Region/state digest 01/19/06

Klutzy worker's ploy for sympathy nearly fatal

ST. PETERS, Mo. -- A maintenance worker who hoped to gain sympathy by inflicting a minor knife wound upon himself almost died when he tripped and fell. The man initially reported on Dec. 27 that another man had stabbed him. But after police grew suspicious and questioned him further, the 35-year-old admitted he hurt himself. He told police he only intended to push the kitchen knife into his chest a little bit. But he said the knife went in all the way when he fell. The man, who has since fully recovered, faces a possible charge of filing a false police report, a misdemeanor.

Police: Teens break into home, punch boy in face

A 16-year-old boy was assaulted by a group of teenagers who forced their way into a home, Cape Girardeau police said. Five teenagers were playing basketball near 1022 Sturdivant Ave. around 4 p.m. Tuesday when they began taunting the boy inside the home to come out. When the boy refused, the five forced their way through the door and punched the victim twice in the face, police Sgt. Barry Hovis said. Another boy inside the home took out a knife and chased the five teenagers away. There were no adults present, Hovis said. Curtis E. Cox, 17, of 925 S. Ellis St., was charged with felony burglary and misdemeanor assault. He had bond set at $7,500, according to Hovis. A 14-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and two 15-year-old boys were cited into juvenile court for the incident. The attack stemmed from a prior incident between the teens, who all knew each other. The 16-year-old boy attacked did not receive medical attention.

Poplar Bluff company wins Highway 72 contract

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission awarded a $1.5 million contract to Joe's Bridge and Grading Inc. of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for the first phase of improvements to Highway 72 from Fredericktown, Mo., to Highway 34 in Cape Girardeau County. The work includes leveling part of a hill and improving the line of sight at the intersection of highways 72 and 51 at Patton, Mo. State highway officials said the work is scheduled to begin in February and wrap up this fall. The commission last week also awarded a $92,181 contract to Cotner Electric Co. of Cape Girardeau to install traffic signals at the Route D and Farmington Road intersection in Jackson. Work should start in June and be completed by late summer, Missouri Department of Transportation officials said.

Thieves target parents dropping off children

In light of recent thefts outside Cape Girardeau day-care centers, police urged parents to lock their car doors when dropping off children at the facilities. Since Dec. 22, seven thefts were carried out at Wee-Care Child and Infant Center, 1855 Perryville Road, Christian School for the Young Years, 735 N. Clark Ave., and A Step at a Time, 1003 Perry Ave. Purses, money, checks and credit cards were stolen from unlocked vehicles while a parent ran inside a day care to drop off children. Police believe the thefts are connected, police Sgt. Barry Hovis said. Hovis encouraged parents to lock car doors and hide valuables under a car seat when dropping their children off. Anyone with information about the thefts should contact the Cape Girardeau Police Department, 335-6621.

Complaint filed against Jackson County sheriff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A complaint filed in Washington by the Office of Special Counsel accuses Jackson County Sheriff Tom Phillips of asking employees to appear in a commercial for Democrat Claire McCaskill when she was running for governor in 2004. Spokesman Tony Wyche said in a written statement that the McCaskill campaign had asked Phillips for help finding volunteers "and the campaign believed that the individuals who came were volunteers." The complaint filed Tuesday also accuses Phillips of asking several sheriff's department employees to attend events and fund-raisers related to his own re-election campaign that year. A spokeswoman for the sheriff's department said Wednesday that Phillips had received the complaint and believes it is "without merit." The Hatch Act bars federal employees, as well as some state and local government employees, from some partisan political activity.

-- From staff, wire reports