A 9-year-old boy who was camping at an Iowa state park with his parents and 6-year-old sister survived a shooting that killed the rest of his family. The victims were found in their tent early Friday at the Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground, about 180 miles east of Des Moines. They were 42-year-old Tyler Schmidt, his wife, 42-year-old Sarah Schmidt, and their 6-year-old daughter, Lula. Sarah Schmidt’s brother said the couple’s 9-year-old son, Arlo, is safe. Investigators have provided no motive, but named the suspected gunman as 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin, of La Vista, Nebraska. Sherwin’s body was found at the park with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Josef Newgarden collapsed in the motorhome lot following his late crash Sunday at Iowa Speedway and was taken to a Des Moines hospital by helicopter for evaluation. Team Penske said he’d be held overnight. IndyCar medical director Dr. Geoffrey Billows said Newgarden was awake and alert. Newgarden dominated and led 148 of the 300 laps while trying to sweep the doubleheader weekend. But something on his Team Penske car broke with 64 laps remaining and her spun hard into the outside wall — creating an opening for Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren SP to win the race.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery officials have raised the Mega Millions grand prize to $790 million, giving players a shot at the nation’s fourth largest jackpot. The next drawing is on Tuesday. It has grown so large because there hasn’t been a winner in three months, allowing the jackpot to gradually grow from its $20 million starting point in April. The highlighted pre-tax $790 million prize is for a winner who takes an annuity option, paid out in 30 annual payments. Most players choose the cash option, which would be $464.4 million before taxes.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a former Iowa state trooper who was charged with using unreasonable force against a motorcyclist. The judge declared the mistrial Friday after jurors said they couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict on the charges against Robert James Smith. Smith was charged with deprivation of rights under color of law — use of unreasonable force that causes bodily injury after a 2017 traffic stop of a motorcyclist who had been speeding in eastern Iowa. Dash camera video showed Smith knocking the motorcyclist to the ground and briefly putting his knee on the motorcyclist’s neck. Court records don’t indicate whether federal prosecutors will retry Smith.
