Month: August 2024

In an attempt to make streets safer to drive in the city of Springfield, SPD is now increasing enforcement of speed limit signs citywide.

In a statement released Tuesday, officials say, “the Traffic Unit’s focus is education through enforcement.”

There have been 14 fatal vehicle crashes in Springfield this year, with a portion of those being a result of speeding or impaired driving.

Sgt. Ben Haines, SPD’s acting lieutenant of the Traffic Unit says, “by following posted speed limits, drivers can have an immediate impact on the safety of Springfield roads.”

Investigators are trying to determine how a lithium-ion battery may have caused a fire at a hospital building in Branson.

Branson Profession Firefighters were called to the scene at a CoxHealth building on Skaggs Road, specifically the Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care facility.

When they arrived, an evacuation was already in progress, with smoke filling all four floors of the building.

Crews approached the floor with the heaviest smoke, and located what appeared to be a battery engulfed in flames.

After the fire was put out, electric and gas-powered fans were used to ventilate the building.

No injuries were reported. While authorities believe the battery may have been the cause, an official cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

A pedestrian has died two weeks after being struck by a drunk driver in north Springfield.

Springfield Police say 75-year-old Gary Noel of New London was truck by a car while crossing Glenstone on August 8 around 10:30 PM.

He died over the weekend at a local hospital from his injuries.

The driver of the car, 45-year-old Shannon Kersey of Republic, was arrested for D-W-I.

The crash is still under investigation.

State health officials say three people contracted Legionnaires Disease from a resort in Cassville.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says three unassociated guests who stayed at the Roaring River Lodge and R-V Park in July have confirmed cases of Legionnaires Disease.

Legionnaires Disease is spread through water droplets.

The D-H-S-S has taken water samples at the hotel and should have the results later this week.

They are a trying to notify people who may have stayed in the hotel.

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The City of Galena has issued a boil order.

The officials for the city have told residents to only use bottled water for drinking and cooking or to boil water for one minute then let it cool.

Residents are to do this until further notice.

A man from Neosho is dead after his motorcycle crash over the weekend.

Highway Patrol troopers say 46-year-old Joshua Westfall was driving on Falcon Road, about five miles north of Neosho, Sunday afternoon when he lost control of the vehicle, drove off the left side of the road, an flipped.

He was thrown from the motorcycle, and pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials with MSHP Troop D say it is the 65th fatality of the year for their area.

Fire officials are investigating after a large fire damaged a church in Nevada.

Crews were called to the scene early Saturday morning, around 3:00am, at the First Christian Church near Washington and Austin in Nevada.

When firefighters arrived, they found the building engulfed in flames, and battled the blaze for several hours.

While investigators were canvassing the area on Sunday, the structure caught fire again, but were quickly about put out the flames.

The cause of the fire, according to a joint force of the Missouri State Fire Marshal, Nevada Police, and the ATF, has been determined as an incendiary fire, meaning the fire may have been intentionally set.

The investigation is still ongoing.

A man has been sentenced to prison for five felonies and two misdemeanors.

Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson’s office says 43-year-old Michael Mount was sentenced Friday for trafficking in stolen identities, stealing, forgery, identity theft, possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, and assault.

A judge found Mount guilty in April after a bench trial in March.

The judge sentenced Mount to 15 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.