The man accused of shooting his girlfriend on New Year’s Day at the Amazonia Ball Park made his first court appearance Monday.

Jay Patrick Bowman, 21 of Savannah is charged with the shooting death of Stephanie Bradberry, 24 of Savannah. Bowman is charged with felonies for first degree murder, second degree murder, armed criminal action, first degree domestic assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and misdemeanors for possession of marijuana and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.

Bowman appeared in person for an arraignment Monday morning in Andrew County Court.

As we previously reported, at 12:12 New Year’s Day the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call of a female who has been shot at the Ball Field on State Route T.

Andrew County Deputies and the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the scene to find Bradberry dead with a gunshot wound to the head. Bowman was detained by authorities at the scene.

According to court documents the two who were involved in a verbal argument in the vehicle when Bowman said he got out at the Ball Park and took his .22 caliber handgun with him to keep Bradberry from hurting herself.

“Jay stated he walked to the north side of the building where he was standing and his girlfriend came driving the vehicle around the building,” said Investigator Grant Gillett with the Andrew County Sheriff’s Dept. “She stopped the vehicle and got out and they again began to argue verbally and it went into a physical altercation. Jay stated that he still had the gun in his right hand and they started pushing each other and during the altercation the gun went off.”

A commitment order was filed and a case review has been scheduled for Jan. 26.

The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce has a new director with some new ideas for 2016.

Mary Ingersoll accepted the Board’s offer to serve as Director beginning in January. The Director position was part of a restructure for the organization.

“They’re looking for me to be working for the chamber 20-hours a week but less in the office and more out in the community talking to business owners, chamber members, and others to talk about what we want the community to be and become into the future and what role the chamber can play in that,” Ingersoll said. “I’m really committed to making Savannah the best place that it can possibly be.”

Ingersoll said she’s a Savannah resident and a business owner. She said she hopes to fill the vacant business spaces around the county.

“I don’t think there’s a defined type of business that I’m looking for,” Ingersoll said. “For instance the Sonic restaurant in town closed several months ago so that’s a vacant space. Rather than type of business I think more wanting to fill the vacant spaces that we have around town. There are quite a few great retail and commercial spaces in Savannah as well as in greater Andrew County and we’d love to have those full and flourishing with whatever type of business someone would be interested in doing here.”

She said she wants to work towards strengthening the chamber’s presence.

“My initial directive is to build what we have and to then start to shape what is that going to look like in the future,” Ingersoll said. “I don’t have any specific new event that I’m going to be doing or anything like that. I’m really taking a pulse right now. My first three months here are going to be out talking to the membership and talking to people who aren’t members. Maybe they were and have fallen off or never joined the chamber and finding out why and what they hope to see the chamber doing. It’s really about planning here over the next 90 days.”

Whether it was a New Year’s resolution or just a continuous effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle nearly 2,000 people are anticipated to register in the 2016 K-JO 105.5 Pound Plunge presented by Mosaic Life Care.

Kick off for the weight-loss competition will take place Jan. 6 from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the East Hills Mall located at 3702 Frederick.  Registration is going on until the end of the kickoff event at 7 p.m. Jan. 6.  Individuals or teams wanting to take part in the 12 week long competition can sign up by CLICKING HERE.

Weekly weigh-ins will be held until the final weigh-in scheduled for Wed., March 30, 2016.

Gregg Lynn with KJO 105.5 said the annual weight-loss competition averages around 2,000 people.

A Savannah man has been charged in connection with the shooting death of his girlfriend on New Year’s at the Amazonia Ball Park.

Jay Patrick Bowman, 21 has been charged in connection with the shooting death of Stephanie Bradberry, 24 of Savannah.  Bowman is charged with first degree murder, second degree murder, armed criminal action, first degree domestic assault and possession of marijuana.

Court documents at 12:12 the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call of a female who has been shot at the Ball Field on State Route T.

Andrew County Deputies and the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the scene to find Bradberry dead with a gunshot wound to the head.  Bowman was detained by authorities at the scene.

“Jay advised that the victim was his live in girlfriend and that they had a child in common,” Investigator Grant Gillett with the Andrew County Sheriff’s Dept. said. “Jay went on to say that they had been at the Amazonia VFW Bar and Grill and they both had been drinking alcohol.  They left there and went to a friend’s house where they both used narcotics (marijuana). While at the house Jay stated that they got into an argument and left to go home.  However, while traveling down State Route T heading back to Savannah they continued to argue in the vehicle, that Jay indicated he was operating.  Jay stated that he pulled over at the top of the entrance to the Amazonia Ball Field where he exited the vehicle.   While exiting the vehicle Jay stated that ‘I took my .22 caliber handgun with me to keep her from hurting herself with the gun.’ I told her I was just going to walk home and she could take the vehicle home.”

“Jay stated he walked to the north side of the building where he was standing and his girlfriend came driving the vehicle around the building,” Gillett said. “She stopped the vehicle and got out and they again began to argue verbally and it went into a physical altercation. Jay stated that he still had the gun in his right hand and they started pushing each other and during the altercation the gun went off.”

The documents said when she collapsed to the ground Jay dropped the gun and called 911.

Officers searched the vehicle and located a metal smoking pipe with marijuana residue, marijuana and half a burned marijuana cigarette.

Bowman is being held without bond at the Andrew County Jail.  The investigation continues.

The St. Joseph Police Department said a man was injured by a vehicle Wednesday night in St. Joseph.

Capt. Jeff Wilson says officers were called to the 4000 block of Frederick Avenue in reference to a vehicle that hit a man just before 9:30 p.m. A 60-year-old St. Joseph man was found with was police described as a very serious condition.

Wilson said the driver of the 2013 mini-van that hit the man was at the scene when police arrived.  The investigation continues.

A Bethany, man has been sentenced on 35 counts for trying to steal and sell the bronze name plates off of gravestones at the Bethel Cemetery south of Pattonsburg.

46-year-old Leslie Harrison was charged earlier this year in Daviess County with 16 counts of theft and 16 counts of property damage plus three drug or paraphernalia counts. He was sentenced Wednesday to serve 14 years and six months on the charges with the six months to run concurrent and two 7 year sentences to run consecutive. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,600.

Harrison pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this month.

A Missouri Western State University Student has been charged in connection with a shooting Christmas Eve at Broadmoor Apartments that sent his twin brother to the hospital.

Cori Smith, 32 is charged in Buchanan County with a felony for Unlawful Use of Weapon.

As we previously reported, police responded around 12:30 a.m. Thursday to Broadmoor Apartments after an argument led to a shooting.

“Pointed a semi automatic handgun at the victim and shot multiple rounds from that weapon at the victim, striking once in each leg,” Det. Frank Till said in a probable cause statement. “The victim and the defendant are twin brothers.”

The victim was taken to Mosaic Life Care for treatment of what police described as non-life threatening injuries.

Court documents said Smith is a student at Missouri Western State University but is not from St. Joseph.

Smith is out on $25,000 bond.  An arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday.