A police pursuit ended with a fatal crash Wednesday after the fleeing suspect in a stolen vehicle turned north in the southbound lanes of I-29 near Platte City.

The stolen GMC Sierra crashed into an SUV north of Platte City shortly after 2:30 pm, killing the wrong-way driver 35-year-old Justin Burkholder of Kansas City.

The other driver, Benjamin Shively of Overland Park, was taken to North Kansas City Hospital with serious injuries.  Traffic investigators say both drivers were pinned in their vehicles.

Both southbound lanes and one northbound lane of I-29 were closed as emergency crews responded. The interstate reopened about three hours after the crash.

According to the Platte County Sheriff’s Office there were stolen weapons in the stolen vehicle.  Officials say Burkholder was driving on a suspended license and was wanted on several warrants in Missouri and Kansas.

Two more inmates at the Western Missouri Correctional Center died in custody Monday night. According to news releases from the Missouri Department of Corrections, both died of apparent natural causes.

Gregory Eaton and Frank Troya are at least the fourth and fifth detainees to die in custody at the prison in Cameron, Missouri in the last four weeks. On Sunday, Nicholas Legrand, another inmate at the facility, was pronounced dead at Heartland Regional Medical Center.

Eaton, 60, was serving two, eight-year sentences on DWI charges, one as a chronic offender in St Charles County, and the other from St Louis County. He was received in the Department of Corrections on June 6, 2009. Officials say he passed away at 10:32 p.m. on Monday at the Western Missouri Correctional Center.

Troya, 58, was serving a ten-year sentence as a chronic DWI offender out of Clay County. He entered the department on December 20, 2011. Troya died at 6:45 p.m. on Monday at the infirmary at the Jefferson City Correctional Center.

Communications Director David Owen of the Missouri Department of Corrections says you can’t read a lot into what appears to be an unusually high number of inmate deaths lately.

“You really have to look at the case-by-case situation of the offenders that have passed away,” Owen says. “It really has to do with their medical condition, how they came into the institution, how long they’ve been incarcerated, and what kind of medical conditions they had.”

“Typically all offender records or conditions are closed pursuant to state statutes.”

Owen says if there is an incident, or an unexpected death, the department will conduct an autopsy. If the department suspects foul play was involved, an investigation will be started by the departments Inspector General’s Office. Those investigations are also closed.

“Once they’re completed we try to give that to the county prosecutor’s office, and they move forward with charges if they would like to,” Owen said.

At the Crossroads Correctional Center, also in Cameron, one inmate death is being investigated as a homicide. Larry Miller was pronounced dead at age 33 on June 9 at 6:33am. Dekalb County Coroner Heath Turner tells us Miller’s death is suspicious.

“It’s being investigated as a homicide until we prove otherwise,” Turner said in an interview. “We’re waiting for a formal autopsy report from the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office, which conducted the autopsy.”

We received a comment on our original story at St Joseph Post from someone self-identified as “Clergy.”

“I have first hand knowledge of this individual and the circumstances resulting in his death,” according to the author of the comment. “He was murdered! It was a brutal attack.”

Mr Turner says he does not believe the recent string of inmate deaths are related. He says the final autopsy report typically takes between a month and three months to complete, depending on the caseload in Jackson County.

Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox slugged this story “Theft of a Roadway?”

Some weeks back Deputy Leadbetter began an investigation on a complaint from Jackson Township that a large quantity of gravel was missing from country road LIV 519. The township reported they had just spread about 80 tons of new gravel on the roadway, but on May 27 they reported that much of it was missing.

Cox says upwards of one mile of freshly spread gravel was missing. Some of it was left in piles in the roadway. Cox said that made the roadway unsafe for motorists.

He says the investigation led to a residence where the deputy allegedly noted fresh gravel and some equipment that may have been used to remove the gravel from the roadway, and place in that residential drive.

Investigators conducted a witness interview, and on June 17 arrested Toby Darren Griffin, 43, of Trenton. Mr Griffin was formally charged in Livingston County Court with one Class-C felony count of stealing. Griffin posted $5,000 bond.  During a court hearing Wednesday, a preliminary hearing was scheduled July 23.

Corrections officials do not believe foul play was involved, but an autopsy will be conducted after an inmate died Sunday at the Western Correctional Center in Cameron. In a news release,

the Missouri Department of Corrections announced that Nicholas Legrand, 35, was pronounced dead at the Heartland Regional Medical Center. Mr. Legrand was serving a 13-year sentence for

first-degree robbery from Jackson County. He was received in the Missouri Department of Corrections on Oct. 12, 2007.

The City of St Joseph blames a shortage of certified lifeguards in its announcement Tuesday that both the Hyde Park and Krug Park public swimming pools will remain closed for the remainder of the summer season.

Officials say despite the increased pay rate for lifeguards and a significant recruitment campaign, the number of certified lifeguards that applied for available positions was not adequate to sustain the opening of the two pools.

The Aquatic Park is open daily from 11am-7pm, and will remain open through August 17.

City staff continues to research options to present to City Council at an upcoming work session to discuss the long-term options for continued operation, replacement, or other considerations regarding the two pools. The work session will be held in mid-July. A series of public meetings will then be held to present these options to residents.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded low interest loans to four cities including St Joe for water related projects.

