WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 56-year-old Wichita man who had four previous drunken driving arrests before a crash that killed a passenger earlier this year has been sentenced to more than 14 years in prison.

KWCH-TV reports Melvin Day was driving under the influence and with a suspended license when he crashed into a tree on March 5.

Sedgwick County prosecutors say Day’s blood alcohol was nearly 3 1/2 times the legal limit at the time of the crash, which killed 55-year-old Kevin Donn.

Day pleaded guilty in October to an involuntary manslaughter charge. He was sentenced Friday to 172 months in prison.

LEAVENWORTH- A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just after 4:30 p.m. on Friday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Ranger driven by Alexandra Wilson, 19, Dearborn, MO., was westbound on U.S. 24 at Stone Creek.

The driver fell asleep and struck a 2004 Dodge 1500 driven by Mary E. Akors, 75, Kansas City, that was stopped at a red light.

Akors was transported to KU Medical Center. The KHP reported Wilson was possibly injured but not where she was treated. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident.

MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has failed to update the Freedom of Information Act despite bipartisan support in the House and Senate.

The Senate approved a bill this week that would require federal agencies to have a presumption of openness when considering release of government information. The House passed a similar bill in February, but the two chambers could not agree on final language.

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont said he was deeply disappointed that the House did not take up the Senate bill, which he co-sponsored.

Leahy said he thought House Republican leaders would support the measure as a way to increase oversight of the Obama administration and make the government more accountable and transparent. The House adjourned Friday without acting on the bill.

He said Republicans “have chosen secrecy over sunlight.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has ruled that more information about a Wichita man charged in a sexual assault and fatal burning must be released to the media.

The Associated Press, The Wichita Eagle and broadcasters KWCH, KAKE and KSN went to court Friday pursuing the probable cause affidavits in the case against Cornell McNeal.

The 26-year-old is charged with one count of capital murder or an alternative count of first-degree murder in the death of Letitia “Tish” Davis. The mother of four suffered from burns on more than half her body and cuts on her head in the Nov. 14 attack and died Nov. 22.

The defense argued the release of records could “endanger the life or physical safety” of McNeal because the prosecution could seek the death penalty.

KIMBERLY PIERCEALL, Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Saturday is a rare date. And when it comes to remembering an anniversary or a birthday, it’s as easy as 12/13/14.

There won’t be another sequential calendar date for 20 years, when Jan. 2, 2034 arrives. It’ll take 89 years to get to Jan. 2, 2103.

Lottery players and Las Vegas take a particular liking to such sequences.

The county marriage license bureau in Las Vegas says it issued 4,333 licenses in just four days leading up to July 7, 2007 — more than half of what it typically issues in an entire month.

Dec. 13, 2014 is no different. One Las Vegas wedding chapel has 120 couples booked for ceremonies. A hotel-casino company is offering free weddings on its Strip-side observation wheel from 10:11 a.m. to 12:13 p.m.

Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two juveniles have been accused of causing vandalism and taking items from Hutchinson High School earlier this week.

Police Lt. Marty Robertson said one of the juveniles admitted to the crimes while the other denied it. Items reportedly taken were recovered at one of the teen’s home. Names were not released.

The building was broken into some time late night on Dec. 8, or early in the morning of Dec. 9.

The vandalism included broken windows, discharged fire extinguishers and the theft of a number of items. Hutchinson Fire responded to the high school after smoke alarms were triggered.
They then contacted police.

Any charges most likely will go through Reno County juvenile court.

SEVERY – Two people were injured in an accident just before 2 p.m. on Friday in Greenwood County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1998 Ford Mustang driven by Austin Todd Clark, 18, Andover, was westbound on U.S. 400 just east of Severy.

The vehicle crossed the centerline and struck an eastbound 2013 Lexus head on.

The Lexus driver Betty L. Fletcher, 82, Wichita, was transported to Eureka Hospital

Clark was transported to Wesley Medical Center.
The KHP reported both drivers were properly retrained at the time of the accident.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge has refused to declare a mistrial for a Topeka rape suspect accused of punching his defense attorney in front of jurors.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Shawnee County District Judge Marc Braun also found 32-year-old Lance Franklin to be in contempt of court and sentenced him to 180 days in jail. Franklin’s attorney, David McDonald, was knocked unconscious Thursday. McDonald told the newspaper in a text message that he never saw the punch coming.

McDonald wasn’t in court, but attorneys from his firm argued for a mistrial. The prosecution, however, argued the trial was going badly for Franklin and said he shouldn’t be rewarded by getting a fresh start.

Braun scheduled the trial to continue in February and allowed McDonald’s firm to withdraw from the case.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A gorilla was able to slip from her cage at a Kansas zoo after someone accidentally left a door open, but zoo officials say she never had access to public areas or vistors.

The city of Topeka says in a news release the gorilla, Tiffany, made it into a service area off her exhibit around 9:10 a.m. Friday.

The Topeka Capital-Journal (https://bit.ly/1AslOVn) reports zoo employees quickly lured the primate back into her enclosure, but not before she spilled a cup of chalk and opened a cassette player.

The gorilla was never harmed, and the zoo issued an all-clear at 9:30 a.m. The city says zoo management is investigating how the exhibit was left unsecured.

THAYER- An Oklahoma truck driver was injured in an accident just before 10:30 a.m. Friday in Neosho County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 International truck driven by David Ryan, 56, Locust Grove, OK., was traveling on U.S. 169 in Thayer.

The diver had medical issue. The truck left the road and struck two unoccupied vehicles.
Ryan was transported to Neosho County Memorial Hospital.

The KHP reported he was properly restrained at the time of the accident.