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Man get 31 years for Liquor Store Fire

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Wednesday January 8, 2025 | Volume 150, Issue 2

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Suspect arrested, being investigated for hate crime after crashing truck into Dallas market By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

A motorist was arrested Sunday after driving his pickup truck into the interior of Center Market on Fairview Avenue in Dallas and is being investigated as a potential hate crime. At approximately 9:30 p.m. Jan. 4, officers responded to a reported vehicle collision into the market. According to the Dallas Police Department, an officer, who was in the vicinity, arrived on the scene within moments to find a Ford truck inside the building, actively driving back and forth and causing extensive damage to the market’s interior. An initial investigation revealed that the truck had crashed through the front doors of the market at an estimated speed of 15-20 mph. The officer strategically positioned his patrol vehicle to block the truck’s exit. In response, the suspect backed into the patrol car multiple times. Additional officers and Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived shortly thereafter. The driver, who was later identified as John Marlas, continued to drive recklessly, destroying merchandise and infrastructure within the market. Marlas reportedly stole merchandise from the market during this incident, according to the DPD. The incident was de-escalated when Marlas exited the vehicle and voluntarily got on the ground of the market floor. He was taken into custody without further incident. Medics cleared Marlas at the scene before he was transported to Willamette Valley Hospital, where a driving under the influence of

Indy schedules annual water flushing By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

CONTRIBUTED

Employees and owners assess the damage to the Center Market after suspect John Marlas drove his Ford pickup into the store on Saturday. intoxicants (DUII) investigation was conducted. Afterwards, Marlas was arrested and charged with nine counts of recklessly endangering, two counts of criminal mischief 1, reckless driving, robbery 1, driving under the influence of an intoxicant, theft 3, unlawful use of weapon, menacing and improper use of 911. He was lodged into Polk County Jail. The Dallas Police Department is investigating this incident to determine if this was a biased crime or if race was a motivator.

“The Singh family stores and employees have been a valuable part of the Dallas community for many years,” Police Chief Tom Simpson said. “We commend Dallas officers and all responding personnel for their swift and professional handling of this incident, which ensured no injuries to bystanders or officers.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, welcomed a hate crime probe.

“We welcome the investigation of a possible bias motive for this disturbing incident and thank law enforcement authorities for their swift action in apprehending the suspect,” CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said in a press release. “In these types of cases, it is only prudent to investigate whether the alleged actions of the suspect were motivated by hate.” According to KATU News, the owners of the market reported the truck caused over $200,000 in damage.

County commissioners honor the man behind the fair’s people mover trolley By DAVID HAYES I-O Editor

Last spring, with the Polk County Fair mere months away, manager Tina Anderson needed a people mover to get them from the parking lot to the main gate. Their previous one was no longer available, so she needed to act fast. Anderson went to her go-to guy, David Rak, who has volunteered as an extra hand at the fair since he was 15. She approached Rak, now 35, with a request to spearhead the creation of a new mover that would stay permanently with the fair. “You think you can get this done? Absolutely,” Rak recalled the conversation going. “It took me almost three months, starting out with a bare trailer frame.” His efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Fair Board Chairman Tim Ray told the County Commissioners at his presentation Oct. 8 that the people mover fit the bill perfectly. “It’s awesome. It saves people a ton of time, especially when they have to park out in the back 40 for

the rodeo,” he said. “We’re eternally grateful for his efforts.” Anderson told the commissioners Rak did all the footwork himself to get the supplies needed for the people mover. “We did not go out for any donations. We were in the middle of getting ready for fair,” she recalled. “He got the tires donated, a lot of the metal was donated. Wood was donated. Almost everything he got for that, was donated. He’s the one who hit the pavement running.” Commissioner Chair Craig Pope suggested that sort of commitment needed to receive extraordinary recognition – a Commissioner’s Coin. Rak was presented a letter of commendation and the coin, which Pope said is rarely given out to honor acts of community service, on Dec. 17. “Your three months of hard work and dedication demonstrates your commitment to your community and your love for the Polk County Fair,” Pope read from the commendation. For Rak, the recognition seemed almost unwarranted. To him, it was just another volunteer project, the

IN THIS ISSUE Voices Corrections Obituaries Puzzle Solutions Social Public Records Classifieds Puzzles

A4 A4 A4 B2 B2 B6 B4 A6

PHOTO BY DAVID HAYES

David Rak, 35, was recently honored for building the Polk County Fair’s people mover on a shoestring budget. sort of which he’d been doing for the fair for two decades. “People don’t do that anymore. I grew up that way. Somebody needs help and you’re capable, then help,”

Rak said. “That’s how what I look at what I did. The coin, the award, then the paper shows up, wow!” See HONOR, page A3

The city of Independence Public Works Crew will be performing their annual water distribution flushing program throughout the rest of January and February. This program will target representative areas throughout the city of Independence’s water system to “flush” the more than 300 miles of water main pipes. The purpose of this procedure is to maintain optimum water quality, all while ensuring water system valve and hydrant function. According to city’s Public Works Department, the flushing procedure removes loose sediment and other deposits that may slowly build up on the inside of water mains over time causing discolored water. Flushing at the appropriate velocities can remove these sediments and deposits and will improve taste, odor and color. The flushing also maintains proper distribution system operation by opening and closing hydrants and valves to ensure that water moves through pipe segments for effective cleaning. This also allows personnel to identify broken or inoperable valves and hydrants, helping ensure they will work properly in an emergency. The process improves the age of the water in the distribution system. Flushing can remove water from areas of the distribution system that have low water use. Older water may no longer have the desired chlorine residual. Lastly, the flushing allows staff to assess the flow rate (gallons per minute) available for firefighting purposes in various locations throughout town. Crews will gather their equipment and vehicles near a fire hydrant in the street. Cones and flaggers will be present, if necessary, to guide the public safely around the flushing area. Independence communications director Emmanuel Goicochea said the city does not publish a detailed schedule for specific hydrants or mains. Rather, the flushing program “typically follows a systematic approach, starting with areas of higher water usage and moving through the city in sections.” See WATER, page 3

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