RIVER RADIO NEWS 101514
NAMES RELEASED IN CARUTHERSVILLE MURDER SUICIDE
The names have been released of the people involved in a reported murder-suicide Monday night in Caruthersville.
According to the Caruthersville Police Department, a witness told Police that 52 year old David Hudgings and 48 year old Paula Hudgings had gotten into an argument at their residence and Paula asked David to leave.
David then allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot Paula in the back before shooting at Paula’s daughter, 18 year old Kortni Lewis. David then fired a round at the witness but missed. He then shot himself.
David was pronounced dead at the scene, while Paula was taken to a Hayti Hospital, where she was also pronounced dead. Kortni Lewis was critically injured with a bullet wound to the arm and was taken to a Cape Girardeau hospital.
MAN CHARGED IN DEATH OF HIS ESTRANGED WIFE
Prosecutors in southeastern Missouri's Mississippi County have charged a man in the death of his estranged wife whose body was found days after she went missing.
45 year old Clifford Williams Sr. remained jailed without bond Tuesday in Charleston on charges of first degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse. Online court records don't show whether he has an attorney.
Authorities allege Williams killed 45 year old Sylvia Tipler of Paducah, Kentucky. The woman who recently had moved from Pulaski County in southern Illinois was found dead Sunday afternoon in a rural area of Mississippi County. She had last been seen four days earlier.
10 PATIENTS POSSIBLY EXPOSED TO PATHOGENS AT AREA HOSPITAL
Multiple people were recently notified of possible exposure to pathogens while they were at an area hospital.
According to the Southeast Missourian, a letter was sent to 10 patients of Saint Francis Medical Center warning of possible exposure to different forms of hepatitis and HIV due to some instruments not receiving the final phase of the cleaning process.
A hospital official told the newspaper that the event was limited to 10 patients, and they were all notified.
The patients were also told that it is unlikely that any pathogens survived the cleaning process. The patients were also offered free blood testing. The official said that several of the patients have been tested and no exposure was found.
WOMAN WANTED ON SEX CHARGES ARRESTED IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
A Northeast Arkansas woman who was wanted for the alleged rape of a young boy has been arrested.
According to the Izard County Sheriff’s Department, 31 year old Beth Dickerson, of Calico Rock, was taken into custody Monday in Baxter County.
An arrest warrant had been issued for Dickerson charging her with the rape of a 12 year old male and other sex charges involving underage females.
MAN INJURED DURING PURSUIT INVOLVING OFFICERS
An East Prairie man was taken to an area hospital after being involved in a wreck while being pursued by officers.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 31 year old Daniel Childers was allegedly fleeing during a pursuit by a Matthews officer when his vehicle ran off the side of a county road, struck a ditch, and overturned.
Childers was ejected from the vehicle during the wreck. He was transported to a Cape Girardeau hospital with serious injuries.
THREE TORNADO TRACKS REPORTED IN STODDARD AND BOLLINGER COUNTIES
Crews with the National Weather Service observed three tornado tracks across Stoddard and Bollinger Counties while surveying the damage from Monday’s storms.
According to KFVS, the first of the three EF1 Tornado tracks was located between Puxico and Sturdivant, while the other two were in the Zalma area. Peak winds were up to 110 miles per hour.
CAR FOUND IN MISSISSIPPI RIVER
A car has been found in the Mississippi River near New Madrid.
According to authorities, the vehicle was discovered by fishermen near a boat ramp and it is under investigation.
SHAKEOUT EARTHQUAKE DRILL SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW
Three Rivers College will be holding an earthquake preparedness drill Thursday as a part of the Great Central U.S. Shakeout.
The drill will begin at precisely 10:16 am and there will also be earthquake officials conducting presentations on Missouri earthquake science, history and preparedness at the Poplar Bluff campus.
For more information on the Great Central U.S. Shakeout, visit www.shakeout.org/centralus.
HIGHWAY PATROL SERGEANT SAYS TROOPER TRAINING WAS DEFICIENT IN REVIEW OF WATER PATROL MERGER
A member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol says trooper training was deficient before the May drowning of a man under arrest in the Lake of the Ozarks.
Patrol Sergeant Randy Henry told a panel of state lawmakers Tuesday that the lack of proper training was obvious. He spoke during a second hearing in a review of the 2011 merger of the highway and water patrols.
The review follows the May drowning of a handcuffed Iowa man who fell from a trooper's boat on the Lake of the Ozarks. The trooper had arrested 20 year old Brandon Ellingson on suspicion of drunken boating.
Lawmakers now question whether the merger of the Water Patrol and the Highway Patrol overwhelmed troopers. Combining the departments was supposed to save about $3 million a year.
OPPONENTS CHALLENGING RIGHT TO FARM AMENDMENT
Opponents of a new Missouri constitutional amendment creating a right to farm have asked the state Supreme Court to overturn the election results.
A legal challenge filed Tuesday with the state's highest court contends the ballot summary presented to voters was misleading and inaccurate.
Constitutional Amendment 1 passed by a margin of just 2,375 votes out of nearly 1 million cast in an August election.
It makes Missouri the second state besides North Dakota to place farming rights in its constitution.
The ballot said the measure ensures "the right of Missouri citizens to engage in agricultural production and ranching practices."
The legal challenge says that was misleading because the rights are not limited to Missouri citizens but could apply to any farmer or rancher, including a foreign-owned corporation.
