Tag Archives: death

‘Kansas’ rock violinist, singer Robby Steinhardt, dies at 71

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Robert E. “Robby” Steinhardt, a violinist and vocalist with the progressive rock band Kansas, has died due to complications from pancreatitis. He was 71.

His wife, Cindy Steinhardt, said he died Saturday at a hospital in Tampa, Florida. She announced on Facebook Monday that he had just recorded his first solo album, and had been looking forward to being back on stage and going on tour.

Steinhardt, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, was an original member of the band, teaming up with Topeka West High School graduates Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart and Dave Hope and with Steve Walsh, who grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri. Steinhardt performed with Kansas from 1973 to 1982 and 1997 to 2006, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported.

The band sold more than 15 million records and notched up seven top 40 hits, including “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry on Wayward Son.”

The band, which now makes its home in Atlanta, continues to perform with Williams and Ehart as the only original remaining members.

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Tulsa man admits allowing children to die in hot vehicle

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TULSA, Okla. (AP) – A Tulsa man has pleaded guilty to allowing his 4-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son to die of heat exposure in his pickup truck.

Court documents show 32-year-old Dustin Dennis pleaded guilty Tuesday to child neglect charges in federal court in Tulsa. In a signed plea agreement, Dennis said he “got high on cocaine” in June 2020 and later fell asleep, leaving 4-year-old Tegan Dennis and 3-year-old Ryan Dennis unsupervised and allowing them to get into his truck, where he found them dead four hours later.

Dennis faces three to six years in prison when sentenced on Nov. 10.

2 charged in death of Arkansas police officer

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PEA RIDGE, Ark. – Prosecutors charge two people for the death of an Arkansas police officer.

On June 26, 2021, Rogers Police alerted the Pea Ridge Police Department about a blue SUV suspected of felony fleeing and felony theft.

A bit later, Officers Kevin Apple and Brian Stamps saw a vehicle matching the description.

According to court documents, camera footage shows the suspect vehicle parked at the White Oak Gas Station gas pumps. Officer Apple pulled his patrol car up in front of the suspect vehicle, facing it directly. At the same time, Officer Stamps drove his patrol car directly behind the suspect vehicle.

The officers tried to contact the occupants, but an altercation erupted.

Investigators, looking at the footage, say it appears that Officer Apple got out of his vehicle and tried to verbally engage with the suspects.

The driver then went backwards, hitting one patrol car.

Apple drew his gun and went to the front of the suspect vehicle. The suspect then drove straight forward, pinning Officer Apple between two vehicles killing him. Officer Apple was also drug nearly 150 feet by the vehicle, according to an affidavit.

The vehicle fled, leading a chase to Bella Vista where it crashed. Authorities arrested 22-year-old Shawna Cash of Pine Bluff, who was driving. The passenger, 18-year-old Elijah Andazola, of Bella Vista, took off. Police later found him in a camper trailer.

Prosecutors charged both suspects with capital murder. The jail is holding both without bond. Cash is also facing several other charges.

An affidavit following the incident shows police questioning Cash and Andazola about what happened leading up to Officer Apple’s death. Neither took responsibility for the fatal crash. Andazola said Cash was driving and that he was in shock after the vehicle struck Officer Apple, and Cash said she was just doing what she was told to do and that she tends to “blackout” during stressful situations.

Organizers held a candlelight vigil Saturday night, and a procession for Officer Apple was took place Sunday morning. Gov. Asa Hutchinson has requested the United States flag and the state flag of Arkansas to fly at half-staff in tribute of Officer Apple until his internment.

You can read the full affidavit court document below, or, click here.

Redacted Affidavit of Probable Cause for Bond – Shawna Rhae Cash

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One person dies after vehicle gets stuck in floodwaters

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CLINTON COUNTY, Mo. (AP) – Authorities say one person died and two other people were rescued after their vehicle got stuck in floodwaters in northwest Missouri.

