 11:30 a.m. on March 24 when she collided head-on with another vehicle near mile marker 256. Both Werner and the other driver had to be taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. A state trooper says Werner admitted she had been using her cellular device while driving. Her trial is scheduled to start on August 11.
Police in western Iowa say they have arrested a woman accused of setting another woman on fire and hitting the victim in the face as a third person tried to put out the flames. Lindsy Maves was arrested Monday on charges of attempted murder, arson and willful injury. Council Bluffs police say officers were called around 4:30 early Monday morning and found a woman with severe burns outside a homeless services center. The woman was taken to an Omaha hospital for treatment. Investigation showed the victim was involved in a disturbance with Maves, who is accused of spraying the victim with a flammable substance and lighting her on fire.
