Howell County

SCHOOL DISTRICTS FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS CITIES AND TOWNS SCHOOL BOARDS Mountain View-Birch Tree R-III (Elect 2) Daniel Woolsey Beverly J. Denton Kevin B. Pruett Richards R-5 (Elect 2) Stace Kerley Mike Mayfield Will Jett WEST PLAINS R-VII (Elect 2) Brian Mitchell Jimmy E. Thompson Chuck Robson GLENWOOD R-8 (Elect 2) Jason Finley Charley Wilkening Shayne Eades OREGON-HOWELL R-III (Elect 2)

HOWELL COUNTY -- Two men have died following a crash early Sunday morning. Troopers say Gary Bradley, 39, was driving his truck on Highway 63 in Pomona when he lost control on the slick road.      The truck flipped and threw both Bradley and his passenger, Ryan McCann, 38, from the cab.      Both men were killed on impact.

A developing story this evening from Howell County, as the Sheriff's Department investigates a series of bone fragments discovered by deputies. Investigators say someone from out of state told the department that a baby had been dumped in a rural area in Howell County. Officers scoured the location yesterday and discovered bone fragments, which will be sent off for testing. The investigation is on-going, we'll bring you the latest as it becomes available.

HOWELL COUNTY -- The Howell County Sheriff's Department is on the lookout for an escaped jail trustee. Lloyd Miller, 33, left the jail in West Plains on Wednesday.  He was behind bars on numerous burglary charges. Miller is likely headed toward Springfield or east to his hometown of Alton. If you see him or know of his whereabouts, call your local police station immediately.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- The mother of a Howell County inmate who escaped from jail in December is now in legal trouble herself.  Court documents show investigators believe Ella Miller, 59, helped her son, Lloyd, escape from the facility, then took him to a hiding place in Hardy, Ark., and another in Seymour. Lloyd was arrested in Springfield on Jan. 13.  Ella will be in Howell County court for a hearing on Jan. 30.  Lloyd's next court appearance will be February 6.

CAULFIELD, Mo. -- Investigators say Daniel Truman ran off highway 160 near Caulfield just after midnight.  His car hit a tree.  Truman was 57-years-old.

WEST PLAINS, Mo.  -- A third person is jailed for a murder in Howell County. Bradley Jenkins, 22, from West Plains was arrested just before midnight Monday in Willow Springs.  He faces charges of second-degree murder, robbery and armed criminal action for the death of Jackie Yarber last Friday night. The sheriff's department had received a tip about a body along a county road outside of West Plains.  That's where they found Yarber's body on Saturday.

Howell County, Mo. --Howell County deputies arrested two people Thursday night who they say ransacked a church, set fire to a barn, and vandalized a fire department.  The sheriff said the two are also being investigated for vandalizing churches in other counties. Derick Volner, 24, and Presley Winterberg, 17, each face seven charges, including burglary, arson, and tampering with a motor vehicle, and other felony charges.  Investigators said the two could soon face additional charges in other Missouri and Arkansas counties.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- A father is now charged with killing his 4-year-old son on Monday.  Howell County prosecutors charged Eric Chappelle, 38, with first-degree murder, abuse of a child resulting in death, assault on a law enforcement officer, and two counts of armed criminal action. A detective's probable cause statement used as the basis of the charges says Chappelle admitted he drowned 4-year-old Jacob in the bathroom of his home.  Police say Chappelle told them he is accused of molesting two female relatives, and did not want to live with those allegations, so he decided to kill himself and his son. Police say Chapelle’s co-workers called 911 from his home on Monday afternoon.  They went to check on the father and son when the pair didn’t show up for work or at a childcare center.  The caller told dispatchers the child wasn’t breathing.  When officers arrived, Jacob was dead and on a couch.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Howell County prosecutors charged a man on Tuesday for firing shots at police officers on Sunday afternoon.  Carl Tackitt, 54, of West Plains is charged with assault on a law enforcement officer, domestic assault, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of tampering with a motor vehicle -- a charge often associated with stealing a vehicle. Police say police were called to the home of Tackitt's 88-year-old mother for a disturbance.  They say Tackitt fired at them when they arrived.  That's when Lucy Tackitt fled to a neighbor's home; she was later hospitalized with chest pains.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Jailers found an inmate's body in the Howell County Jail about 7 a.m. Thursday.  He was Eric Chappelle, 40, of West Plains. Chappelle was in the jail since April 2011 on a first-degree murder charge and numerous lesser charges related to the drowning of a 4-year-old boy.  The Howell County Sheriff asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol to help investigate, and a state investigator arrived about 7:30 a.m.  The sheriff says...

