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County jails around the country are locking up mentally ill people in record numbers – around two million people each year. “There are more mentally ill individuals in jail, in prison than there are in hospitals or treatment centers. That’s frightening,” said Anna White. Anna White is one of 33 community mental health liaisons in

A man is in the Boone County jail on Friday after deputies discovered a gun on him all while speaking with a known drug dealer. Last night around 9:30 PM a deputy with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department spotted a known drug dealer near the Super 8 Motel on Freedom drive in the Lake of

Columbia police responded to several calls for shots fired on Tupelo Place Thursday night after 10:00 p.m. Police have recovered at least three shell casings near the end of an alleyway connecting the short street to Fir Place, on the 1500 block of Tupelo. The area is just behind the Phillips 66 gas station, just

A motorcyclist was life-flighted to University Hospital Thursday night after losing control and crashing on Highway 54 in Jefferson City. It happened around 9:15 p.m., according toSgt. Doug Ruediger with the Jefferson City Police Department. Sgt. Ruediger said the motorcyclist was coming off 179 onto Highway 54 when he lost control. The motorcycle went into

After a school year of protests, negotiations and voting, a graduate student group sued the University of Missouri to recognize their union. The Coalition of Graduate Workers filed suit Wednesday in Boone County circuit court against the school system’s Board of Curators. The group, aiming to represent the 2,692 graduate assistants on the Columbia campus,

An 18-year-old woman is alive thanks, in part, to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Thursday , the patient and her family got to meet some of those troopers at MU Women’s and Children’s Hospital.The hospital’s executive director presented the troopers with a Community Hero Recognition in gratitude of their willingness to help her. The patient,

After days of tension between the Mizzou softball team and the school’s athletic department, new documents ABC 17 News obtained Thursday afternoon have revealed more details about what has prompted recent actions like the team’s playing under protest in a recent game. One document is a letter sent by the team’s Unity Council to Mizzou

Starting this coming summer, Lincoln University will start a new summer bridge program to help freshman retention rates. So far, at least 120 students have signed up for Project Jumpstart, according toLincoln University’s Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Jerome Offord, Jr. “Part of why we’re doing the program is to give students the opportunity to

The man accused of killing four Kansas City, Kansas men and one Montgomery County man appeared in court for his preliminary hearing Thursday. The court found probable cause that Pablo Serrano-Vitorino committed a felony back in March. He’s charged with the murder of Randy Nordman of New Florence, Missouri. Police believe he killed Nordman while

A man was in the Boone County jail Thursday after he was arrested in connection to a shooting that injured one person. Officials with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department tells ABC 17 News deputies responded to a reckless incident with a gun last week on Demaret Drive. Once there deputies apparently learned a 22-year-old man

A Kansas City woman could face another 15 years in prison for killing a man in eastern mid-Missouri. Cassandra Johnston was found guilty Thursday of shooting 55-year-old Edward Jefferson. In June 2011, Johnston asked Jefferson to take her and her mother and brother to Illinois. Along the way, she shot and killed Jefferson and left

A federal judge has decided to let a civil lawsuit move forward against the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The suit claims the agency violated the rights of a man who died at the Lake of the Ozarks, while he was in custody, wearing handcuffs. ABC 17 News has had extensive coverage on Brandon Ellingson. He

Jefferson City police say a crash has shut down a Jefferson City road Thursday. Police tweeted about the crash just before 8:00 Thursday morning. The tweet said the crash happened in the 2300 block of St. Louis Road. A utility pole was apparently involved in the crash. ABC 17 News is working to find out

UPDATE:Authorities in Tennessee are reporting a missing girl and subject of an Amber Alert has been found safe. WATE, the ABC affiliate in Knoxville, reports the Hawkins County sheriff says Carlie Trent has been found, and a suspect is in custody. Trent, 9, was taken out of school last week by her uncle through marriage,

The Camden County Sheriff’s office confirmed a school bus was involved in an accident around 7:15 a.m. Thursday near Montreal, about 15 minutes west of Camdenton. Dr. Tim Hatfield, Camdenton R-III Superintendent, confirms there were no injuries reported on board Bus #40. Passengers in the other car were injured. Another bus picked up the students.

A new K9 dog has arrived in Jefferson City to help police with drug and suspect searches. Chopper, a German Shepherd, will work with Officer Jeremy Bowman on assignment with the Community Action Team. The pair will also work alongside Officer Paul Gash and his K9 partner Buzz. In addition to their regular duties, both

An Oklahoma man has pleaded guilty to assault a little more than a year after his arrest in an attempted rape investigation. Austin Zavala pleaded guilty to the charges in court Thursday. He was originally charged with attempted rape, but pleaded to a lesser charge of assault. The attack happened at the Candelwood Suites hotel

Columbia police are investigating an armed robbery and home invasion on Vandiver Drive, and say four suspects are on the loose. The robbery happened at a home on Vandiver Drive shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday. According to investigators, one person in the home answered a knock at the door, at which point the person at

UPDATE: A man is in the Boone County jail Thursday after he was arrested in connection to a chase through central Columbia Wednesday. Police said they arrested 29-year-old Denico Crawley in the1000 block of West Stewart Road Wednesday. Police say Street Crimes Detectives were driving south on Providence Road just north of Locust Street when

A Hallsville man wanted for warrants in Boone and Audrain Counties was arrested in Centralia following a chase on Tuesday. According to Centralia police, a sergeant saw Gregory Crites get into a vehicle near Columbia Street. At the time, Crites had warrants for domestic assault related to an incident involving his ex. The sergeant tried