TAG SEARCH RESULTS FOR: ""

How Tennessee’s failed execution of Christa Pike unfolded, minute-by-minute

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Christa Pike was scheduled to be executed. But after two injections, she kept breathing. She made snoring sounds, she talked, she said her arm was hurting.

Pike, sentenced to die for torturing and killing 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in 1995, said as her scheduled lethal injection began that she was at peace.

Strapped to a gurney around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Pike, who was allowed to give a final statement, said she was leaving the world with love.

“I’m ready to be free,” she said. “This is a happy day.”

Leaving prison in an ambulance, not a hearse

Pike, now 50, was 18 when she committed the murder and would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years.

But instead she survived two doses of the pentobarbital meant to kill her. She left the prison in an ambulance instead of a hearse.

The Associated Press was among those who witnessed her failed execution. She was already strapped to the gurney, with IV inserted in her arm, when prison officials raised the curtain to the execution room at 7:27 p.m.

Her spiritual adviser was standing beside the gurney near her head. He spoke to her. They sang a song. The lyrics were not audible, but included repeating the phrase — “I love you.” The spiritual adviser stroked her forehead.

Minutes ticked by. She raised her head and looked around; she smiled. Then she said her arm was hurting and asked a prison official in the room if it was supposed to feel that way.

Ten minutes in, at 7:37 p.m., she sighed, the IV in her arm fed from a control room adjacent to the death chamber, separated by a ledge. At 7:41 p.m., a rock or paper weight about the size of a golf ball was placed on the ledge. Prison officials have not confirmed what it means, but its placement appeared to coincide with a direction in the protocol that says after the drugs are administered, a five-minute countdown begins until the curtain is closed.

At 7:46 p.m., officials closed the curtain, blocking the witnesses’ view of the death chamber. Pike’s spiritual adviser left the chamber and sat briefly with her attorney in the media witness room.

The curtain rose again three minutes later. The Tennessee lethal injection protocol calls for a second round of pentobarbital if the inmate is not deceased after the first round.

An hour-plus of what sounded like snoring

Her spiritual adviser returned to the chamber and stood beside Pike with his hands folded. Pike appeared to begin to lose consciousness at some point and started making a sound like snoring. She continued to do so for the next hour, a sign that she was alive long after she was expected to be dead.

Her head raised slightly off the gurney and turned to the side at about 7:56 p.m. She kept breathing.

Officials closed the curtain again at 8:06 p.m.

For the next 40 minutes, Pike could be heard from behind the curtain. She sounded like she was snoring, a rhythmic, regular breathing pattern.

Inside the prison, Pike’s attorney, Randy Spivey, later told the media that at about 8:22 p.m. he demanded access to a telephone to contact other lawyers on the team. He said he demanded the execution be halted and that life-saving medical care be given to Pike. He said he received confirmation at about 8:50 p.m. that an ambulance was on the way.

At 8:53 p.m., an announcement came: “Will witnesses please exit the area.” The media was escorted out, and a prison spokesperson said she had no information to provide about what had happened.

Fire trucks and ambulances arrived in front of the prison at around 9:14 p.m. Pike’s attorneys later issued a statement that she had been taken to a hospital and was being treated, though they did not know the specifics of her condition. On Thursday afternoon, they said she was in critical condition receiving medical care.

Governor orders a review

The Tennessee Department of Correction issued a statement saying the department followed protocol.

“The lethal injection chemical in the protocol has consistently been effective, and the protocol does not allow for additional procedures beyond what was carried out this evening,” the agency wrote. “Christa Pike has been transported to an off-site medical facility.”

The agency has not said what went wrong. It was the second time this year that Tennessee has been unable to complete an execution, though in the other case, officials couldn’t find a suitable vein for an IV line so the drugs weren’t administered.

Gov. Bill Lee ordered a review and postponed another execution scheduled for later this year, calling what happened in the death chamber “deeply disturbing.”

Slemmer’s mother, May Martinez, had traveled to Nashville to see the sentence carried out.

“I didn’t get justice for my daughter,” Martinez told the AP by telephone.

“I watched the whole thing. She was awake,” Martinez said. “She was moving her head, moving her feet. She was trying to sit up. Didn’t work the first time they gave her a shot. It didn’t work the second time so she’s in the hospital and alive.”

“This isn’t justice for Colleen.”

