UPDATE: The St. Joseph Police Department is investigating after two men were taken to the hospital Saturday after being stabbed.

According to Capt. Jeff Wilson officers responded around 4:50 a.m. Saturday to the 2200 block of Sycamore Court on a report of two individuals who sustained stab wounds.

Wilson said officers arrived to find a 28-year-old man and a 37-year-old man both from St. Joseph who had received serious injuries consistent with being stabbed. Both were transported to Mosaic Life Care for treatment, one in critical condition.

Wilson said later that day officers located and arrested two men ages 35 and 32 at another location in connection with the investigation.

He said one of the suspects has since been released, another remains in custody on unrelated charges.

Wilson said Tuesday afternoon one of the victim’s is still in the hospital receiving treatment for his injuries.

The case has been submitted to the prosecutor’s officer for charges. The investigation is ongoing.

Roderick Ellis appeared in court Tuesday morning by video conference from the Buchanan County Jail for charges stemming from last week’s 11-hour long standoff at Motel 6 in St. Joseph.

Ellis, 44 of St. Joseph is charged with felonies for kidnapping, first-degree domestic assault, and armed criminal action.

According to court documents on Oct. 14 Ellis forced the victim identified by police as Rebecca Urban, 41 of St. Joseph at gunpoint to take him to Motel 6 after jumping from the bushes and surprising her where she worked in the 4000 block of Gene Field road.

“The defendant pointed a loaded firearm at the victim and made her park the vehicle,” Detective Jeff Pearl with the St. Joseph Police Department said. “When they arrived at that location the victim screamed for help and the defendant shot her in the right forearm causing serious physical injury.”

Pearl said Ellis then forced her to go into room 205 and held her in the room for more than 11 hours refusing to allow her to leave or gain medical attention.

“During this time the defendant held the victim at gunpoint and threatened to kill her several times,” Pearl said.

When officers attempted to rescue Urban, Pearl said Ellis shot several times through the door and window nearly hitting several officers outside.

Several businesses were closed for the duration of the standoff or placed on lockdown in the area.  A section of I-29 was also closed to traffic due to the proximity to the hotel and in the line of fire.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in the case for Nov. 12.  Ellis is being held without bond.

 

 

Gas prices in St. Joseph came in higher than most places across the nation according to the latest numbers from AAA.

The National Average for a gallon of regular unleaded dropped down six cents in a week to $2.25 a gallon.  Gas in St. Joseph did make a three cent drop but it was still higher then the US average by a cent Monday morning at $2.26 a gallon.

That also makes St. Joe still the most expensive metro to fuel up in in Missouri with the state average at $2.11.

We tracked the averages out for a month and found that for more than a month St. Joseph has been the most expensive place to fuel up in, that’s according to AAA.

So we made some phone calls to try to find out why.

Speedy’s Convenience Store Office in St. Joseph declined to talk because their representative said she was too busy for an interview.

A representative with St. Joe Petroleum said at the end of the year their numbers even out. He said sometimes gas is lower than Kansas City and sometimes it’s higher but reporters don’t call when St Joe prices are lower.  He declined a voice interview.

The cheapest place to fuel up in Missouri Monday was St. Louis. The average was $1.91 a gallon, .35 cents cheaper than St. Joseph.

We did find several gas stations around town selling for $2.19, that’s less than the average.  CLICK HERE for Q-Country Gas Prices.

 

A St. Joseph man is facing numerous charges in Andrew County for endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful use of a weapon.

28-year-old Nathan Duane Stanton is charged with four felonies for unlawful use of a weapon and two felonies for endangering the welfare of a child. According to court documents, Andrew County K-9 Deputy Daniel Glidden said he and two other officers were dispatched on Oct. 14 to the 600 block of St. Mary’s St. in Bolchow, Mo. around 11:30 p.m.

“In reference to a subject that just shot out a window of this residence and is running around Bolchow acting like a crazy person,” Glidden said.

After arriving at the home Glidden said he spoke to a man sweeping glass off of the porch.

“Nathan Stanton came over to his residence and punched the window out on their front door and also fired 5 rounds from a handgun towards his house and the ground in front of his house,” Glidden said.

According to court documents there were also two children, a 5-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl asleep inside the home at the time.

“While talking to Nathan he stated that he went over to his sister’s, Jessica Stanton and Howard Smith’s residence to confront Howard,” Glidden said. “He stated that he walked up to the front door of the house and punched out the front screen door window trying to get to Howard.  He stated that when he punched the window that he went to get his gun out of his holster on his side and the gun went off ‘accidentally’ with Howard standing inside the front door of the house.  Nathan said that he was so drunk he really has no idea what happened and that he was just trying to scare Howard.”

Bond was set at $25,000 cash or court approved surety.

 

Red Flag Warnings are in effect from noon to 7pm today.

Warm temperatures, low humidity, and gusty winds make outdoor burning dangerous.

