Latest news with #Traverse
Winnipeg Free Press
13-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sex charges stayed against chief after child testifies she lied
Child sex abuse charges have been stayed against a Manitoba chief after the young alleged victim admitted in court Friday she lied when she told police the man had taken cellphone pictures of her vagina. 'I have my life back,' Lake St. Martin First Nation Chief Christopher Traverse said outside court, minutes after prosecutor Boyd McGill stayed charges of sexual assault, possessing and creating child pornography and sexual interference. Traverse, 41, said his life was turned upside down after he was arrested in February 2024. His bail order prohibited him from talking to or seeing his kids, he had to sell his house, was removed from the boards of the Interlake Reserves Tribal Council and Anishinaabe Child and Family Services and banned from attending Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs events. Child sex abuse charges have been stayed against Lake St. Martin First Nation Chief Christopher Traverse after the young alleged victim admitted in court Friday she lied when she told police the man had taken cellphone pictures of her. 'The whole process was very difficult… and I stopped being there for my community,' Traverse said. 'This is worse than murder, to accuse an individual of touching a girl like that,' he said. 'That's the worst kind of charge you could (face) and I endured that pain for over a year and a half, being called names and all that.' Traverse said he expects to resume his regular duties as chief immediately. He's also hoping for an apology from the Indigenous groups that turned their backs on him. 'They put me down,' he said. 'Now they are going to know I didn't do this kind of stuff.' Traverse was accused of sexually assaulting the girl in December 2023, when she was eight years old. In an interview video played for court last April, the girl said she was watching television when Traverse put her over his shoulder and carried her to the bathroom 'like someone was kidnapped' and told her to pull down her pants (she amended her statement in court, saying Traverse pulled her by the hand to the bathroom). The girl said Traverse told her to pull her pants down. When she didn't comply, Traverse pulled her pants down himself and touched her vagina before taking a picture of her exposed body on his cellphone. The girl said Traverse deleted the picture, and then used her cellphone to take another picture, which he 'forgot' to delete. She claimed Traverse told her not to tell anyone about what had happened. 'I shut my mouth,' she said. 'I thought I would get in big trouble if I told.' The girl said her mother later discovered the picture on her cellphone. 'She was like: 'Who did this to you?' I said Chris.' During cross examination Friday, the girl said around the same time period she had taken a picture of herself using the toilet, which was later discovered by her mother, who told her not to do it again. The girl admitted she then lied to her mother, telling her she took the picture 'by accident.' During subsequent questioning, the girl admitted she took the second picture of her vagina and after her mother discovered it, she blamed Traverse. 'I just got scared,' the girl testified. 'So, Chris didn't take the photo?' Olson asked the girl. 'No,' she said quietly. 'You thought you were going to get in trouble with your mom, didn't you?' Olson said. 'Yes,' the girl replied. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. The trial before provincial court Judge Stacy Cawley was held over two days, two months apart, and was marked by angry outbursts between the alleged victim's family and Traverse and his supporters. A second day of testimony set for April had to be adjourned after Traverse was assaulted as he arrived outside court. Police confirmed Friday a man in his 40s and a man in his 50s have been charged with one count each of assault. Their names have not been released so as to protect the identity of the child witness in the case. When the trial resumed Friday, Sheriff's officers were stationed outside the courtroom and sat in the small court gallery separating the two families. Sheriff's officers escorted Traverse and his family as they left court. Dean PritchardCourts reporter Dean Pritchard is courts reporter for the Free Press. He has covered the justice system since 1999, working for the Brandon Sun and Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 2019. Read more about Dean. Every piece of reporting Dean produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Union County reports two separate one-vehicle fatalities on Highway 34 last week
Jun. 9—A Clarinda man and an Osceola woman were killed in separate Union County one-vehicle accidents five days apart. According to a Union County Sheriff's report, in the early hours of Tuesday, June 3, a 1983 Honda motorcycle, driven by John Pace, 54, of Clarinda, was traveling eastbound on Highway 34 when it didn't navigate the turn properly. The motorcycle traveled into the north ditch of the highway where it came to a rest on its side and Pace was located on the ground south of the motorcycle. The accident was found around 4 a.m. by a driver of a semi who had seen the lights and turned around to check. Pace was deceased at the scene and has been taken for autopsy. The investigation is ongoing. On June 8, the Union County Sheriff's Office received numerous 911 calls at approximately 11:50 a.m. regarding a reckless driver who was all over the roadway eastbound on Highway 34 past Highway 169. As the vehicle was close to the Clarke County line and without a Union County deputy in the area, a call was transferred to Clarke County. Union County was then advised that the vehicle, a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse, driven by San Vega, 43, of Osceola, was involved in an accident at mile marker 102 in Union County where it went off the roadway, down an embankment and came to rest in the Grand River. The caller told Clarke County they were able to get the Traverse stopped on the side of the road. When they went to put the vehicle in park, it was instead put into reverse. Vega lost consciousness and lifted her foot off the brake, causing the vehicle to reverse down the hill. Witnesses were unable to stop the vehicle. A Clarke County deputy and first responders arrived on scene after the car went down the hill. They were able to get Vega out of the vehicle before it became fully submerged in the water. Vega was transported by an ATV from the water to the Clarke County ambulance to be transferred to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines where she was declared deceased. Medics reported to deputies they smelled alcohol on or around her person. The investigation is ongoing. This is the third vehicle fatality reported in Union County this year.