Heavy rainfall leads to flooding, multiple wastewater bypasses across the state

STATEWIDE — Following several days of heavy rainfall across the state, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages Iowans to stay out of streams until the waters recede.

Several communities and facilities experiencing flooding across the state have notified DNR Field Offices of flooding impacts and wastewater bypasses. Currently, the department is unaware of impacts to municipal drinking water supplies or fish kills. DNR staff will continue to monitor these situations and assist impacted communities.

Heavy rainfall events can overload wastewater collection systems, which are underground sewer pipes that carry sewage to a treatment plant. Some collection systems are particularly vulnerable due to aging infrastructure.

With sewage pipes overwhelmed, excess water has nowhere to go and can back up into basements through floor drains. Bypassing can lower the water level and alleviate pressure in the collection system, keeping sewage from backing up into basements, which could present health risks.

It is recommended people and pets avoid these areas and stay out of flooded waterways.

WAPELLO COUNTY – Several inches of rain fell in a short amount of time, causing a stockpile of pressed wastewater sludge (biosolids) to become saturated near an agricultural site northeast of the City of Kirkville, causing a runoff event into a drainage ditch, which outlets to Cedar Creek. Staff from the DNR Field Office in Washington responded and are monitoring the situation.

Water samples have been collected in the area, and a soil berm is being constructed on the property to prevent further impacts to Cedar Creek. The remaining biosolids will be land-applied and excavated from the road ditch. As a precaution, the public is advised to avoid Cedar Creek north of Kirkville at this time.

Sigourney Man Dies in Two-Vehicle Crash Near Ollie

OLLIE – A two-vehicle crash in Keokuk County yesterday afternoon resulted in the death of a Sigourney man.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, yesterday afternoon, at approximately 2:45 PM, 65-year-old Steven Greiner of Packwood was traveling northbound in a GMC Sierra on 270th Avenue southeast of Ollie, while 83-year-old Phillip Blackhurst of Sigourney was traveling northbound behind him in a Ram ProMaster van.

Greiner’s vehicle was slowing to make a right turn onto 335th Street when Blackhurst’s vehicle rear-ended him. Both vehicles came to rest in the southbound ditch.

The crash report states that Blackhurst was pronounced deceased at the scene. His body was transported to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s office.

Greiner was injured in the accident and transported via ambulance to Keokuk County Hospital & Clinics.

Both drivers were reportedly wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

William Penn University Secures $35,000 Toward Collaborative Robotics System for Industrial Technology, Engineering Programs

OSKALOOSA — William Penn University has received $35,000 in foundation grants toward a collaborative robot (cobot) system for its industrial technology and engineering programs, with a $25,000 grant from the Vermeer Charitable Foundation and $10,000 from the Pella Rolscreen Foundation. The University plans to install the system in January 2027, giving students direct experience with the automation technology now standard on regional production floors.

Manufacturers across south-central Iowa increasingly want new hires who can run collaborative robots: machines designed to share the floor with people rather than work sealed off behind guarding, as is common with older automation. The new equipment lets William Penn students build that skill before they graduate.

“Adding a collaborative robot to our laboratory will give students the hands-on automation skills industry urgently needs,” said Haluk Kucuk, Associate Professor of Engineering. “The Vermeer Charitable Foundation and Pella Rolscreen Foundation’s support will help prepare a workforce ready to step into modern production environments and strengthen advanced manufacturing in our community.”

The addition reflects William Penn’s mission to pair a values-centered education with the practical skills its graduates carry into their careers and communities.

Train Derailment in Marion County Results in Closure of Geneva Drive

MARION COUNTY – Multiple agencies responded to a train derailment in Marion County yesterday that has resulted in the closure of a portion of Geneva Drive.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says that the derailment occurred around the 200 block of Geneva Drive. The BNSF train contained 57 cars, 22 of which were derailed during the incident. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were on the train at the time.

Authorities have closed Geneva Drive from Highway 5 to the train crash site while crews continue to work to clean up the scene, and the closure could reportedly last multiple days.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Emergency Management Agency, Pleasantville Police Department, and Pleasantville Fire Department were among the agencies to respond to the scene.

Ex-fraternity leader at Arizona university gets jail time after pledge died of alcohol poisoning

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A former Northern Arizona University fraternity leader was sentenced to two months in jail Wednesday for his role in a hazing that led to the death of a pledge.

