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Missing boy found in Current River

July 6, 2009 By

The Missouri Water Patrol reports three people died on Missouri waterways over the holiday weekend.

Ashley Gustafson, age 16, of Hollister, died early this morning after being pulled out of four feet of water at Table Rock Lake Sunday. Gustafson was reportedly swimming with her family when it was discovered she was missing. Her brother, Cody Underwood, found her on the bottom of the lake. She was taken to Skaggs medical center in Branson before being transferred to St. John’s in Springfield. Sources close to the family say Gustafson had a history of suffering from seizures.

Sgt. Jerry Callahan with the Missouri Water Patrol says one man and a juvenile were killed on the Current River in a separate incident when two boats collided.

Josh Burson, 25, and Jerry Mote, 11, both of Poplar Bluff, were killed in that collision, which threw them both overboard. Mote’s body was just found this afternoon about a half mile from where the crash happened. Callahan says his body was found caught in a root wad.

Callahan says alcohol is being considered a contributing factor in the crash.

Callahan says fatalities and accident numbers this year are close to those reported last year. But he says 33 people were arrested for boating while intoxicated, a big drop from the 54 arrested in 2008.

For more details, visit the Missouri Water Patrol’s Web site, where incident reports are listed: www.mswp.dps.mo.gov

Sgt. Jerry Callahan talks about weekend accidents [Download/listen Mp3 - 3 minutes]

Filed Under: Transportation Tagged With: , ,

Ignition locks now required on repeat alcohol offenders’ cars

July 1, 2009 By

Repeat alcohol offenders will have to get ignition interlock devices installed in their cars as a new law goes into effect today. Ignition interlock devices require a driver to blow an alcohol-free sample into a device in order to start the car.

The Department of Revenue says the cost for the service is paid for by the Ignition lock Web.jpg offenders; the tougher restrictions will not be a burden on Missouri taxpayers. The law will mostly affect future offenders, but Department of Revenue spokesman Ted Farnen says the statute will impact some 70,000 of those currently under restricted and revoked licenses.

The Highway Patrol asks drivers to imagine MU’s Faurot Field packed to capacity with 70,000 screaming fans … now imagine every single one fo them has alcohol-related driving offenses. That’s what they’re up against. There are approximately 4.1 million licensed drivers in the state.

The patrol adds that in addition to stopping repeat offenders from driving impaired, it’s important to prevent any driver — even those without a first offense — from driving impaired. In 2008, 262 people were killed, 1,113 seriously injured and 3.398 received minor injuries in crashes involving an impaired driver. F

arnen warns those who try to skirt the system that not only does the modern technology have fool-proof measures in place, but those caught driving without the device installed in their cars face stiff penalties according to the new law.

Vendors of the interlock devices not only is an alcohol-free breath required to start the vehicle, random blows while the car is traveling down the highway. The car’s horn will start sounding and the lights flashing until a new sample is submitted while the vehicle is in motion. Also, most devices require a humming sound so that artificial air sources cannot initiate a false pass. All failed submissions are logged by the state. While the state does not know if it will require such a feature for some, there are interlock devices available with camera capabilities, so that if the non driver is blowing into it, the state can log that as well.

Jessica Machetta reports [Download/listen MP3]

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With: , ,

Kids Count report: child abuse down, high school dropouts up

May 17, 2009 By

The annual KidsCount report is out. It provides county-by-county data on the health and wellbeing of Missouri’schildren.

While child abuseand neglect cases in Missouriare down from last year, high school dropout rates are higher.

The Kids Countreport compares information and statistical trends on the conditions of ourstate’s children and families in all 114 counties and the City of Saint Louis.

St. Charles County,just outside of St. Louis,did the best this year. Not the case just a few miles away. St. Louis City scored lowest "across the board," says Scott Gee, director of Citizens for Missouri’sChildren. He says the areas that ranked the lowest are also the state’spoorest.

However, St. Louis did improve its numbers in all categories — save high school dropout rates — over last year.

