Author: Brandon Peoples

RILEY COUNTY RESULTS UNOFFICIAL FINAL NUMBERS AS OF 11/5/19 10:13 PM Manhattan City Commission (three seats) Aaron Estabrook  – 2906 Mark Hatesohl – 3606 Kaleb James – 1899 Linda Morse (incumbent) – 3649 Maureen Sheahan – 1895 Mary Renee Shirk – 1614 Sarah Siders – 2776 Vincent Tracey – 1059 Two highest vote earners receive four-year terms. The third-place candidate receives a two-year term. ——————————————————————————————— City of Manhattan 0.3 percent retail sales tax increase question Yes: 3359 No: 4187 ——————————————————————————————— USD 378 Riley County Schools $15 million bond question Yes: 810 No: 505 ——————————————————————————————— Ogden Mayoral (vote for one) Robert…

An amended complaint filed Tuesday in Riley County District Court lists 130 new charges against Bob’s Diner owner Robert Iacobellis. Those charges, add another layer to the complicated criminal case building against Iacobellis, who was arrested Aug. 2 on one count of rape and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties. Each alleged case involves minors said to be between the ages of 10 and 15. Each of those incidents occurred between 2014 and 2018. The amended complaint will be made public by the district court clerk. Iacobellis had been appointed Assistant Public Defender Phyl Yau to represent him, but a…

A Manhattan man charged with first-degree murder made his initial appearance Monday in Riley County District Court. Judge Kendra Lewison read the formal charges against 29-year-old Richard Goens, including first-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery, in the Nov. 1 shooting death of 24-year-old Tanner Zamecnik of Manhattan. Goens has not entered a plea. A criminal complaint filed with the court Monday alleges Goens fired the fatal shot in an attempt to rob Zamecnik. The complaint states Goens approached Zamecnik’s vehicle in the 1400 block of Cambridge Place with a handgun with intent to steal cash and marijuana but was prevented…

A pursuit which began in Jackson County and ended with a rollover crash in Atchison County resulted in a hospital trip for a St. George man Sunday. The Kansas Highway Patrol’s crash log says 49-year-old Ronald Snowberger of St. George was a passenger in the car driven by 56-year-old Robert Neal Kirk of Topeka. Authorities with the Jackson County Sheriff’s said in a news release that they had initiated a traffic stop around 5 a.m. Sunday. The vehicle failed to yield to the deputy continuing on several county roads before crashing near the K-9, US 159 junction, about three miles…

Longtime Manhattan City Clerk Gary Fees said goodbye Friday to colleagues at a retirement ceremony. “I’m retiring from the city today, but I’m not retiring from other pursuits. I want you all to know how an important part of my dash, that you all have been,” Fees said. Fees, who has served in the role since 1999, announced his retirement recently and was honored during an event at Manhattan City Hall. Esteemed guests included former commissioners, former city officials and members of other entities who worked closely beside him, all of them noting Fees’ professionalism and character. “I never heard…

Update Sunday 6 a.m. The victim from Saturday’s shooting has been identified as Tanner Zamecnik, 24, of Manhattan. Update Saturday 9:18 p.m. A Manhattan man is charged with murder following the death of a shooting victim from an incident late Friday. The Riley County Police Department says 29-year-old Richard Goens was arrested Saturday on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and aggravated robbery. He’s currently jailed on a $1 million bond. Police were called out around 10 p.m. Friday to the sound of a gunshot in the 1400 block of Cambridge Place, near the intersection of Claflin and Seth Child.…

Riley County Police are attempting to locate a suspect who escaped custody early Saturday morning. Police say 33-year-old Cory Ryan Calkins escaped after being arrested on probable cause offenses of aggravated burglary, possession of meth, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. It’s advised that if you see Calkins, do not attempt to approach him, but call 911 or RCPD at 785-537-2112. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Highway Patrol says a man accused in a Friday kidnapping, who led authorities on a pursuit on Interstate 70, is in custody. Authorities with KHP were alerted by Junction City Police of a kidnapping that reportedly occurred around 2 p.m. They were notified that the armed suspect was reportedly eastbound on I-70 heading toward Topeka. Troopers eventually located the suspect’s truck west of Topeka. After entering the eastbound lanes of the Kansas Turnpike, troopers attempted to stop him, but he initiated a pursuit. Stop sticks were deployed but the suspect was able to maneuver around them.…

One person was killed Friday morning following a head-on crash west of St. Marys on Hwy 24. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, a pickup driven by 19-year-old Joseph McIntyre of St. Marys was traveling westbound in the eastbound lane and struck an SUV driven by 54-year-old Kathleen Cummings of Belvue. It’s not clear from KHP’s investigation why McIntyre’s vehicle was in the wrong lane. Cummings was pronounced dead at the scene. McIntyre was transported to Stormont Vail Hospital with a suspected minor injury. The crash shut down Highway 24 from Belvue to St. Marys for approximately seven hours. Original…

A multi-vehicle crash near Junction City shut down a portion of Interstate 70 Friday morning Initially, it was reported by Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ben Gardner that as many as 10 vehicles may have been involved. It was later confirmed that five vehicles were involved and that multiple others had stopped to assist. It has been listed as a non-injury crash. Traffic was slowed down for almost 3 hours near mile marker 298 near Junction City. The roadway reopened shortly after 10 a.m.