Carter Eslick, 20, also received three years of supervised probation during a sentencing hearing in Coconino County Superior Court. Eslick had pleaded guilty to a felony hazing charge in the Jan. 31 death of Colin Daniel Martinez, 18, at an off-campus house.

An autopsy found Martinez died of alcohol poisoning with a blood-alcohol content of 0.425% — more than five times the state’s legal limit for drivers 21 and over.

Martinez was among four Delta Tau Delta pledges who shared two bottles of vodka to ensure they vomited, according to court documents. Witnesses reported adjusting Martinez’s sleeping position and checking his pulse and breathing to look for signs of alcohol poisoning throughout the night, the documents said.

Martinez’s parents appeared remotely in court, still grieving their son, and said they want accountability and reform within Greek life, Phoenix television station azfamily.com reported.

Eslick was the fraternity’s pledge master at the time and was responsible for welcoming new members. He apologized Wednesday to Martinez’s family and said he takes “full responsibility for the hand I played in that ritual.”

Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker said no sentence can undo the harm to the Martinez family.

“My hope is that this case helps people understand the serious dangers of hazing and encourages them to speak up and intervene before another family experiences this kind of loss,” Barker said in a statement.

Judge Stacy Krueger said Eslick knew what he did was dangerous and was troubled that no one spoke out against it.

Eslick could face additional jail time if he doesn’t meet the conditions of probation, which include creating and delivering 305 anti-hazing presentations and keeping the court updated on his progress. He also can’t use alcohol or drugs unless prescribed.

The university suspended the fraternity after Martinez’s death, and the national organization later closed the NAU chapter.

Iowa Lottery moving its headquarters to the Hoover Building

By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

Department of Revenue director Mary Mosiman announced at the Lottery Commission meeting today that the Iowa Lottery headquarters is moving from Clive to the state capitol complex.

“The Department of Administrative Services is in the process of selling this building. So employees that currently office here will eventually…..over the next several months be relocating to the fifth floor of the Hoover building,” she says.

The Iowa Lottery and Alcoholic Beverages Divisions were moved to divisions under the Department of Revenue three years ago as part of the government realignment program. Mosiman says moving the Lottery headquarters is also part of that re-alignment, but the Alcoholic Beverages Division will keep its building in Ankeny.

Mosiman says they will be putting out a lot of information to update Lottery players on the change. “We want to make sure that they know where to come to turn in their winning tickets. We want to make sure that they easily find where to park and where to find the Lottery headquarters,” she says.

Mosiman says the move will save some money. “With this particular move, there will be some efficiencies that we anticipate seeing, including some enhancement of security that is very necessary for integrity of play, as well as everything pertaining to all things revenue generation,” she says. The Lottery purchased the building in Clive for $5.35 million in 2014 and the then CEO said the total cost came to $7 million with the addition of a generator and security measures.

Current Lottery CEO Steve Waymire says they are doing extensive renovation to accommodate the Lottery in the Hoover building. “Our current setup doesn’t fit in the Hoover building, so we will have all new furniture, it looks nice. We have a window for sales. We’re coming up with ways for the marketing team to decorate the area to make it our own and to lead players to the fifth floor,” Waymire says. He says they plan to move from November 6th through the 11th. “Our biggest obstacle is to ensure the movement of our computer gaming system and to make sure that it’s done in a secure manner,” he says. They will be on the same floor as the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. The Ag Department moved out of the Wallace Building at the end of June in 2025 and into the Hoover Building. The Wallace Building was then torn down.

The Iowa Lottery headquarters moved to Clive after then Lottery CEO Terry Rich said the heating and cooling system in their building on Grand Avenue in Des Moines needed to be replaced and that would take several months. The Des Moines School District bought the Grand Avenue building from the Lottery for $1.6 million dollars to use as its administration building. The district later moved out of the building.

Mahaska Chamber Now Accepting Nominations for Civic Awards

OSKALOOSA – The Mahaska Chamber is now seeking nominations for their annual civic awards.

Do you know a business, organization, or individual who has gone above and beyond to make a positive impact in the community? You are invited to nominate someone who has made a difference through their leadership, dedication, service, or commitment to making Mahaska County a better place to live, work, and grow.

Award categories include:

Retail Business and Service Business of the Year (2 awards) – The most outstanding retail or service business in the Mahaska community during this past fiscal year must be in business for minimum of two years, demonstrate success, with evidence of commitment and contribution to the community. 

