(Updated June 22, 2017)

OSAGE BEACH – The city is considering a change in its ordinance that would allow police to enforce traffic laws on private property.

City Attorney Ed Rucker explained to the Board of Aldermen last week that the idea was brought to him from an Osage Beach Police officer.

The basic idea of the change is to allow police to enforce city traffic laws on private property like the parking lots of businesses.

Police Chief Todd Davis confirmed to the aldermen that if someone in the parking lot of the outlet store runs a stop sign the police cannot enforce the city laws regarding running a stop sign because it’s private property.

In addition, if there is an accident involving two vehicles in the Walmart parking lot the city cannot enforce any traffic laws because it is private property. The officer can tell the parties involved to go to civil court but can’t issue any tickets.

The change would allow the officers to give the offender a ticket for disobeying a city traffic law on private property.

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Man faces arson, assault charges

CAMDEN COUNTY – A county man has found himself in jail after allegedly attempting to set an RV on fire with a female inside.

Last Monday (June 12) around midnight, deputies from the Camden County Sheriff’s Department (CCSD) responded to a disturbance in progress at an address on Rabbit Road. According to the CCSD, a female had locked herself inside an RV to avoid contact with a Wesley Ray Dickey, 46.

While heading to the scene, deputies were advised that the suspect was attempting to set fire to the RV with the female victim still inside, police said.

The female victim called a neighbor for assistance when she smelled smoke. The neighbor came to the victim’ aid and while stopping Dickey from lighting the fire, was allegedly assaulted by Dickey. The neighbor returned to his residence and called 911 at which time Dickey fled into the woods.

The CCSD stated that when the deputy arrived, he ordered Dickey out of the woods where he complied with the order but then resisted arrest.

Dickey was eventually placed under arrest and transported to the Camden County Detention Center. He has been charged with Arson 1st Degree ($50,000 Bond), Assault 3rd Degree, Resisting Arrest (No Bond), Warrant for Contempt of Court (No Bond).

The victim and neighbor both refused medical attention.

“Thanks to the neighbor, Dickey was unsuccessful in throwing the lit paper into the gas tank of the RV,” a CCSD spokesman said.

This is not the first run-in that Dickey has had with the CCSD this year. In February he was arrested for Domestic Assault 3rd degree and Endangering The Welfare Of A Child, 2nd Degree.

The results of that case had not been decided on when the incident last week occurred.

No wake zone extended for Shootout

LAKE OF THE OZARKS – The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) has revised navigational restrictions that will be put into place during the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout regatta event.

The no wake restriction for the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout event includes the main channel from the 31.5-mile mark to the 36-mile mark.

Due to the number of spectator vessels expected at the event, the no wake restriction on Saturday, August 26, will be extended.

The extended no wake area will be in effect from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will include the main channel from the 31.5-mile mark downstream to approximately the 24-mile mark.

The extended no wake area is in addition to the no wake restriction implemented for the event itself.

The extended no wake area will assist in maintaining a safe boating environment as the majority of the boating traffic exits the event in a downstream direction.

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Larger Wrong Way signs coming to Hwy 54

CAMDEN/MILLER COUNTIES – Larger “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” signs have are being installed on Route 54 in Camden and Miller counties as part of an effort to prevent wrong-way traffic crashes.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is placing the new signs as a result of a road safety audit conducted last year on the 100-mile stretch of Route 54 from Camdenton to Mexico.

Guard cable and high friction surface treatment on several curves will also be installed on Route 54 as part of the audit’s recommendations.

While the audit found the existing conditions on the Route 54 corridor to meet all state and federal standards, MoDOT is implementing the additional safety enhancements in an effort to further reduce incidents.

Crews started with removing old signs and placing new ones at the Route 54 and Route AA intersection and have worked westward through Miller and Camden counties.

The work is taking place during daytime hours, from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The installation is scheduled to be finished in September.

Most of the work will take place in the highway median, but there will be times when the median crossover will have to be closed to replace the signs. When that happens, traffic will be detoured to the next crossover.

Message boards ahead of the work zones will warn motorists of lane or median crossover closures.

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Operation Dry Water June 30

LAKE OF THE OZARKS - Colonel Sandra K. Karsten, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces the Patrol's participation in Operation Dry Water.

Operation Dry Water is a national campaign in which marine law enforcement officers from across the country coordinate special patrols to keep the waterways safe from boaters operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

This year, June 30-July 2 has been designated as Operation Dry Water weekend. As a partner in this national campaign, troopers will focus their efforts on detecting and apprehending impaired boat operators.

Missouri boat operators found to have a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or greater will be arrested for boating while intoxicated. Intoxicated boat operators endanger themselves, their passengers, and other boaters utilizing our many waterways.

“Missouri is blessed with a variety of water-related recreation opportunities,” said Karsten. “Floating, swimming, and boating activities should be fun, safe experiences. When your family or friends plan a water outing, make sure safety is part of the discussion. Life jackets save lives. Consuming alcohol and then operating a vessel puts lives at risk. The Missouri State Highway Patrol joins its Operation Dry Water partners in stressing the importance of being sober when in and around water. Please don’t operate a vessel if you’ve consumed alcohol.”

Last year, 538 local, state, and federal agencies participated in a weekend long event of heightened BWI enforcement known as Operation Dry Water. Officers removed 367 intoxicated boat operators from the water.

In addition, law enforcement officers made contact with over 131,054 boaters concerning BWI or boating safety enforcement and awareness.

United States Coast Guard 2015 data reveals that alcohol use remains the primary known contributing factor for recreational boater deaths.

In 2016, troopers arrested a total of 11 people statewide for boating while intoxicated, contacted 661 vessels and 2,000 boaters, and issued 114 boating violation summonses and 613 warnings on Missouri waterways.

Marine operations troopers also issued 176 summonses for non-boating violations during the 2016 Operation Dry Water weekend. Special enforcement operations will continue throughout the summer months.

Boaters are reminded that designating a sober operator is always the safest bet if alcohol is going to be included in their boating experience.

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