Authorities are investigating after an Atchison, Kan. man was killed in a crash Wednesday morning in Platte County.

Sgt. Jeffrey Shanks with the Platte County Sheriff’s Office said around 7:37 a.m. emergency personnel responded to a two vehicle crash on MO 92 Highway East of Bethel Road in Central Platte County. He said a 1986 Chevrolet El Camino was traveling east on MO 92 Hwy when the driver lost control of his vehicle, slid sideways and crossed over into the westbound lane of MO 92 Highway. The Chevrolet El Camino was then hit by a 2000 Buick Century that was traveling west on MO 92 Highway. The driver of the Chevrolet El Camino, a 51-year-old man from Atchison, Kan. was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Buick Century, a 33-year-old man from Platte City was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Shanks said while a preliminary investigation indicates the weather conditions may have been a contributing factor, the accident investigation is still ongoing and will be conducted by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office Crash Team. The identity of both drivers is being withheld at this time to allow for family notifications.

Authorities have booked two people in connection with an armed robbery Tuesday night at a cell phone store in St. Joseph.

Sgt. Kevin Cummings said police got a call around 7:40 p.m. in reference to an incident at Metro PCS located at 3202 S. Belt. A man and a woman allegedly entered the store and both displayed guns and demand money. Cummings said the employees complied. He said, afterwards another employee got a description of the suspects and their vehicle and actually followed the pair for a short while.

The employee returned to the store and gave officers a description. Police then broadcasted the information and the vehicle was located shortly after 8 p.m. in the area of Frederick Ave. and Leonard Rd. by a trooper with the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Both suspects are being held for investigation of armed robbery. Police said a case is being submitted to the prosecutor’s office for consideration of charges.

Multiple crashes and cars sliding off the road were reported before 8 a.m. Wednesday.

As previously reported, officials warned motorists of slick conditions and fog early in the morning which already caused multiple traffic incidents by 5 a.m. on I-29, I-229 and 59 Highway.

A wreck was reported on westbound Highway 36 near Stewartsville around 8 a.m. causing traffic delays. A rollover was reported on Jules Street near Hillyard Technical Center around 7 a.m.

St. Joseph Post’s John P. Tretbar was on scene and reported that Jules, along with 36th Street were very slick and the Parkway was hazardous.

We will update this post as we find out more information.

The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department and St. Joseph Police officers are out working several traffic incidents due to weather conditions Wednesday morning.

Several St. Joseph Police Department officers were out with the Sheriff’s Department assisting motorists who slid off the roads due to the fog and slick conditions. One or more crashes were reported on I-29 and on 59 Highway.

We’ll update as we find out more information, but officials urge motorists to use caution while driving.

Emergency services personnel said they want people to help them to decide on the right response to help patients.

Wally Patrick is the EMS Dir. for Buchanan County.  He said not every situation warrants running sirens and lights on the ambulance.

“That’s not safe.  It’s not safe for ambulance crews, it’s not safe for the individuals who are on the street when crews are responding, it’s not safe for the patient in the back of the ambulance,” Patrick said. “We have to be responsible enough to respond appropriately.”

In 2016 there were 11,272 calls which averaged to around 30 calls a day.  Patrick said when a call comes in people can give them certain information that makes determining the type of response needed.

“We definitely are not opposed to running lights and sirens if the call warrants it.  That’s where the caller or the general public can help us out by giving us information.  By giving us accurate information when they make that initial call,” Patrick said. “Having some information. If your parents are on certain medications having that list available so you can say, ‘my father’s on blood thinner and he cut his hand on the saw.’  Well you know, blood thinner makes that a little more of an emergency than just if I cut my finger on a saw.”

At times, Patrick said ambulances are called to a scene where they are not needed which can impact services.

“During the first ice storm that we had this year I had nine ambulances on the road.  A supervisor was out on the streets and I was out on the streets triaging because we had so many calls and we were running full capacity,” Patrick said. “Two individuals in smaller vehicles responding to determine the acuity of that call so we could get am ambulance to that next call that was more emergent than that other call.”

He said he doesn’t want people not to use the service, but rather give information so EMS can determine the correct response.

“We will respond.  That’s not a problem and that’s not an issue.  That’s our job and that’s our mission,” Patrick said.

He said ways to help responders include keeping a medical list nearby, putting animals up before EMTs arrive, clearing a path for crews to get to the patient, and having a time-frame on when situations took place to inform medical personnel.

“Our paramedics and EMTs don’t like to get dog bit anymore than anyone else. So having those animals put away,” Patrick said. “Clearing a pathway so we can get through the house…If you’re the individual and you’re there by yourself we fully understand you’re not going to get up and rearrange the furniture.”

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office is warning people after a resident reported an unwanted attempt to sell her a vacuum.

Sheriff Steve Cox said a woman reported an incident involving two men and a women who allegedly invaded her home in an attempt to sell a high end vacuum cleaning system.

“Woman that when greeted at the door acted quickly with the female telling the resident they were there to clean her house,” Cox said. “The two men brushed past the resident where one man remained and the other man and woman left in a white colored van.”

The man reportedly remained in the home for around an hour and refused to listen to the resident about not wanting him there.

“If you experience aggressive sales people who refuse to leave, please call your local law enforcement agency,” Cox said.

Even though the forecast did not meet expectations over the weekend, the St. Joseph Streets Department said it was prepared. 

Keven Schneider, Interim Superintendent of Streets for the City of St. Joseph said everything went smoothly over the weekend as crews were out pre-treating streets well ahead of the anticipated ice storm in the forecast.

Schneider said if weekend temperature had been three or four degrees colder at times, things could have been much worse. 

“I’ve been watching the news, some of the places that did get some bad ice,” Schneider said. “There’s some bad stuff out there, we were really lucky the temperatures ended up being the way they were.” 

Official numbers have not yet been compiled but Schneider estimates streets crews used around 1,000 ton of salt to pretreat roadways.

After losing more than $100,000 in state aid a northeast Kansas domestic violence shelter has continued to survive off of donations.

DoVES was found in 1987 to provide shelter and assistance to victims of domestic and sexual abuse in Doniphan, Atchison, Brown and Nemaha counties.  Ex. Dir. Debbie Pennell-Duncan said recently, the state has cut funding to many programs due to budget issues and DoVES was one of those programs impacted.

“We have lost almost $150,000 to $200,000 a year,” she said. “We are making it off of private donations.  There are some trust funds that we’re able to tap into from the counties.”

She said the funding cuts started in 2015.  Pennell-Duncan said it takes around $125,000 to operate every year.  She said donations or volunteers are much needed. DoVES is a 30 to 90 day program.  The safe house has 10 beds but it can house up to 20 people.

“A safe house is where the victims come to hide from their offenders.  It is locked 24/7, we do have a panic button,” Pennell-Duncan said. “We keep them safe.”

In 2016 she said 1,250 new clients were served which results in total of 1,835 people served in the four counties. The shelter also assist men, however Pennell-Duncan said they are not allowed at the shelter.

“I would like people to take a stand against domestic violence and sexual assault,” Pennell-Duncan said. “45 years ago I was one of those women.  They didn’t have shelters or anything like that.  It was terrible.  I remember making a vow to God that if he would spare my life I would be a good faithful and humble servant and that, I have done and that I will continue to do.”

The shelter has a crisis hotline that’s answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week 1-800-367-7075 or 1-913-367-0363.   Pennell-Duncan said if someone needs help they will go and pick them up and take them to the safe house.

Anyone interested in making donations or volunteering can call 1-913-367-0365.  Or send monetary donations to DoVES Box 262, Atchison. KS 66002.  CLICK HERE to view the agency’s website.