Public Safety

By Jenna Wilson The St. Joseph Police Department reported a decrease in both violent and property crimes in 2023 during its annual crime press conference Tuesday. St. Joseph saw an overall decrease in “part one” crimes last year compared to 2022. This includes murder, aggravated assault, robberies, motor vehicle thefts and other serious offenses designated

By NewsPress Now St. Joseph police have arrested a person involved in a domestic situation that led to the stabbing of a 43-year-old man late Sunday. The stabbing happened at about 11:20 p.m. at 1620 Faraon St., according to police Capt. Jeff Wilson. The victim sustained several non-life-threatening puncture wounds, including to the face and

By NewsPress Now A 21-year-old man has serious injuries following a crash early Sunday morning on U.S. Highway 36 four miles east of Hamilton, Missouri. Jacob Latimer, 21, of Polo, Missouri, was westbound on Highway 36 at about 1:45 a.m. when he traveled off the north side of the roadway. The vehicle overturned multiple times

By Jenna Wilson The Buchanan County Jail population isn’t as high as it was during the pandemic, but law enforcement would still like to see the number of inmates entering the facility decrease. Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said the number of inmates housed at the county jail currently sits around 160, which sounds high,

By Jenna Wilson As spring brings out all-terrain vehicles, officials are driving home the importance of safety for those who ride them, especially kids. Early spring weather means drier trails and more opportunities for riders to get out on private and public land across Missouri. Regardless of weather and trail conditions, all ATV/UTV riders should

By Jenna Wilson This year’s solar eclipse may not bring as much traction to the area as it did in 2017, but drivers should still be aware that an influx of visitors will be on Missouri roads next week. The April 8 solar eclipse in Missouri will cover more than 115 miles throughout the south

By Harry Loomis Employees at U.S. Bank’s Downtown branch were greeted by broken glass when they arrived for work Friday morning.  The bank in the Robidoux Center at 415 Francis St. suffered an apparent overnight break-in. Broken glass and smashed windows were found inside the bank. Sgt. Chris Thomas of the St. Joseph Police Department said

By NewsPress Now Drivers will see a detour on one of St. Joseph’s major streets this week. A resurfacing project will close 22nd Street from Messanie to Commercial starting Wednesday, April 3. The project is expected to be completed by Monday, April 8, weather permitting. Detours will be in place to guide motorists.

By Jenna Wilson Troopers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and maintenance crews spent the week making sure students are safe going to and from school. Each year, from February to April, school districts across Missouri undergo bus inspections to ensure they are in proper working condition before hitting the road. “These buses, they transport

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph man has serious injuries after being ejected from a motorcycle Wednesday near Winthrop, Missouri. Jeremy R. Thompson, 53, was eastbound on U.S. Highway 59 on a 1982 Harley Davidson at about 6:50 p.m. when he crossed the center line and began to skid. Thompson traveled into the path of

By Harry Loomis While Easter Sunday is not the biggest travel holiday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is still expecting highways to be busy in the coming days as many head home to celebrate with family. Through nearly three full months in 2024, highway fatalities have been on the rise in Missouri, with speeding continuing

By NewsPress Now A former Missouri Western State University student is still missing after he was last seen nearly two months ago in Kansas City, Missouri. The Kansas City Missouri Police Department posted on social media Wednesday reiterating details about T’Montez Hurt, a 19-year-old who was last seen around 11:40 a.m. on Feb. 1 in

By Jenna Wilson More than 250 guns have been reported stolen in St. Joseph during the last two years, leading to concerns the weapons could be used in violent crimes. The thefts are a growing problem for police, who warn suspects often try breaking into cars to get their hands on a weapon. “A majority

By Jenna Wilson A St. Joseph man is recovering from a gunshot wound and the suspect remains at large in a shooting that happened this weekend near North Ninth and Corby streets. Police responded to a shots fired call at about 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police

By Chris Fortune With the local homeless community growing, the St. Joseph Police Department is drawing inspiration from other cities to address issues here. Officials are looking to a program utilized by the Sarasota, Florida, Police Department to address issues with homelessness, focusing on a segment of the community involved in nuisance crimes. Police Chief

By NewsPress Now A 48-year-old man died after crashing and being ejected from his motorcycle Wednesday night in DeKalb County. Jonathan Bunse, of Clarksdale, Missouri, was traveling south on Route P in Clarksdale around 10:30 p.m. when he traveled off of the roadway and struck an embankment, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol crash reports.