The Clinton County Sheriff’s office said the people were rescued from the vehicle Saturday as flooding prompted numerous road closures across the state. Their names were not immediately released. The state Transportation Department on Sunday reported dozens of road closures across central Missouri between St. Louis and Kansas City.

The National Weather Service warned that lingering thunderstorms across the state could create additional flooding over the next several days. A flood warning remains in effect across a large section of central Missouri.

Founder of Joplin’s “Dude’s Donuts” passes away

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JOPLIN, Mo. – The owner of a Joplin landmark has died.

Durard “Dude” Pendergraft, the owner of Joplin’s Dude’s Donuts died following what his family described as a “brief illness.” His family says not only will he be remembered as a mainstay of Joplin’s business community but also as a man of faith.

“He had a very strict moral code that he lived by and his faith in God,” said his son Allen Pendergraft. “I would say that is probably that is the most important thing that he has pasted on to me and my children.”

Pendergraft opened the donut shop in 1954 with his wife Carolyn. It will remain open and will be operated by his son and wife. The shop will be closed Friday and Saturday for Durand Pendergraft’s funeral.

Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in prison

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NEW YORK (AP) – Bernie Madoff, the financier who pleaded guilty to orchestrating the largest Ponzi scheme in history, has died in a federal prison, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Madoff died at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, apparently from natural causes, the person said. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity.

Last year, Madoff’s lawyers filed court papers to try to get the 82-year-old released from prison in the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he had suffered from end-stage renal disease and other chronic medical conditions. The request was denied.

Madoff admitted swindling thousands of clients out of billions of dollars in investments over decades.

A court-appointed trustee has recovered more than $13 billion of an estimated $17.5 billion that investors put into Madoff’s business. At the time of his arrest, fake account statements were telling clients they had holdings worth $60 billion.

Bernice Police Department mourns the loss of an officer

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BERNICE, Okla. – The Bernice, Oklahoma Police Department announced it lost one of its own. Officer Matt North passed away Saturday morning after suffering chest pains.

According to a Facebook post from the department, Officer North began suffering chest pains after he finished his shift Friday. He sought medical attention and was discharged from the hospital later that night. North returned to the hospital the next morning where he was pronounced dead.

The Bernice Police Department is asking people keep the North family “in your prayers at this time of loss and grief.”

 

It is with the deepest of sadness and disbelief that I write this post today. Bernice Police Department lost one of its…

Posted by Bernice OK Police Department on Saturday, March 20, 2021

Botched 911 call leads to Prairie Village mother’s death, according to lawsuit

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PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. (KCTV) – Cathryn McClelland was a loving mother and nurse. She was just 41-years old when she collapsed inside her Prairie Village home with her young kids. Her husband was working on a construction project in another state.

Her 8-year old son, Joel, grabbed the phone and called 911 for help. What happened next is now the focus of a lawsuit. It says the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Kansas City Fire Department failed the family by not trusting the child knew his address and waiting too long to dispatch help.

Medical records show the young mother suffered cardiac arrest. Her heart rhythm was restored but she suffered a lack of lack of oxygen to the brain. Her family eventually removed her from life support and donated her organs. Cathryn was pronounced dead on July 22, 2019. Her family donated her organs.

KCTV5 obtained the 911 recording for help.

It begins with 8-year old Joel explaining the situation.

JOEL: Okay, so I’m only a child with my little sister and my mom is lying on the ground and my dad is out of town

KCPD: Do you know your address?

JOEL: Let me go outside. Prairie Village, Belinder Avenue.

9347. I mean 7347!

KCPD: Let’s get you over to ambulance… Stay on the line don’t hang up…

The legal team for the McClelland family calculates it took more than 10 minutes for an ambulance to be dispatched despite the child providing the address about a minute in. KCTV5 actually calculates the call to JOCO MED- ACT closer to the 13-minute mark.

KCTV5 reached out to the parties named in the lawsuit which include the mayor, police, fire and individuals involved in the call. All declined to speak citing policy to not discuss matters under litigation.

What happened?

