CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A new jury trial date is set for the man who drove into a protestor last summer. On June 24th, 2022, a person taking part in a downtown protest near the courthouse was reportedly struck by a truck in the area of 8th Avenue and 2nd Street SE. Several weeks after the incident, Cedar Rapids Police officially charged 53-year-old David Alan Huston with Assault by Use or Display of a Dangerous Weapon (Vehicle) and Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident. Investigators say Huston approached the protestors while in his vehicle. Although Mr. Huston had a green light, officials say he was aggressive in his approach. Police say video evidence indicates other vehicles in the area “appear to simply wait for the protesters.” A jury trial is now set for August 7th, 2023 at the Linn County Courthouse.
JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – A lawsuit involving sexual assault allegations against two former members of a University of Iowa fraternity has been moved, according to court documents. Makena Solberg filed the initial lawsuit against Phi Gamma Delta or FIJI. She alleges Carson Steffen and Jacob MeLoan raped her while she was intoxicated during a party in September 2020. The lawsuit says the men took pictures without her knowledge or her consent. Both men say they did have sexual relations with her but claim it was consensual. Carson Steffen is charged with first-degree harassment. He is accused of posting a photo of the incident on Snapchat. He is counter-suing Solberg for defamation. On April 12th, 2023, the defendants moved to relocate the trial to a venue outside of Johnson County. The plaintiff filed a motion to strike down the move. The court is still reviewing whether moving the trial venue is necessary at this time.
WEST BRANCH, Iowa (KCRG) – A West Branch nursing home is facing fines after a state investigation found a man was able to wander into the building before staff eventually found him naked in a resident’s room. A state inspection report says the man wandered into Crestview Specialty Care in West Branch on April 5th. The report details how multiple staff saw him but did not raise any alarms. One staffer noted the man, appearing to be homeless, pushing around a resident in a wheelchair. The resident said “help me” but the staff member did not react since the resident says that a lot. Eventually, a staff member reported seeing the man with dirt on his face sitting in the lobby to a coworker. That’s when they found the man in a resident’s room, with his shirt off and pants pulled down. He was in bed with the resident who is blind and has dementia and was crying at the time. It did not appear the man had assaulted the resident. The inspection report noted visitors only had to push a button to get in the front door. The facility has since installed new locks, requiring visitors to ring a bell and for staff to let them in. Crestview faces a $13,000 fine but has not issued a response to the citation.
MARION, Iowa (KCRG) – A Linn-Mar High School student was named to the 59th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars. Senior Tejas Kishan Gururaja is one of four Iowa students to receive the honor. The program recognizes up to 161 high school seniors across the country for their academic accomplishments, artistic and technical achievements, and community service. The other three Iowa students honored are Eshaan S. Chandani, Johnston High School, Johnston; Claire Gu, Valley High School, West Des Moines; and Alaina Marie Whittington, Diagonal Jr-Sr High School, Diagonal.