St. Joseph will receive a $56 million low-interest loan to construct improvements to the wastewater treatment facility. The city will use the funds to replace the grit removal system, upgrade the wastewater treatment system and improve the solids dewatering system.

The project is estimated to cost $59 million. Funding comes from Missouri’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

Other cities receiving the loans are Risco, Holland, and Belton, Missouri.

A possible tornado tore through a two mile stretch in and around Liberty, Missouri Monday night.

Clay County Director of Emergency Management Eric Ramsey says there were no injuries, but a lot of trees were damaged, and one home lost part of its roof.

Hundreds of people were left in the dark at about 9:30pm Monday. A tornado warning was issued after radar indicated a tornado.

The hardest hit area appears to be just south of Liberty, at Highway 210 and Raines Road. The highway was closed briefly by downed trees and power lines.

Area law enforcement reported a damage path about two miles long. Media reports indicate a number of trees were sheered off at the top or uprooted. Power lines were down throughout the area. There were about 1,500 people without electricity shortly after the storm.

Mr Ramsey inspected the damage Tuesday morning. He says a lot of trees were damaged, along with several outbuildings, and one house. The National Weather Service is expected to weigh in after its inspection of the area Tuesday.

AFL-CIO Community Services is hosting its annual Christmas in July FUNdraiser to raise money for the many programs supported by the agency. The highlight of this FUNdraiser is the FUN part and to that end they are offering a variety of events to appeal to all ages during July.

The funds raised stay in the community to help neighbors in need. You will be making a difference in many people’s lives while having a good time doing it!

 

June 30 – July 31: Toy Drive & Raffle – For every toy of a $10 value or more or equivalent cash donation, donors receive a ticket. At the end of the month, a $500 cash winner will be drawn. Two other ticket holders will receive $100 and $50 K-Mart gift cards. Toys will be accepted the entire month at all events and daily at the office, 1203 N 6th St. Winners will be drawn July 31 at our Christmas in July Sale.

July 12: Trivia Night – Test your knowledge at the holiday trivia contest, 7 p.m., at Callison Hall, 1222 S 10th St. It’s Christmas themed without being holiday-only questions. Admission for each player is $15, with a 10 person per team maximum. Doors open at 5 p.m. There will be a silent auction, and several mini games with prizes. Snack and drinks will be available for sale, but you can bring your own as well. Prizes will be award for the winning team.

July 19: Mustangs night – Cheer the Mustangs at their last home game of the season during the Christmas in July Extravaganza. Santa will be there to throw out the first pitch and will offer 6-month good behavior check-ups for children who come to the game. The end-of-game holiday themed fireworks display will be the last of the season. Game time is 7 p.m. Purchase your $7 tickets through our agency and $3 will go toward our fundrive. If you cannot attend, you can still make a purchase and donate the tickets to your favorite organization. Please call (816)364-1131.

July 31: Christmas in July Sale– We’ve held back the good stuff for one night of can’t-be-beat bargains in the Community Clothes Closet. We’re breaking out the Christmas decorations too. For every $25 you spend, you’ll get $5 in Closet Cash for your next visit. To RSVP, please call 364.1131 and you’ll get a special discount. 4:30 to 7 p.m., 1203 N. 6th St.

The city of St. Joseph is once again hosting an Independence Day Party at the riverfront near the Remington Nature Center. There will be food and beverage available, live music, and fireworks. But officials say most of us should be able to view the nightworks display from almost everywhere in St Joe.

The nightworks are set off from Wyeth Hill, and the park will be closed all day Friday for the setup. Also, city officials say MacArthur Drive will be closed starting at 9pm, and will not reopen until after the display is over.

Heritage Park Softball Complex will open to the public at 6pm, and offers a large pavilion with food and beverage concessions, restrooms, shade, and extensive lawn and bleacher seating. At 7pm, The Tracy Huffman Group will play a mix of various musical styles. They will play into the fireworks display. Heritage is family-friendly and a safe place to view the show.

The large parking lot at the Remington Nature Center will be open at 6pm for people and their vehicles. There will be portable toilets for the public’s convenience. Cravings Concessions will have a trailer with food and soft drinks.

The fireworks display will begin at dark. The guesstimate is that will be between 9:30 – 9:45pm.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office have honored two men for their help in capturing three bank robbery suspects. They say Mr. Zealand Robert “Bobby” Smith and Mr. Kevin Ranking went above and beyone what could be expected, and both ignored personal risk assisting the law officers.

Bobby Smith of Elmo witnessed the robbery at the Citizens Bank and Trust in Burlington Junction March 21st. Smith followed the suspects and called Sheriff Darren White as he followed the suspects.

During the ensuing manhunt, pilot and airport manager Kevin Rankin of Maryville helped find the suspects. Officials say at one point he flew at treetop level directly above the men until officers could arrest them.

Captain James McDonald of Troop H presented an Honorary Trooper Certificate to Mr. Smith and a Certificate of Achievement to Mr. Rankin. Both also received plaques from Sheriff White. The presentations took place at a luncheon held at the American Legion building in Burlington Junction, Missouri.

In the photograph, left to right, are Sergeant Tom Ziegler, Captain James E. McDonald, Zealand Robert “Bobby” Smith, Kevin Rankin, and Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White.