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- A Howell County resident says she was just trying to help stray animals.  Authorities say her goodwill just got out of hand, however. A raid on Thursday found more than 50 animals at the woman's home about five miles west of West Plains.  Rescuers say they found dogs, cats, horses, a goat, a rabbit and even a skunk living in bad conditions.   The woman fought to keep the animals.  A shelter in Texas County took most of the animals.  Some may go up for adoption immediately.  ---- from Ed Button, Ozark Area Network: Howell County Sheriff Mike Shannon reports 56 animals were seized on Thursday from a home at 10398 CR 6970 near West Plains.  That includes 50 from inside the residence.  Animals collected include 24 dogs, 20 cats, chickens, a rabbit, a skunk, a number of doves, a pigeon, a goat, a horse, a donkey and a chinchilla.

CAULFIELD, Mo. -- Investigators say Daniel Truman ran off highway 160 near Caulfield just after midnight.  His car hit a tree.  Truman was 57-years-old.

Howell County, Mo. --Howell County deputies arrested two people Thursday night who they say ransacked a church, set fire to a barn, and vandalized a fire department.  The sheriff said the two are also being investigated for vandalizing churches in other counties. Derick Volner, 24, and Presley Winterberg, 17, each face seven charges, including burglary, arson, and tampering with a motor vehicle, and other felony charges.  Investigators said the two could soon face additional charges in other Missouri and Arkansas counties.

Barry County Date & Time: 3/13/12; 7:30pm Location: Crowder College - Community Center, 420 North Main, Cassville, MO Barton County Date & Time: 3/17/12; 10am Location: Barton County Courthouse (big courtroom) 1007 Broadway, Lamar, MO 64759 Bates County Date & Time: 3/17/12; 2:30pm Location: Ruby Stotmeister, 305 N Delaware, Butler, MO Benton County Date & Time: 3/17/12; 9am, registration; 10am meeting Location: Benton County Courthouse (big courtroom)

SCHOOL DISTRICTS FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS CITIES AND TOWNS SCHOOL BOARDS Mountain View-Birch Tree R-III (Elect 2) Daniel Woolsey Beverly J. Denton Kevin B. Pruett Richards R-5 (Elect 2) Stace Kerley Mike Mayfield Will Jett WEST PLAINS R-VII (Elect 2) Brian Mitchell Jimmy E. Thompson Chuck Robson GLENWOOD R-8 (Elect 2) Jason Finley Charley Wilkening Shayne Eades OREGON-HOWELL R-III (Elect 2)

HOWELL COUNTY -- The mother of an inmate who escaped from the Howell County Jail will go before a judge this week. Ella Miller, 59, is accused of helping her son, Lloyd Miller, escape from jail, giving him money and taking him to several hideouts while he was on the run.     Authorities captured Lloyd in Springfield on January 13. He will be in court February 6th.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- The mother of a Howell County inmate who escaped from jail in December is now in legal trouble herself.  Court documents show investigators believe Ella Miller, 59, helped her son, Lloyd, escape from the facility, then took him to a hiding place in Hardy, Ark., and another in Seymour. Lloyd was arrested in Springfield on Jan. 13.  Ella will be in Howell County court for a hearing on Jan. 30.  Lloyd's next court appearance will be February 6.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A state representative from Howell County wants to prohibit animals in Missouri from having no more rights than a person.  Rep. Ward Franz, R-West Plains, filed a bill on Wednesday that he hopes the Legislature and the governor will adopt. “The rights of animal owners are clearly under attack by groups like HSUS and PETA ,” said Rep. Ward Franz.  “The tactics used to trick voters during Prop. B are still being used in their new ballot initiative Your Vote Counts .  My hope is that this bill will stop these attempts to undermine our rights to own and raise animals once and for all.” The bill would prevent an animal from having “any right, privilege or legal status that is equal to or greater than any right, privilege or legal status of a human being,” Franz said.

HOWELL COUNTY -- Two men have died following a crash early Sunday morning. Troopers say Gary Bradley, 39, was driving his truck on Highway 63 in Pomona when he lost control on the slick road.      The truck flipped and threw both Bradley and his passenger, Ryan McCann, 38, from the cab.      Both men were killed on impact.