Motor Trend
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
2026 Chevrolet Traverse Review: Expert Insights, Pricing, and Trims
At home at the (warehouse) club or off the grid, the 2026 Traverse is Chevrolet's 3-row SUV with a base price under $50,000. The baby Tahoe-looking model was redesigned for 2024 with chunkier styling and originally joined the Chevrolet lineup for 2009. The ute made its bones as a roomy conveyance that trades the capability of the Tahoe and Suburban for greater affordability, a tradition it continues today. Competitors include the Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, and Hyundai Palisade. What's New Changes to the 2026 Traverse include: Polar White Tricoat and Sandstone Gray exterior colors Driver Confidence package gains key card. This physical card gives users access to the SUV and allows them to start it, like a similar card that comes with Teslas. For the Traverse LT, a rear camera mirror is available through the Driver Confidence package Iridescent Pearl Tricoat and Harvest Bronze Metallic exterior hues have been retired What We Think This 2026 Chevrolet Traverse brings meaningful upgrades over its predecessor, including a turbocharged engine that delivers more output than the outgoing V-6. Although fuel economy sees little improvement, the new powertrain offers better drivability and quicker acceleration. Inside, the Traverse features large displays and updated safety tech, and although the cabin design is conservative, its controls are intuitive and user-friendly. The off-road-oriented Z71 and the premium High Country trim add more variety to the 2026 Traverse range. However, the absence of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid option is a missed opportunity to compete with the Toyota Grand Highlander and Hyundai Palisade. Still, with its bold styling and improved performance, the Traverse is well positioned to compete in the crowded 3-row SUV segment. Top-Ranked Competitors: Hyundai Palisade Kia Telluride Honda Pilot Mazda CX-90 Performance The Traverse's 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine carries over into 2026 producing 315 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. Output is routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and models are offered with standard FWD or available AWD. Towing capacity is pegged at 5,000 pounds. Accelerating to 60 mph should take roughly 7.0 seconds. MPGs and Range Fuel economy ratings come in at 20/27 mpg city/highway with FWD and 19/24 mpg with AWD. Curiously, driving range is better for the AWD model, but that's because it comes with a larger 21.7-gallon fuel tank. Range is 456 miles, while the FWD with its 19.4-gallon reservoir can go only 446 miles. The 2025 Telluride is both less efficient and comes with a smaller 18.8-gallon tank. Fuel economy ratings are 20/26 mpg city/highway with FWD and 18/23 mpg with AWD, while driving ranges are 414 miles and 376 miles, respectively. Safety Ratings and Features The Traverse performs well in safety testing: 2025 IIHS Top Safety Pick NHTSA 5-star overall rating Standard driver assist features include: Forward and reverse automatic emergency braking Adaptive cruise control Blind-spot monitoring Lane keeping Auto high-beams Cargo Space and Interior Room The Traverse boasts a spacious interior with room for up to eight passengers and a big cargo hold. The Telluride and Pilot deliver a skosh more legroom in the second and third rows, respectively. Technology Infotainment An 11.0-inch display sits before the driver, while infotainment is controlled through a 17.7-inch touchscreen with Google integration. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Chevy also includes a wireless phone charger and a half dozen USB ports throughout the cabin, and a 120-volt outlet is available. Sound System Base models feature a six-speaker setup. The Bose 12-speaker upgrade comes with a subwoofer. Available Upgrades Super Cruise self-driving technology is offered through the Enhanced Driving package that's available for LT and Z71, and standard on the High Country and RS. The suite also adds Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist, Driver Attention Assist, and an audio system upgrade. Value Think of the 2026 Traverse as a less premium GMC Acadia, with the same strong powertrain and roomy cabin. Standard features are not as plentiful, and fuel economy could be better for both, but the Chevrolet SUV is redeemed by its practical interior and lower prices. Recommended Trim Our pick in the Chevrolet Traverse lineup is the LT model with AWD, which emphasizes practical essentials. It comes equipped with a hands-free power tailgate, second-row captain's chairs, and a power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support.