Industry of the Year – The most outstanding industry in the Mahaska community during the year will have a stable employment history, will have been in business for minimum of two years, showing evidence of commitment and contribution to the community and a commitment to sound management practices. 

Business Person of the Year – This individual will have demonstrated those qualities which have distinguished him/her in business: proven commitment and contribution to the community, a commitment to ethical business practices, recognized within their profession, a Mahaska County resident, a history of success in their business. 

Citizen of the Year – This individual will have demonstrated outstanding involvement in and support of his/her community over an extended period of time. 

Community Improvement Award – This commercial or industrial property will have made improvements which enhance the appearance and /or economic vitality of the Mahaska community through new development or through the redevelopment of an existing property. 

Educator of the Year – This individual from a Mahaska County school will display a true passion and devotion to the betterment of students. 

Student of the Year -This individual will be a graduating senior or college student from a school in Mahaska County who is well-rounded and displays exemplary leadership and service for the betterment of Mahaska County. 

Volunteer of the Year -This individual volunteers their time and goes above and beyond for the betterment of Mahaska County. 

Up & Comer – This young individual or new business owner will be recognized for their dedicated commitment, passion and high standard of excellence while leading the charge in Mahaska County. 

Chuck Russell Award – This person or project will be recognized for their dedicated commitment in preserving the rich heritage and history of Oskaloosa and Mahaska County. 

To make any nominations or if you have an innovative idea for a “special award” for exceptional achievement in a category not mentioned, you are encouraged to call 641-672-2591 or email ddegroot@mahaskachamber.org with “Mahaska Chamber Award” in the subject line to present the suggestion to the Chamber. Nominations must be received by Monday, November 2. 

Mahaska County E911 Implementing Special Needs Registry

OSKALOOSA – The Mahaska County E911 Center is officially implementing a Special Needs Registry.

In a post to social media, Mahaska County 911 Communications said that law enforcement has been called several times over the last year due to a community member locating a lost child. When the children are non-verbal, it makes it difficult to locate their loved ones quickly. The Special Needs Registry aims to improve timely identification and safe recovery of individuals who wander or elope.

The Mahaska County Special Needs Registry is voluntary. Information collected is confidential and is entered into a secure database that is only accessible by the Mahaska County E911 Communications Center, which provides critical information to law enforcement, firefighters, and medics during emergencies.

The registry is said to assist Mahaska County first responders during critical incidents; the information provided will only be shared with the unit(s) handling that emergency situation. 

Those who wish to register their loved one in the Mahaska County Special Needs Registry should call the Mahaska County E911 Communications Center at 641-673-0347 or email dispatch@mahaskacountyia.gov.

Knoxville Man Arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault

KNOXVILLE – A Knoxville man was arrested for domestic assault after police say he choked a female victim in their shared residence.

According to court documents, the incident took place early in the morning on September 23. A Knoxville Police officer spoke with a juvenile who reported a potential domestic abuse assault between their parents, stating that they heard the victim yelling “Stop, I can’t breathe.” An officer later spoke with the victim, who said that she could not speak, explaining that the suspect, who was identified as 46-year-old John Wyatt, was almost home and she was in fear of being caught speaking with law enforcement; however, she did admit that an altercation occurred between the two.

Court documents state that, during the incident, Wyatt pushed the victim onto a bed and placed his forearm on her throat, choking her for a “few seconds.” The victim stated that she could not breathe during this time and that she was able to tell Wyatt that this was the case, at which point Wyatt released his arm, left the bedroom, and continued to yell vulgar language toward her. The victim also added that she had trouble swallowing after being choked, her voice was noticeably raspy the following day, and that she still experienced pain in her throat while swallowing days later.

An officer reportedly attempted to interview Wyatt regarding the incident; Wyatt claimed that an altercation did not occur between him and the alleged victim. Wyatt was then placed under arrest and transported to the Marion County Jail; while in jail, he allegedly stated in front of multiple law enforcement officers that he was going to kill the victim when he was released so that officers could “arrest him on a real charge.”

Wyatt faces several charges as a result of this incident, including two counts of Domestic Abuse Assault – 3rd or Subsequent Offense (class D felony), one count of 1st Degree Harassment (aggravated misdemeanor), and two counts of Interference with Official Acts – Bodily Injury (serious misdemeanor).

NEWSLETTER

Stay updated, sign up for our newsletter.