Traffic heading southbound on 35th near ingersoll just before the accident. Weaving in and out of traffic. I thought at first they were racing. That was not the case. No one was pursuing. Mark an officer at the scene said he was surprised mure walked away from the wreckage. He was not upset when i talked to him. I did not see anything that showed he was upset. Just he was standing there and i think he was inside he was in shock. Mark the trial will turn on mures motivation for speeding another officer who interviewed him at the hospital testified that mure told him someone in the other car showed a handgun before the chase and that the other car rammed him causing the accident. But the officer says mure told him he did not know who was chasing him. Eric an accident reconstruction expert also testified the car was going 86 mure did not hit the brakes he was wearing a seatbelt. Scalicity perez was not. This is a bench trial no jury so the judge will rule on the vehicular homicide charge. Testimony resumes this morning. Elizabeth more questions after the second prisoner escape at the newton correctional facility in the past two months. Michael amodeo and jessy foley were both reported missing from the minimum security facility saturday night. Officers in jasper, polk and des moines are searching for the pair. Both were serving time on drug charges. Just last month another inmate at the newton facility escaped. A department of corrections report shows edward shorter escaped with the help of a girlfriend on january 23. He was arrested by officers in polk county. Kccis emmy victor went to newton to speak with union and prison officials. Emmy this minimum Security Center in newton houses inmates preparing to be released. It has limited Staff Members inside and a Vehicle Patrol car but some say that isnt enough and that this trend need to end. The staff in both our facilities and Community Based corrections and the whole state for that matter has significantly decreased. Emmy the American Federation of state county and municipal employees blames funding for 3 inmates recently escaping correctional facilities. We need to have enough staff that we can keep them there and not walk away. Emmy president danny homan says staff cuts are happening across the state and that inmates arent serving enough time in prison because of that. They are trying to get inmates out because it justifies for less staff. One of the gentlemen that escaped was a previous escape be. Previous escapee. Emmy Fred Scaletta of the department of corrections says they take inmates on the loose seriously. If someone is going to take the chance and leave a facility there has to be on some concern emmy and are working to protect the public by reviewing ways to decrease these incidents. We do the best we can with the resources that we have. Elizabeth the investigation is still pending we are still looking to gather more on the missing inmates. Anyone with information should call 911. Eric the flakes are flying out there. Metinka yeah they are. Parts of the state have gotten three to four inches of fresh powder. Mason city down through fort dodge, that is where we have the moderate snowfall this morning. Here in des moines, we are catching the tail end. It is tracking off to the east. We are probably going to pick up a half inch or less. Cup Something Else to keep in mind is the wind. It is making it hard to see and some of those open areas. The roads are kind of slick. It is making it feel cold. Grab those warm winter coats. Temperatures today will headed into the 20s and 30s for a high. Eric its been just over two months since an 18yearold iowa and killed on lincoln way in ames. As kccis vanessa peng reports the city and the school are now looking at ways to make the road safer for pedestrians. Vanessa this intersection at lincoln way and ash avenue is extremely busy all the time. You see pedestrians walking across. There is plenty of traffic. To make the problems worse, sometimes the pedestrians will ignore the traffic signal. Loved ones continue to remember emmalee jacobs after police say in december she was hit and killed by a cyride bus when the driver failed to obey a traffic signal. The memorial should serve as a reminder to be safe yet we caught plenty of pedestrians ignoring it. We want to get ahead of it before we have safety concerns. Vanessa the city of ames says theyre looking at ways to make lincoln way safer. Theyre in the process of hiring a Consulting Firm to see if there are safety issues in areas that are heavily traveled by theres a lot of growth in student population and then if , you look along campustown a lot of that have been redeveloped. Walk right is onto across lincoln way. Vanessa during the half an hour our cameras were rolling most people went against the crosswalk signal. Me and a lot of students just kind of wait for there to be like a like safe enough gap of cars not to be crossing and then we cross the crosswalk. Vanessa isu sophomore Hannah Harfst says she doesnt worry too much about speeding cars. I dont usually Pay Attention to it because i just like look , both ways and make sure theres no cars coming. And ever since the accident that like happened on this street like i havent really been looking at my phone like i used to. Vanessa traffic engineer Damion Pregitzer says theres no correlation between the hit and run