Boston Globe
29-05-2025
- Boston Globe
Prosecutors rest case at Karen Read trial
'So I thought, could I have run him over?' Read told the interviewer. 'Did he try to get [to] me as I was leaving, and I didn't know it?' She said the music and heat were 'blasting' inside the SUV and she had the wipers on. Advertisement 'Did he come and hit the back of my car and I hit him in the knee and he's drunk and passed out and asphyxiated or something?' Read said. 'And then when I hired [lawyer] David Yannetti I asked him those questions. ... 'David, what if I ran his foot over'' or struck him in the knee and 'he passed out.' Yannetti told her under that scenario, 'You have some element of culpability,' she said. Read, 45, has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death. Prosecutors allege she backed her Lexus SUV in a drunken rage into O'Keefe, a Boston police officer, after dropping him off outside the Canton home around 12:30 a.m., following a night of bar-hopping. Advertisement Her lawyers say she was framed and that O'Keefe entered the home, owned at the time by a fellow Boston officer, where he was fatally beaten and possibly mauled by a German shepherd before his body was planted on the lawn. Read's first trial ended in July with a hung jury, and she remains free on bail. Before jurors viewed the interview clip Thursday, Judson Welcher, a biomechanical engineer and crash reconstructionist, completed his cross-examination by Read attorney Robert Alessi. Alessi spent much of the morning pressing Welcher about laser-scan testing he conducted at O'Keefe's driveway in October. The testing was done in an effort to determine whether Read's right taillight could've been damaged when she lightly backed her SUV into O'Keefe's parked Chevy Traverse around 5 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2022, as she left to go look for him. Welcher said his testing revealed that while the Lexus and Traverse did make contact, the Lexus's taillight remained about an inch away from the Traverse. Alessi showed a photo from one of Welcher's slides that appears to show Read's taillight by the Traverse, with no daylight between the vehicles. Alessi asked if the photo shows the taillight actually touching the Traverse, and Welcher said it does not. Alessi also asked if the depiction in the slide didn't show Read's taillight 'jutting out,' as a separate photo did. 'It does,' Welcher said of his slide. 'Those are actually more on the side of the vehicle. You can't see them in this image.' Welcher said the security camera in October was positioned slightly more to the right than the January 2022 camera that O'Keefe had installed at the time. He said he and his team accounted for the discrepancies and 'corrected' them in the report. Advertisement Before Welcher returned to the stand, without the jury present, Alessi argued that he should be allowed to ask him about a key 'Techstream' event recorded by Read's Lexus that Welcher said indicates she drove her SUV in reverse on Fairview Road with the accelerator pressed down 74 percent, reaching a speed of nearly 24 miles per hour. Techstream events refer to sudden movements such as abrupt stops or putting a vehicle into a reverse. Alessi told Judge Beverly J. Cannone that a report from State Police Trooper Joseph Paul, a crash reconstructionist, is 'problematic' for the prosecution's narrative. 'If you work backwards from his key cycles [for the Lexus], you end up with' the reversal maneuver 'being not in front of 34 Fairview, but it ends up when the Lexus is in the possession of the state.' Read's SUV was towed from her parents' home in Dighton late on the afternoon of Jan. 29, 2022, and brought to a Canton police garage for processing. Brennan, the prosecutor, countered that the defense was 'trying to pit the inadmissible opinion of a non-testifying witness against a testifying witness.' 'They want the jury to hear their perspective that a past witness had confusion in their analysis, but they don't want to call the witness,' he said, referring to Paul. Cannone ultimately ruled that Alessi couldn't ask Welcher about the issues related to Paul's findings. The defense will begin presenting its case to the jury Friday at 9:30 a.m. Cannone said she would speak with the attorneys outside the jury's presence at 9 a.m.. Advertisement The trial is 'ahead of schedule,' Cannone said. Material from prior Globe stories was used. Travis Andersen can be reached at
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Creston Police: Drunk woman drives from Sioux City with three kids in car