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph woman has serious injuries after being hit by a car that overturned while she was standing along U.S. Highway 36 on Tuesday. Heather Bolonyi-Holt, 39, was driving a truck pulling a camper west at about 6 a.m. on U.S. 36 when it broke down and blocked part of the

By NewsPress Now A one-vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon sent a Lathrop man to the hospital with serious injuries. Kam Montgomery, 44, was driving too fast for road conditions at about 4:30 p.m. on S.E. Cannon Ball Road four miles south of Lathrop when he went off the road and hit a tree, according to a

By NewsPress Now A Cameron, Missouri, woman received serious injuries in an accident Sunday morning in Daviess County. The accident happened just after 10 a.m. on March 17 near the U.S. 69 ramp about four miles west of Altamont, Missouri. A car driven by Cathleen Dedonder, 61, of Topeka, Kansas, was southbound on a ramp

By Riley Funk The St. Joseph Police Department may receive needed funding to build on its fleet and continue serving the community if approved at Monday night’s city council meeting. The council will vote to approve $51,878 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase firearms for 37 police vehicles. Police Chief Paul Luster said

By Jenna Wilson An illegal narcotic on the streets that could lead to amputation has been surfacing in St. Joseph for over a year now, and officials are cautioning the community, especially because Narcan won’t be able to reverse the effects. “Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer,” said Shawn Collie, Buchanan County drug strike Captain. “We

By Jenna Wilson Many in the community are gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day weekend and looking forward to celebrating at local bars, but all of that shouldn’t come without keeping safety in mind. “This is a great weekend to have fun and we expect and hope everyone has a great time,” said Sgt. James

By NewsPress Now Avoid the area of Frederick Avenue and 36th Street as police and EMS are on the scene of a crash. Injuries are unknown at this time, but a second ambulance is now on the scene. We’ll provide updates as they become available.

By NewsPress Now A 25-year-old man was injured seriously in a crash late Thursday in Worth County, four miles east of Denver, Missouri. Matthew D. Marshall, 25, of Princeton, Missouri, was eastbound on State Route M in a 2004 Chevrolet Colorado just before midnight when the vehicle began skidding. He traveled off the south side of

By Riley Funk As the weather continues to warm up, conservation experts are advising lovers of the outdoors to take precautions to protect themselves from ticks. There are several native species of ticks in the area including the American dog, lone star and deer ticks. Kelsey Gillenwater, Buchanan County conservation agent, said ticks are common

By Jenna Wilson Loss of sleep after daylight saving time over the weekend could increase the risk of dozing off behind the wheel, which presents serious risks to everyone on the roads. According to an AAA report, drowsy driving made up an estimated 18% of traffic deaths between 2017 and 2021, resulting in nearly 30,000

By NewsPress Now Two men sustained serious injuries in a crash early Saturday morning in Buchanan County, four miles north of Gower, Missouri. Kurtis E. Nelson, 22, of Stewartsville, Missouri, was southbound on Southeast 140th Road around 1:19 a.m. when he lost control of a 2018 Ram 250. The vehicle traveled off the east side

By Chris Fortune Spring break is when many families choose to go on vacation, leaving houses vacant and more vulnerable to break-ins, but police say there are steps you can take to keep your home safe. One of the most common mistakes someone can make is announcing a vacation on social media. Oversharing vacation details