Sept. 4, 2025 sheriff reports

No citations were issued following a single-vehicle accident Aug. 18 on Highway 34 east.

According to a Clarke County Sheriff’s Report, the 17-year-old driver of a 2007 Dodge Ram from Woodburn was headed west on Highway 34 when he braked to avoid three deer in the road. In doing so, the brakes locked and sent the vehicle across both lanes of traffic into the south ditch. The truck proceeded through the ditch, through a road fence and into standing beans, leaving a path approximately 10 feet wide and 300 feet long. The truck then came to rest at the bottom of a hill in the waterway. The father of the driver was called and took his son to the hospital, later returning to try to drive the vehicle out of the field.

Damage is estimated at $500 to the Dodge, $500 to the fence owned by Kay Frizzell and $5,000 to the standing bean crop owned by Brian Pollard.

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Jospeh Kelly, Clarinda, was arrested Aug. 20 at 220 Townline Road on a warrant.

According to court documents, Kelly was arrested Sept. 30, 2023, at 1027 Warren Ave. for second degree theft; Kelly was seen on camera at two different locations in Des Moines driving a vehicle reported stolen.

In June 2025, a motion was filed to reconsider sentencing and set a hearing for Kelly. A motion for transport order was filed Aug. 19, and on Aug. 20 Kelly was transported to Clarke County Jail from the Clarinda Correctional Facility for a sentencing hearing in the matter of the theft.

He was released Aug. 22 back to the Clarinda Correctional Facility via prisoner transport.