State digest 05/19/03

Ava school counselor found dead in creek

AVA, Mo. -- The five-day search for a missing elementary school counselor has ended with the discovery of her remains along a creek bank in south-central Missouri.

Authorities were investigating the death of Kathy Stewart as a homicide based on evidence found Saturday at the crime scene, said Douglas County Sheriff Gary Koop.

About 100 volunteers converged on the Ava area to search for the mother of three, who left Monday night for a walk near the Ava Water Park and never returned. Her husband reported her missing Tuesday evening when she failed to show up for work or take the couple's children to school.

Teenager dies in police chase in St. Louis County

ST. LOUIS -- A 13-year-old died and another teen was critically injured after speeding away from a police officer who tried to stop their vehicle.

Ryan Craig of south St. Louis County died at the scene Saturday.

The car's 17-year-old driver was hospitalized. Two other passengers, 10-year-old and 13-year-old brothers, ran from the car and were caught after a foot chase, police said. The brothers suffered minor injuries in the crash.

St. Louis County police said an officer started pursuing the car about 12:30 a.m. after it pulled out of a parking lot at high speed. Police said the car later struck a barrier and overturned on Tesson Ferry Road near Interstate 270.

Tracks reopen after Saturday derailment

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Railroad tracks reopened Sunday after 14 freight cars jumped the tracks in the capital on Saturday, officials said.

Crews worked overnight to replace about 1,000 feet of rail on two tracks after the accident Saturday, said Mark Davis, Union Pacific spokesman.

The accident occurred when 14 refrigerated boxcars on a 55-car train hauling vegetables from Nebraska to Illinois, left the tracks. Two cars slipped into the Missouri River, spilling about 400 gallons of diesel fuel. Those two rail cars had been removed from the river, Davis said.

Missouri's Amtrak service, which had been interrupted Saturday because of the accident, was also running Sunday.

EPA: Safe for residents to return to their homes

HOUSE SPRINGS, Mo. -- The Environmental Protection Agency on Sunday said it was safe for residents of the High Ridge and House Springs areas to return to their homes.

The EPA advised residents of the towns southwest of St. Louis last week to leave their homes because of a long-burning fire at Charlie's Scrap Metal.

The EPA had said smoke from the fire contained high levels of carbon monoxide and contaminants from burning petroleum, plastics and treated wood products.

On Sunday, Dale Armstrong, regional EPA spokesman, said levels of harmful materials in the smoke had dropped off considerably and that the fire was nearly out, though some hot spots were still smoking.

Earlier reports showed that few residents left their homes out of concern for their property despite the EPA warning.

Police think body is man missing since storms

DE SOTO, Mo. -- Police believe they recovered the body of an eastern Missouri man who had been missing since severe storms hit the region.

De Soto police on Saturday said they found a green 1993 Ford Escort belonging to Dennis Butcher in Edelman Creek with a body inside.

An autopsy will be performed.

If the body is identified as Butcher, it would be the 19th recorded fatality in Missouri from last week's tornadoes and severe storms.

Butcher, 42, never made it home after he left his job May 6 in suburban St. Louis minutes before storms swept through De Soto, a community in Jefferson County.

-- From wire reports