May 28—Lela A. Churchwell, 46, of Creston, was taken into custody 3:56 p.m. May 23, in the 200 block of North Division Street on the charges of OWI, first offense and interference with official acts. According to a Creston Police report, a 2002 Saturn SL1 Churchwell was observed to be driving was stopped because Churchwell does not have a valid driver's license. After being stopped, Churchwell exited the car and attempted to go into her residence. Officers stopped her at which time she attempted to push past them before she was eventually escorted to the ground and placed in handcuffs. Churchwell was observed to have bloodshot, watery eyes, impaired balance and the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath. She also made statements about consuming alcohol earlier in the day. Churchwell was transported the Union County Law Enforcement Center where she consented to field sobriety testing and showed validated clues of impairment. She refused a PBT and to provide a breath specimen for chemical testing. Churchwell was transported to the Union County Jail where she was released from after posting $1,300 cash or surety bond. — — — — — Rikki L. Klos, 36, of Afton, was taken into custody 5:48 p.m. May 24, at Elm and Mills streets on the charges of possession of a controlled substance — marijuana, first offense and two counts of possession of a controlled substance, first offense. According to a Creston Police report, at approximately 5:31 p.m. a 2000 Dodge Ram was stopped for not having a front license plate. Klos, an occupant of the truck, admitted to having marijuana in her purse. Officers searched her purse and located a grinder containing marijuana, one alprazolam pill and one diazepam pill. Both pills are Schedule 4 controlled substances. Klos admitted to not having a prescription for either medication. Klos was transported to the Union County Jail where she was released from after posting $3,000 cash or surety bond. — — — — — Samantha J. Little, 30, of Moville, was taken into custody 11:31 p.m. May 24, in the 800 block of Laurel Street on the charges of public intoxication, OWI, second offense and three counts of child endangerment — substantial risk. According to a Creston Police report, at approximately 11:13 p.m. a Walmart employee reported a female operating a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse, who appeared intoxicated and had three children with her in the parking lot. The employee stated they witnessed a bottle of alcohol fall out of the female's pocket and smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from her person. Officers made contact with the female, identified as Little, and immediately detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person. Little consented to a PBT which indicated her BrAC to be above .08%. Three children, two of which were Little's and one of which was a friend's child, were in the backseat of the Traverse. Little admitted to driving intoxicated from Sioux City. Open Fireball shooters were found in the driver's door of the Traverse. Little was transported to the Union County Law Enforcement Center where she consented to field sobriety testing. During the tests, Little showed validated clues of impairment. Little consented to provide a breath specimen for chemical testing, the result of which showed her BAC to be .181%. Little has a prior OWI conviction in October of 2020 from Plymouth County. Little was transported to the Union County Jail where she was released from after posting $8,300 cash or surety bond. — — — — — Howard J. Davis IV, 33, of Creston, was taken into custody 4:34 p.m. May 26, at his residence on a Union County warrant for the charge of violation of parole. According to an Iowa Department of Correctional Services report, during a May 19 parole appointment, a parole agent reviewed Davis' phone. After the phone was reviewed, Davis admitted to multiple violations of his parole terms. Violations included an unreported relationship with a sex offender parolee, who he allowed to spend the night at his residence without permission and who was not registered as a visitor with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Davis had unapproved and unregistered social media accounts. He admitted to having unapproved contact with several minors and to spending the night at an unregistered address where minors were present without permission. Davis admitted to using marijuana multiple times each month. He also admitted to sending and receiving inappropriate sexual photos and videos and to viewing pornography on his phone which he deleted after viewing. Davis was transported to the Union County Jail and held without bond. — — — — — Nathan L. Novotny, 20, of Creston, was taken into custody 8:03 p.m. May 26, in the 900 block of North Sumner Avenue on the charges of interference with official acts and driving while suspended. According to a Creston Police report, at approximately 8:58 p.m. Novotny was observed driving a Dodge Charger at Prairie Street and Highway 25. Novotny has a suspended license. While at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, Novotny made comments about fleeing and did not sit down after being told to. He actively resisted officers and had to be assisted into handcuffs and then resisted while being escorted to the jail. Novotny was transported to the Union County Jail where he was released from after posting $1,300 cash or surety bond.
