BITTERLY COLD TEMPERATURES SETTLE IN OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
A bitterly cold morning is awaiting residents throughout Southeast Missouri.
According to the National Weather Service, wind chill values could range anywhere from around zero to negative 20 in Southeast Missouri this morning.
A number of counties are under a wind chill advisory until noon today, including Wayne, Carter, Iron, Madison, Reynolds, and Bollinger Counties.
AREA MAN ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGE IN BUTLER COUNTY
Authorities in Butler County have arrested an area man on a meth charge.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 45 year old Daniel Russell, of Poplar Bluff, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine.
He is also facing a charge of unlawful use of drug paraphernalia.
Following his arrest, Russell was held at the Butler County Jail.
DISCHARGE TO BE INCREASED AT WAPPAPELLO LAKE
Officials say that discharges may be increased soon at Wappapello Lake.
According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, the lake is forecast to rise to a level of 364.5 by Saturday due to recent rainfall and snowmelt throughout the watershed.
To help combat the rise, officials say the discharge has been increased to roughly 5,000 CFS, which is around 37,000 gallons a second.
DRIVERS CAUTIONED TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR BLACK ICE
Weather officials are cautioning motorists to be on the lookout for black ice this morning.
After yesterday’s rainfall and temperatures dropping below freezing overnight, officials say there is the potential for black ice to have developed on area road surfaces.
Motorists are being advised to use caution while driving this morning, especially on untreated driveways and parking lots.
TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE LOWER TEENS LATER THIS WEEK
Temperatures are expected to drop harshly throughout the rest of the week in Southeast Missouri.
According to the National Weather Service, overnight Thursday night the temperature in Poplar Bluff is expected to bottom out in the lower teens, before rebounding to the lower 30’s during the day on Friday.
ADVANCE MAN KILLED IN HEAD ON COLLISION
An Advance man has died following a wreck over the weekend in Stoddard County.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 58 year old James Greer was driving westbound in eastbound lane of Route C in Advance when he collided with another vehicle head-on.
Officials say the wreck occurred at around 3 pm on Saturday.
Greer was taken to a Cape Girardeau hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The driver of the second vehicle suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the scene.
POPLAR BLUFF MAN TO BE SENTENCED IN APRIL FOR SHOOTING AT AUTHORITIES
Sentencing has been set for April after a man pled guilty on Friday to the shooting of two members of law enforcement last year in Poplar Bluff.
Last July, Poplar Bluff officers, along with the United States Marshals Service, responded to an apartment located on Kinzer Street in an attempt to arrest a man on an active warrant.
Officers entered the apartment, at which point the suspect opened fire. A Poplar Bluff Police Detective received a non-life threatening wound while an officer with the US Marshals Service was struck in his body armor, but had no additional injuries.
After a short standoff, 28 year old James Johnson Jr. surrendered and was taken into custody.
On Friday, Johnson pled guilty to multiple charges and his sentencing was scheduled for April 19th.
INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY AFTER REMAINS FOUND IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
An investigation has been started after human remains were found earlier this week in Southeast Missouri.
According to authorities, the remains were found Wednesday in Dunklin County.
No information has been released about an identity or possible cause of death for the remains.
NO FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED IN PORTAGEVILLE DEATH
Updating a story we brought to you earlier this week, no foul play is being suspected in the death of Portageville teenager.
Portageville Police Chief Ronnie Adams tells KWOC News that Saturday morning officers found a body outside of an area residence. The deceased has been identified as 19 year old Michael Angel, of Portageville.
FOUR ARRESTED FOLLOWING SEARCH OF UNINHABITABLE POPLAR BLUFF BUILDING
Four people have been arrested following the execution of a search warrant at an uninhabitable building in Poplar Bluff.
KWOC News spoke with Detective Joey Woodruff from the Poplar Bluff Police Department who says that the investigation into the building began last week.
POPLAR BLUFF MAN IN CUSTODY FOR ALLEGEDLY DRIVING TO ARKANSAS TO HAVE SEX WITH A CHILD
Authorities in Central Arkansas say that a Poplar Bluff man has been arrested for allegedly driving over 100 miles to meet a 15 year old child for sex.
According to the Arkansas First Judicial District Judge Task Force, 25 year old Keegan Tatsch was in custody in the Cross County Jail.
Tatsch allegedly sent sexually explicit messages and a photo to what he believed was an underage child.
Tatsch told the child that he would spend the weekend with her in the absence of her family who was allegedly on vacation. When Tatsch arrived to meet the child, he was taken into custody by investigators. Authorities found a bag packed with two changes of clothes, multiple condoms, and a hygiene kit in Tatsch’s vehicle.
Officials say Tatsch has been charged by the First Judicial District Drug Task Force with felony Internet Stalking of a Child and will have his first appearance today in Cross County District Court. His bond was set at $50,000, cash only.
Tatsch was recently charged in an unrelated case in Craighead County with “interference with custody” after a missing 16 year old high school student was recovered at Tatsch’s residence. Tatsch’s vehicle was allegedly seen on video picking up the student from her high school after the two began talking online.
MOST COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI TO BE UNDER WINTER STORM WARNING OR WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TODAY
With a winter weather system approaching most counties in Southeast Missouri will be under a winter storm warning or winter weather advisory beginning today.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, a winter weather advisory will be in effect for a line of counties in Southern Missouri beginning at noon including Carter, Ripley, Butler, Stoddard, and Scott Counties.
WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM EXPECTED TO HIT THE AREA BEGINNING ON FRIDAY
A winter weather system is expected to hit the area on Friday.
According to a Hazardous Weather Outlook from the National Weather Service in Paducah, mixed wintry precipitation, mainly in the form of rain and snow, is forecast for most of the area from late Friday through Sunday.
POPLAR BLUFF MAN FACING RAPE AND KIDNAPPING CHARGES FOLLOWING INCIDENT IN BUTLER COUNTY
A Poplar Bluff man has been taken into custody on a rape charge in Butler County.
Officials with the Poplar Bluff Police Department tell KWOC News that on Saturday the Police Department received a report of a missing person. According to family members, a 30 year old female had not been heard from after leaving from her place of employment on January 3rd
BUTLER COUNTY CORONER’S OFFICE INVESTIGATED 162 DEATHS IN 2018
Officials say that over 150 deaths were investigated by the Butler County Coroner’s Office last year.
Butler County Coroner Andy Moore tells KWOC News that in 2018, his office was dispatched to investigate 162 deaths in Butler County.
Moore says that 121 of the deaths were for natural causes. There were also 19 overdose deaths, eight homicides, seven accidents, six suicides, and one of the deaths is still pending autopsy results.
DONIPHAN WOMAN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN SINGLE VEHICLE WRECK
An area woman was seriously injured Thursday morning in a single vehicle wreck in Carter County.
According to the Highway Patrol, 40 year old Celena Dobbins, of Doniphan, was driving on Route V in the Ellsinore area when her vehicle traveled off the side of the roadway and overturned.
TWO ARRESTED ON CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WARRANTS IN STODDARD COUNTY
Two people have been taken into custody in Stoddard County on controlled substance warrants.
According to the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department, 35 year old Shane Bewley, of New Madrid, and 22 year old James Scherer, of Brownwood, were each recently arrested on a warrant for possession of a controlled substance.
