News

A missing elderly couple from Kansas was found Wednesday in Michigan. Police Chief Kevin Pekarek said Vernon and Goldie Hunt left Garnett on Monday at 6 a.m. and were headed for Dwight, Ill., according to affiliate WDAF. The trip is approximately eight hours and would take the couple on I-70 through Columbia and to St.

A Columbia man is facing charges for sex crimes with a child. Columbia police say the alleged incidents happened back in February. Investigators say Paxton exposed his penis to an 8-year-old girl in his care. Paxton also allegedly subjected the victim to sexual contact which happened on Fourth Avenue. Paxton was arrested by Boone County

Wednesday morning Columbia fire crews were called out to a report of a structure fire at 2705 Squire Circle. When firefighters arrived flames were showing. Crews knocked the fire out quickly. The fire was contained to a basement room, where investigators say the fire started. But it’s still not clear what started the fire. At

The Randolph County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to ABC 17 News they have Willard Hunt in custody Tuesday night. Hunt is accused of dousing his wife and house with gasoline, then setting both on fire Monday afternoon. Around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, a resident on Highway B west of Higbee saw a man walking along railroad tracks.

Roughly a year ago, two children drowned at the Lake of the Ozarks after being shocked. Shortly after, a woman fell to the same fate. Despite the tragedies, no city, fire district or county has made any changes to dock regulations in response. That could change. On Tuesday, the Osage Beach Fire Protection District met

The family of Brandon Coleman wants to know why the man who pulled the trigger on the 25-year-old on Ann Street last month is not behind bars. The man who shot him claims it was in self defense. It was estimated that over 100 people attended a public meeting Tuesday night set up by the

Local bar owners and management met with law enforcement Tuesday to express their concerns about crime downtown after a weekend shooting. According to sources at the meeting, police told business owners the department is currently understaffed. Police also said a task force that is supposed to target the downtown area has been on hiatus for

The 911 Operations Center in Columbia says their phone lines are being clogged with calls that are classified as non-emergencies. The center told ABC 17 News that in 2012, 65 percent of the calls that were taken were not actual emergencies. Those calls tie up operators from dealing with real emergencies. One such incident happened

A single-car crash in Higbee Tuesday morning killed one teenager and injured two others. Law enforcement say a car crash on County Road 2560 killed Kayla Cooke, 19, of Higbee. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers say the driver, Dakota Redifer, 19, of Higbee failed to handle a curve and ran off the

A free bus service in Columbia will start charging its riders. OATS offers transportation for the elderly, disable and those who live rural areas. Currently, the service suggests donations for rides, but starting July 1st, riders will have to pay. OATS already receives government funding and the new policy switch is designed to stretch those

A Mid-Missouri meat processing facility was shut down Tuesday after inspectors found unsanitary conditions. Mexico Meat and Produce, a custom exempt processing center in Mexico, Mo., must halt all operations until it receives a satisfactory inspection. The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Program did not specify results of the failed inspection. Officials

A Moberly man was arrested Monday night for assaulting his ex-girlfriend and cutting her with a razor. According to police, 45-year-old Mark Dwayne Jones showed up to his ex-girlfriend’s home in the 2500 block of Quail Drive in Columbia. Jones started yelling at the victim and approached her with a straight razor. Police say he

The Columbia Police Department continues to investigate a downtown shooting that injured three people. Around 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning, someone shot at least eight rounds near the intersection of 10th Street and Broadway. One victim suffered gunshot wounds to the lower body and two other victims were injured. Their injuries are considered non-life threatening. Police

Emergency crews rescued a woman Sunday night after she fell nearly 30 feet down an embankment. Officials say Amy Brinkman was riding her bike with a group on the MKT trail in Rocheport Sunday night. Rescuers told ABC 17 News they dropped a boat in the water and paddled down stream to rescue the woman.

The body of a missing Camdenton man has been found, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Joe Bartholomew, 51, was last known to be fishing off a private dock on the Big Niangua Arm at the Lake of the Ozarks Sunday. Troopers searched the water and land in the area Sunday evening but did

The University of Missouri Research Reactor Center held a required emergency drill Monday morning. The drill started just before 11 a.m. and simulated a structure fire inside a laboratory. Employees and students had to evacuate the labs and surrounding buildings. Part of the drill included a decontamination station where fire units practiced the decontamination of

ABC 17 News has confirmed University of Missouri linebacker Torey Boozer has been dismissed from the team for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. Boozer was one of three players arrested in October behind Faurot Field for possession of marijuana. He pleaded guilty in February to an amended charge of trespassing and paid a fine and court fees.

A serious boating accident on the Gasconade River left one man seriously injured. The accident happened around 7 p.m. Saturday evening, on mile marker 28 near Parson’s Lane near the Mt. Sterling area. 35-year-old Justin Harness of Owensville, was arrested on charges of boating under the influence. The passenger, 38-year-old Jason Kitchell, suffered serious injures

Columbia police have no new information Sunday after three people were injured in a shooting early Saturday morning. Around 12:30 a.m., officers responded to a shooting near 10th Street and Broadway. Police say one victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the lower body. A second victim was transported to the hospital by a personal vehicle.

A Mid-missouri town loses it’s storm warning signal in the middle of severe weather season. Kingdom City officials are working to fix or replace it but it will take time. Emergency management officials say there are dangers of having no warning system which often times, small towns don’t. Now, a $25,000 system in Kingdom City