Outdoor burning is not recommended because any wildfire that develops will likely spread quickly.

According to the National Weather Service, we can expect temperatures in the middle to upper 70s, humidity readings between 20% and 25%, and south/southwest winds of from 20 to 25 miles-per-hour, with some gusts in excess of 30 miles-per-hour.

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University is commemorating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride and History Month with three weeks of activities and presentations.

“These events provide an opportunity for our campus and community to celebrate the lives of LGBT people and to help us learn and grow toward creating more inclusive spaces in our society,” Steve Bryant, the director of Northwest’s Office of Multicultural Student Success, said.

In 1994, a coalition of education-based organizations in the United States designated October as LGBT History Month. It is celebrated with annual month-long observances of LGBT history along with history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.

LGBT Pride Month is celebrated nationally each June to recognize the impact lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally and internationally. Cities across the nation celebrate with pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts. Events also include memorials for individuals who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS.

CLICK HERE for the list of activities.

 

A couple who lost four children in a Trenton house fire earlier this year is now facing child endangerment charges in a separate case.

Jamie Hughes, 26 and Timothy Hughes, 25 have each been charged with a misdemeanor in Livingston County for endangering the welfare of a child. Timothy was also charged with a felony for resisting or interfering with arrest. The charges were filed Oct. 6 in connection with their two other children who have since been taken into protective custody.

According to court documents the Chillicothe Police Department responded to the couple’s home in Chillicothe to assist the Department of Family Services on a hotline call for a welfare check.

Officer Jodi Huber said when he arrived Jamie and her 2-year-old son were asleep in the recliner in the living room.

“I walked into the bedroom with J. Hughes to retrieve information as to her son’s doctor,” Huber said.“Upon entering the bedroom I observed a hand rolled partially burnt cigarette on the floor next to the bed.  I picked it up and smelled it; based on my training and experience I believed the cigarette to be marijuana.”

After a consented search of the house Officer Huber and Officer Josh Miller said they found burnt marijuana cigarettes in the living room, near the 9-year-old’s bed, and on a toy box.

“Three marijuana cigarettes were also found on a partition in the living room near where the two year old was sleeping,” Miller said.

“The marijuana cigarettes located were in the reach of both children living in the house,” Huber said.

Miller said both parents said they did not have money to provide necessary medications for the children.

“Officers located multiple prescriptions for Timothy, including Xanax and Tylenol with codeine,” Miller said. “It should be know that (one of the children) has breathing difficulties and the parents stated they were unable to purchase an inhaler for the child due to health insurance reasons.”

Miller said when he went to arrest Timothy he resisted.

When the Department of Family Services went to retrieve the two-year-old Miller said the child did not awaken from the loud noise of Timothy resisting and had to be woken up.

“Woke up in a dazed state and did not appear to be responding appropriately for a child of that age,” Miller said. “Bruises were found on the child’s body and it appeared that the child could have been under the influence of unknown medications.”

The Department of Family Services took the child to Hederick Medical Center for medical treatment and Officer Huber assisted the Department of Family Services worker with removing the other child from school.

Court documents recognize Timothy as the father and guardian to four children that were killed in a house fire in Trenton in May.

7-year-old Rosanna, 6-year-old Rolanda, 4-year-old Mason and their cousin 3-year-old Saylem were all trapped on the second floor when it caught fire. Five other people inside the house were able to escape. The fire was ruled accidental by the Missouri Fire Marshall’s Office.

A preliminary hearing is set for Jamie and Timothy for Oct. 21.

A 44-year-old St Joseph man is being held without bail awaiting a first appearance in court next week on charges of kidnapping, domestic assault and armed criminal action. The charges stem from a daylong police standoff at a St Joseph Motel on Wednesday.

Roderick Ellis is accused of taking Rebecca Urban hostage where she worked and forcing her to drive to the Motel Six.

Investigators say he shot her in the arm when she cried for help. He is accused of holding her at gunpoint for about eleven hours until he surrendered at around 7pm Wednesday.

If convicted on the most serious of the charges Mr Ellis could land in prison for life. Domestic Assault in the first degree with serious physical injury is a Class-A Felony, which carries a range of punishment of from 10 to 30 years or life imprisonment.

Captain Jeff Wilson of the St Joseph Police Department identified on Thursday the woman held hostage for eleven hours after she was shot in the arm Wednesday. The all-day standoff ended Wednesday evening when the suspect surrendered. Captain Wilson declined to identify the suspect, described as in his 40s.

Captain Wilson did identify the woman held captive during the standoff.

Rebecca Urban, 41, of St. Joseph, was shot in the arm. Ms Urban was transported to the K.U. Medical Center with injuries that were serious, but not believed to be life-threatening.

No criminal charges have been filed in the case, which caused quite a stir in St Joe. An interstate highway and a shopping mall were closed, as were about a dozen adjacent businesses and at least one public school.