Columbia Police have identified the motorist who was killed in a horrific head-on collision late Tuesday night on Stadium Boulevard.

CPD investigators say the incident happened at about 11:10 pm, when the driver of a GMC Sierra crossed the centerline into eastbound Stadium, hitting a Mazda driven by 64-year-old John Searle of Columbia head-on. Mr. Searle, who was wearing a safety belt, was pronounced dead later at a local hospital.

CPD says the Sierra’s driver suffered critical injuries. That driver’s name has not been released by Columbia Police.

Columbia Police describe their investigation as ongoing, saying more information may be released later. The crash happened near the Stadium and West Boulevard.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of the co-owner of Columbia’s popular Casa Maria’s Mexican cantina on Grindstone Parkway, for a second degree arson charge in southeast Missouri’s Kennett.

43-year-old Crystal Umfress is charged with the class D felony for her alleged role in starting a fire this summer in Kennett, which is about five hours from Columbia.

Our news partner KMIZ reports the fire happened in July at Lupita’s Mexican restaurant. Court documents obtained by ABC-17’s Marina Diaz quote a witness as telling Kennett Police that Umfress was upset at the owner of the business because the person “ran off with her husband.”

Casa Maria’s Mexican cantina’s website describes itself as one of the top Mexican restaurants in Columbia.

Missouri’s governor is proclaiming October as pork month in the Show-Me State.

Governor Mike Parson will be at the state Department of Agriculture (MDA) headquarters in Jefferson City later this morning to present the proclamation to Missouri Pork Association (MPA) executive vice president Don Nikodim and to MDA director Chris Chinn. MPA is headquartered in Columbia. Parson, Chinn and Nikodim will be joined by state Department of Agriculture employees.

Governor Parson notes the pork industry contributes more than $1-billion annually to Missouri’s economy. Mr. Nikodim has told 939 the Eagle that Missouri’s pork industry provides about 25,00o to 30,000 jobs statewide.

Fast-growing southwest Columbia has a brand-new fire station, thanks to the voter-approved 2015 capital improvement sales tax extension.

About 200 people turned out in the blazing sun for Tuesday morning’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on Scott Boulevard. City manager De’Carlon Seewood tells 939 the Eagle that it’s one of the fastest-growing areas in Columbia.

“And not to have proper fire service does a disservice to our residents. So this fire house will be an exemplary process that will allow our residents to be safe to make sure that if there is a health emergency or if there is a fire emergency, we can respond quickly,” Mr. Seewood says.

The 10,000 square feet fire station cost $4.5 million to build. It has three apparatus bays, a training room, multiple restrooms and a workout area. The new fire station is located in a residential neighborhood on Scott Boulevard in southwest Columbia. City voters approved the project as part of the 2015 capital improvement sales tax extension. Mr. Seewood says the project was impacted by inflation.

“When we put it in the budget ten years ago, we budgeted two-and-a-half million (dollars). Inflation happens, so it cost us four-and-a-half (million) to actually get it built,” says Seewood.

Mr. Seewood, Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, fire chief Clayton Farr and Councilman Donald Waterman were among the speakers at Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. Mr. Seewood tells 939 the Eagle the 12 firefighters to staff fire station 11 have been hired and are ready to start.

Columbia officials will cut the ribbon this morning for the brand-new fire station on Scott Boulevard in fast-growing southwest Columbia.

Mayor Barbara Buffaloe and other local officials will speak at this morning’s 11 o’clock ceremony, before reporters and community members will be invited inside to tour the new facility.

The new fire station has been a priority for city manager De’Carlon Seewood, who outlined it during his June state of the city address. Mr. Seewood says the new station will allow Columbia firefighters to maintain a critical and timely response in  southwest Columbia. The multi-million dollar project has been funded by the voter-approved 2015 quarter-cent capital improvement sales tax extension.

Fire station 11 will have three apparatus bays and a training room. It will also house a Columbia Police Department substation. The city broke ground on the project last September.