The mobile call for help in Prairie Village, Kansas bounced to a Kansas City, Missouri cell tower because that was the closest tower. That tower routed the call to KCPD.

There’s instant confusion because the KCPD mapping software reveals a different location for the wireless call from what Joel gave.

It shows it’s also in Prairie Village but on a different street.

A focus of the lawsuit is that call takers didn’t immediately send help in the correct direction and decided to firm up address. Minutes roll by as they track down an adult’s phone number and eventually call the husband of Cathryn, Frank McClelland.

KCPD: This is the Kansas City Missouri police department…who am I speaking to?

Frank: Frank McClellend

Frank: Yes. What’s wrong?

KCPD: I don’t know. He said his mom fell down on the ground. She is laying there. She is not awake.

We’ve got him on the line we just needed to verify the address.

Frank: Oh, Jesus!

Numerous call takers and dispatchers are involved in the call. At times, call takers discuss how to transfer the call.

KCPD: The address is going to be 7347 Belinder and that is in Prairie Village, Kansas

KCFD: 7347 Belinder. B-E, spell that for me?

KCPD: B-E-L-I-N-D-E-R

KCFD: Okay and have you guys already gave the call over?

KCPD: Uh, yeah. I was on the line with EMS there. They are on the line with the child.

KCFD: No, I’m asking since it’s in Prairie Village have you already?

KCPD: No, I haven’t done anything

KCFD: okay

KCPD: nope

KCFD: And you are calling from PD?

KCPD: Yes. Do you guys have a phone number for their EMS?

KCFD: Uhm…

KCPD: Let me see if I’ve got… I don’t know if we have their EMS

KCFD: Okay… hmmm.

KCPD: I just have their PD line

KCFD: We do too… We’lll- let me see. No, we don’t. We will probably send it over

*unintelligible buttons pushed*

Oops, sorry

The address.

Yeah, we’ll probably send it over to Kansas, to Leawood, I believe.

The collection of call takers and dispatchers remain calm but the stew of people involved appear to create confusion.

At one point a person from KCFD begins her call to Prairie Village Police muted. She then shares an incorrect address and incorrectly refers to the dad and husband as “Joel.”

Prairie Village Police: Hello?

KCFD: Oh, Sorry muted!

Okay. This is Nicole with Kansas City Fire.

PVP: Hello.

KCFD: We have a call. 1747 Belinder. Do you guys have that?

PVP: 1747 Belinder is not in Prairie Village.

KCFD: What address did they give you Brittney?

7347 Belinder

PVP: And what was the?

KCFD: We have a child caller on the phone it sounds like might be, his mom’s passed out.

So, we don’t know if she’s like passed out or deceased.

Husband is supposed to be Joel

Family praises first responders, horrified with 911

“Getting them there, that’s it that’s it! Once they were notified, they were there in a short amount of time,” Frank McClelland said.

McClelland began questioning the timeline of when help arrived almost immediately. Doctors wanted to know how long Cathryn was without oxygen. McClelland says listening to the call was crushing.

“When I listened to the call, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My son had called and within a short amount of time. He provided information to get help to his mother,” McClelland said, ”He was doing everything he could to convince them. He was calm he was articulate. I’ve told him since that time. He’s my hero.”

The attorney representing the family considers the 911 call shocking and says there must be accountability.

“You would think for 911 in a centralized system- that supposed to be set up. The people answering those phone calls including those from children who need help for parents would be trained on how to deal with these calls!” attorney Brian McCallister said.

Wichita teen dragged to death in carjacking, arrest made

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WICHITA, Kan. – A Wichita, Kansas family is mourning the loss of their teen daughter after she was dragged to her death.

13-year-old Briana Ibarra was in a running car parked in front of a restaurant Saturday waiting for her family to get food. Police say Kevin Palmer jumped in and drove away with the young girl in the car. Ibarra tried to escape while the car was moving but got caught in the seatbelt. She died at the scene.

Palmer was arrested after trying to run. he is currently in jail facing six charges, including first-degree murder.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.