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KXEL Morning News for Tue. Jan. 26, 2021

By Tim Martin Jan 26, 2021 | 5:27 AM

Trial for one of the men accused of killing and hiding the body of Chris Bagley in Cedar Rapids has been delayed. Judge Christopher Burns ruled yesterday the trial for 33-year-old Drew Blahnik, which was set to begin February 15th in Linn County, will be pushed back. Blahnik’s attorneys filed a motion for continuance last week, citing an incomplete disclosure of evidence. Blahnik is charged with first-degree murder, obstructing prosecution and abuse of a corpse in connection with the death of 31-year-old Chris Bagley of Walker. Bagley went missing in December 2018; his body was found some four months later buried at a home in Cedar Rapids. Investigators say the stabbing may have been retaliation for Bagley’s robbery of a large-scale marijuana trafficker. A co-defendant, 35-year-old Drew Wagner, took a plea deal last year for his role in the murder and will testify during Blahnik’s trial. A new date for that trial has not yet been set. 

Individuals 65 years and older will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine in Linn County starting today; that announcement was made by Linn County Public Health yesterday midday. MercyCare Clinics, UnityPoint Health Clinics and several independent health care providers began contacting their primary care patients 65 and older to provide an opportunity to make a vaccination appointment yesterday. Patients should not call or walk in to clinics, but wait to be contacted; that’s because of the limited amount of vaccine available at this point. Those 65 and older who do not have a primary care provider can contact Linn County Public Health for assistance in locating a vaccine provider.

One person has been arrested, accused of firing a gun during an argument that damaged a home a block away in Waterloo Saturday afternoon. 18-year-old Jeremy James Albers was arrested yesterday and charged with reckless use of a firearm, assault while displaying a weapon and intimidation with a weapon. The incident started with an argument on Devonshire Drive shortly before 3:30 p.m., and during the dispute Albers is accused of firing a gun outside. Police say the bullet traveled one block over and went through a window of a home in the 100 block of Presley Circle. No injuries were reported. Officers are also investigating an early Sunday morning shooting in which a bullet struck a Waterloo man in the toe. Neighbors in the 200 block of Summit Avenue called 911 shortly after 4:30 a.m. after hearing gunfire. Police say 28-year-old Triplett Session arrived at a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound to the foot a short time later.

Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is taking advantage of this week away from sessions in the U.S. House to travel around the first congressional district. During a visit to our studios in Waterloo yesterday, she talked about bringing Washington staff members to Iowa to see who they are representing. You can hear the full interview with Congresswoman Ashley Hinson from yesterday’s KXEL Live & Local by going to kxel.com.