ONE DEAD, ANOTHER IN CUSTODY, IN CONNECTION TO FATAL MOTORCYCLE WRECK

One person has been taken into custody in connection to a fatal motorcycle wreck.

Officials with the Malden Department of Public Safety tell KWOC News that authorities are investigating a vehicle versus motorcycle crash that occurred on July 31st near State Highway J and Palo Verde Street.

The operator of the motorcycle, identified only as a 36 year old male from Bernie, was transported to a Poplar Bluff hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

MISSOURI 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS

Voters in Butler County have chosen who they want to serve as the next County Clerk.

Donna Hillis has won the Republican Nomination for Butler County Clerk, defeating Kyle Aubuchon by 120 votes. No Democrat is running for the seat, so Hillis will be unopposed in the November election.

In Carter County, Ron Keeney won the Republican nomination for Presiding Commissioner, Mary M. Godsy won the Republican Nomination for Circuit Court Clerk, and Debi Reynolds won the Republican Nomination for County Clerk.

VOTING UNDERWAY IN MISSOURI’S PRIMARY ELECTION

Polls have opened for the Missouri Primary Election.

Voters will be deciding on nominations and propositions on both the state and local level today.

Some of the big races on the ballot include the GOP nominations for one of Missouri’s United States Senators, for Butler County Clerk, and for Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney.

SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR ESCAPED INMATE IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

Multiple agencies in Southeast Missouri are searching for an escaped inmate.

According to the Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder, 29 year old Dewayne Woods Jr., escaped the custody of a corrections officer at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital at approximately 2 am Sunday morning.

Hayti Police officers, Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Deputies, and Dunklin County Deputies, searched the immediate area, but were unable to locate the subject.

ONE DEAD FOLLOWING SINGLE VEHICLE WRECK IN STODDARD COUNTY

A Bertrand man has died following a single vehicle wreck Thursday morning in Stoddard County.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the wreck occurred when 49 year old Maurice Morgan was driving on Route Y, near Aquilla, and his vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway, struck a ditch, and overturned.

Morgan was pronounced dead at the scene by Stoddard County Coroner Brent Stidham.

IDENTITY RELEASED OF MAN FOUND DEAD IN BLACK RIVER

Officials have released the identity of the body that was found on Black River over the weekend.

Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News that officials used dental records and X-Rays in order to identify the subject as 67 year old Kenneth White, of Poplar Bluff.

The cause of death has been determined to be drowning.

AUTOPSY COMPLETED ON BODY FOUND IN BLACK RIVER

Updating a story we brought to you earlier this week, an autopsy has been completed on a body found this past weekend in Butler County.

The body was found Saturday afternoon at around 4 pm near the Ashcroft and Wilson Street intersection in Poplar Bluff.

Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News that the autopsy allowed officials to conduct dental x-rays and acquire DNA.

MISSOURI PRIMARY ELECTION TO BE HELD ONE WEEK FROM TODAY

We are just one week out from voters heading to the polls in Missouri.

The Missouri Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, August 2nd.

One of the big races will be for the United States Senate Seat currently held by Roy Blunt, who announced last year that he will not run for reelection. There are competitive races in both the Republican and Democratic parties to fill the seat.

BODY FOUND IN POPLAR BLUFF, INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

Authorities are asking for assistance in identifying a body that was located this past weekend in Poplar Bluff.

Butler County Coroner Jim Akers tells KWOC News, that on Saturday afternoon, at around 4 pm, three kayakers located a body in Black River near the Ashcroft and Wilson Street intersection.

Akers says the body had been in the water for at least two or three days prior to being found. The body is described as an adult white male, estimated at 30-50 years of age, balding with several days of beard growth, muscular build, wearing a black shirt, black jeans over swimming trunks, and black sports shoes.

MISSOURI GOVERNOR SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ACCELERATE DROUGHT RESPONSE ACTIONS

Missouri’s Governor has signed an executive order to accelerate the state’s response to the ongoing drought conditions, especially in the southern part of the state.

Governor Mike Parson issued Executive Order 22-04 calling upon the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to activate the Drought Assessment Committee and the associated drought impact teams.

VAN BUREN MAN CONVICTED OF THE SHOOTING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

A Van Buren man has been convicted of the shooting of two law enforcement officers in 2019.

James Cummings, of Van Buren, was convicted Friday on four counts of assault 1st degree and armed criminal action stemming from the shooting of a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper and a Carter County Deputy in August of 2019.

The officers had been attempting to serve an eviction notice at a residence when they were struck by gunfire coming from inside the residence.

POPLAR BLUFF MAN FACING MULTIPLE STATUTORY SODOMY CHARGES

Authorities in Butler County have arrested an area man on multiple statutory sodomy charges.

According to Missouri Case Net, a warrant was served last week for 49 year old Kenneth Vass, of Poplar Bluff, on three charges of felony second degree statutory sodomy.

No bond was set in the case and Vass remains in custody at the Butler County Detention Center.

POPLAR BLUFF POLICE CHIEF ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

The Poplar Bluff Police Chief will be stepping down in September.

On Tuesday, Chief of Police Danny Whiteley announced his retirement, ending a term of over 22 years as the head of the Poplar Bluff Police Department.

Whiteley says that he owes his success to the staff of men and women Law Enforcement Professionals of the Poplar Bluff Police Department.

ARKANSAS MAN ARRESTED ON SEXUAL MISCONDUCT CHARGE IN POPLAR BLUFF

An Arkansas man has been taken into custody on multiple sexual misconduct charges.

Officials with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tell KWOC News that 47 year old Joel Griffith, of Salem, Arkansas, was arrested Saturday morning in connection to multiple reports that he was acting inappropriately in a public setting.

Griffith was booked on three charges of 1st degree sexual misconduct and lodged in the Butler County Jail.

POPLAR BLUFF MAN CONVICTED ON DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE

A Poplar Bluff man is facing a possibility of over six decades in prison following his conviction on multiple charges.

Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor tells KWOC News that 34 year old Kenny Jackson has been convicted on felony charges of trafficking a controlled substance in the first degree, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

A search warrant was executed by the SEMO Drug Task Force at a Poplar Bluff residence in March of 2016.

ONE DEAD FOLLOWING TWO VEHICLE CRASH IN NORTHEAST ARKANSAS

One person has died in connection to a two vehicle crash in Northeast Arkansas.

Officials with the Paragould Police Department tell KWOC News that shortly before 9 am Thursday morning a pickup truck and a tractor-trailer were involved in a crash on the Highway 412 Bypass, east of the Highway 358 intersection.

Preliminary details indicate that the pickup truck was passing another vehicle in a no passing zone when it met the tractor-trailer.