The father of an 11-year-old boy who died following an accident on a popular boat ride at the Adventureland amusement park in Altoona says his son and other family members were trapped by the ride’s seat belts when the boat carrying them flipped. David Jaramillo was in the boat and said everyone was trapped. Michael Jaramillo died Sunday from his injuries and three others were injured, including Michael’s older brother, who was hospitalized in critical condition. The cause is under investigation.
A 911 call reporting a homicide led police to discover three people dead inside a south Algona home. The discovery was made just before 8 p.m. Monday. Police did say there is no threat to the public. Autopsies have been ordered to determine how the three died.
A 22-year-old man was killed in a utility terrain vehicle rollover accident on Sunday night in Allamakee County. Officials there say Drew Gaunitz of Lansing was driving an off-road vehicle in the woods before 10 p.m. and was trying to get over an incline when the vehicle rolled over. Gaunitz was pronounced dead on the scene and a passenger, 24-year-old Jacob Manning, was treated for minor injuries and released.
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum reopened Tuesday. Timed entry tickets must be purchased online in advance, to a maximum of six tickets per visit. There have been adjustments in alignment with current health and safety guidelines. Hours of operation will be Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Museum Gift Shop and Research Room remain closed to the public. All public and educational programs will remain as online virtual programs only. The buildings on the grounds of the Hoover National Historic Site are open but social distancing is in place.
Three people sustained serious injuries after an accident in Oelwein on Friday. Officials said the driver of the vehicle, 36-year-old Lynn Spicer, was driving eastbound in the 3000 block of Rose Road when she lost control, went sideways in the roadway, went into the ditch and struck an electrical pole. That caused the vehicle to roll and the pole to snap in two, which caused a temporary power outage in the area. Spicer and two juvenile passengers were taken to Mercy One Hospital. The incident remains under investigation.
Cedar Rapids Police say a La Porte City man died early Tuesday as a result of his injuries sustained in a rollover accident Monday afternoon. CRPD was dispatched to the I-380 southbound off-ramp to Highway 30 around 3:25 pm. The car, which had three people inside, had rolled several times. The driver and front seat passenger were ejected from the vehicle, while a third victim was found seat belted in the back of the car. The driver of the car, Charles Ryan Yochem, was transported by air ambulance to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with life-threatening injuries. He died just before 6 o’clock Tuesday morning. The front passenger was identified as Deanna Marie Fugate, who was transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for treatment of serious injuries. The rear passenger in the vehicle was identified as Jasmine Keister, who was treated and released for minor injuries at UnityPoint-St. Luke’s Hospital. The preliminary accident investigation indicates that Yochem was traveling in the off-ramp lane for Highway 30 trying to merge back onto I-380 when he made an evasive correction to avoid another vehicle and lost control of his vehicle, which rolled several times.
A homeowner says fireworks may be to blame for a fire that destroyed a backyard garden shed and damaged a fence Monday night. Firefighters were called to the 600 block of Bartlet Court NW, where they found a 10 foot by 15 foot shed fully in flames and about 50 feet of wooden fence and several large trees burning. The shed was completely destroyed. Officials said the owner of the residence and a neighbor said they saw fireworks being discharged near the shed just before the fire, which caused about $3,200 in damage.
The body of a man was found in what had been the freezer room of a now-vacant restaurant in Fort Dodge. Police there say the body of 56-year-old Terry Brogan was found Sunday afternoon in the former Casablanca Steak House. Officials said there were no immediate signs of foul play, but investigators are trying to determine the timeline of events that led to Brogan’s death. City officials have said the vacant building has become an area where homeless people occasionally seek shelter. The restaurant closed following a fire in November 2019.
UNI Athletics will allow full capacity without restrictions at all athletic events for the 2021-22 athletic season…that word from the athletics department Tuesday. UNI is also discounting tickets at various levels for a limited time. Panther Scholarship Club seat donation requirements will also be waived for new season ticket holders for the 2021-2022 season.