The report breaksdown the rates for infant mortality, low birth weight, teen pregnancy, students on free or reduced lunches, babies born to mothers without a high school diploma, child deaths, children removed from homes, and violent deaths to teens.

The study also provides a breakout for various economic factors, demographics, family support systems, health and mental health.

For example, St. Louis had 1,226 high school dropouts, or 11.6 percent. St. Charles County had 449 dropouts, or 2.8 percent.

The report states that every day in Missouri:
18 babies are born with a low birth weight
41 children are born to mothers who lack high school diplomas
2 babies die before their ?rst birthday
15 children are removed from their homes
127 children receive attention from the Mo. Department of Social Services
   due to reports of child abuse and neglect
1 child or teen dies
29 teens drop out of school
25 teens between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth
212,369 children live in poverty

Gee says the reportserves local and state policymakers, as well as not-for-profits at the locallevel in identifying needs and boosting certain programs.

To see how your county ranks and individual breakdowns, visit the Citizens for Missouri’s Children Web site.

 

Jessica Machetta reports [Download/listen MP3]

Filed Under: Health & Medicine Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Lawmakers move to close drunk driving loophole

April 30, 2008 By

State lawmakers are attempting to close a loophole that has allowed persistent drunk drivers to avoid harsh sentences.

Lawmakers thought they had approved harsh treatment of drivers convicted of their third DWI, but the State Supreme Court ruled that a county or city citation didn’t count. Kansas City Representative Ryan Silvey’s amendment to an Ignition Interlock Device bill ( HB 1423 ) would count any driving under the influence ticket, no matter who issues it.

"This amendment simply makes a DWI, a DWI is a DWI no matter who stops you," Silvey tells colleagues during House floor debate, "Driving drunk is driving drunk and we should we treat it as such in this state."

Some lawmakers worry that the change would affect plea deals prosecutors have worked out in drunk driving cases. Silvey replies it only would make those convictions count toward the total. Silvey says it shouldn’t matter whether a state highway patrol trooper or a city police officer or a county deputy sheriff caught a motorist driving drunk.

The bill has been passed by the House. It hasn’t moved in the Senate with two weeks to go in this legislative session.

Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Legislature, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Drunk Driving Signs to Ask "Who’s Next?"

February 26, 2008 By

All those white crosses and other makeshift memorials to the victims of drunk drivers along our roadsides would be replaced by memorials erected by the Missouri Department of Transportation under a bill barely squeezing by in the House.

A program to erect memorials to the victims of drunk driving would be established under HB 1406 . Signs bearing the initials of the victims would proclaim "Drunk Driving Victim!" and contain the date of the person’s death followed by the phrase "Who’s Next?"

Rep. Ed Wildberger (D-St. Joseph) is skeptical that the program would deter drunken driving, "I just don’t think that is going to change anyone’s mind."

Sponsor Bill Deeken, a Republican from Jefferson City, though responds that if the program saves one or two lives it has done a good job. Deeken points to highway fatalities to bolster his case for the program. He says of the one thousand traffic fatalities each year in Missouri, nearly half are the result of drinking and driving.

The family could apply with MoDOT to have a sign erected in memory of the victim. The family would have to pay $1,040 for two signs to be put up on both sides of the roadway on which the fatality occurred. The sign will remain in place for ten years. It could remain for another ten years if the family pays appropriate maintenance fees.

 

"We all know that this is not going to stop drunk driving," St. Louis Representative Tom Villa (D) says during House debate, "It simply isn’t."

Villa also worries about what message the signs would send to tourists driving through the state.

The bill would also prohibit all private roadside memorials. Deeken tells colleagues that already is state law, but MoDOT has been hesitant to enforce it out of respect to the families of traffic fatality victims.

The bill receives the bare minimum needed for passage in the House, 82 votes. Fifty-one representatives votes against the bill, four voted "present" and 21 were absent.

Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Human Interest, Legislature, Politics & Government Tagged With: ,
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