and the safety study but they want to make a busy road safer for everyone. We dont feel that its unsafe but i think theres areas for improvement. Vanessa pregitzer tells us the study is part of the citys long range transportation plan. They hope to finalize the deal with Consulting Firms. They they should get a plan to the city council by the end of march. Vanessa peng, kcci 8 news, iowas news leader. Eric ahead on kcci. Former kkk frontman backs the gop frontrunner. New reaction to Donald Trumps response. Plus 42 years of agony and discomfort. The solution an iowa man is fighting to share. This is iowas news leader. This is kcci 8 news this morning with eric hanson, elizabeth klinge, meteorologist kurtis gertz and right now coverage with shaina humphries. Metinka it looks like march is coming in like a lion. We have moderate snows. It is tracking to the east this morning. Here in des moines we are finally seeing the snowflakes. We are on the tail end of the system. Wrapping up and moving out of the area. That wind is driving the wind chills down here in des moines. It feels like 12 degrees. The actual temperature is at 22. Blowing snow to recover those east west roads. Temperatures today will be much colder than yesterday. Heading for a high close to freezing but with that blustery wind, it is going to feel like it is in the teens. We might need the shovels later on in the week. I disavow, ok . Elizabeth endorsement controversy. Donald trump disavowing former ku klux klan leader david dukes endorsement friday. But when asked if he condemns white supremacist groups on sunday, he had no clear answer. I know nothing about david duke. I know nothing about white supremacists. And so youre asking me a question that im supposed to be talking about people that i know nothing about. Elizabeth trump now says he had a hard time hearing the question through his earpiece. Nationally the opposition blasted trump for not immediately denouncing duke and his support. Eric kccis Marcus Mcintosh has the local reaction. I cant believe trump didnt disavow that endorsement as soon as he heard about it. He has created a situation that is hard to walk away from. Marcus kcci political analyst Dennis Goldford says trumps lack of immediate action to distance himself from david is a mistake. One of the things that is your campaign is to refuse support from people who are considered Fringe Groups or in some way illegitimate. Marcus goldford says the latest backlash may fall on deaf ears when it comes to true supporters who tend to stick with republican president ial frontrunner through thick and thin because his message to them , rings loud and clear. We are living in really angry times and trump articulates the anger and resentment of people who believe they have been looked down on and forgotten and disadvantaged by society paying attention to people they dont think deserve it. Marcus those who oppose trump are not surprised by the controversy. I am not a trump supporter but this to me is consistent with his view of the world and it is troubling. Marcus it is a view of the country that some find uncomfortable. It disturbs me because it now kind of shows is america still in the place we were 400 years ago . Eric duke originally detailed Facebook Post late last week. He said in part i think he deserves a close look by those who believe the era of Political Correctness needs to come to an end. Elizabeth you are waking up to 26 degrees in the metro. Police blowing snowflakes. That will increase genetically if youre heading north of town. Right now, you should not have too much trouble if youre in metro weather is never more than 5 minutes away, only on kcci 8 news this morning. Metinka good morning did it is a lot like winter good morning. It is a lot like winter out there. All tracking to the east this morning. This is where the moderate snow is good the dark blue shaded areas. Across ankeny and down through des moines. We have lighter snowflakes. It is tracking to the east. The snow amounts were pretty generous here. Four inches, around clarion. Not much is actually stuck. We have been on the edge of the system. The flakes are flying this the blustery wind continues to blow the snow around. Those winds are making it feel cold this morning. One chills down in the single digits. It feels like only nine this morning in ames, coming off a beautiful springlike weekend. Visibilitys are pretty low. Over toward waterloo, a mile and three quarters. This is why the Winter Weather advisory will continue through 8 00 a. M. Things will be settling down. We are on the back end of the system. If you are traveling toward green bay and north of chicago, you are going to be experiencing what we had overnight. A quieter afternoon. As we head toward wednesday afternoon, by 4 00 p. M. , we will have a chance for light rain and more is on the way by wednesday evening. Here in des moines, we are going to stay on the very edge of that one. It is 26 now. A wind chill of only 12 degrees. Temperatures will stay freezing, up to 32 degrees. Then, it is all going to melt away over the weekend. Elizabeth thanks metinka. Eric a Windsor Heights man is telling his story to kcci in the hopes it pushes a new medical cannabis bill through the capitol. There is once again a battle over medical marijuana or medical cannabis as proponents prefer it to be called. Elizabeth kccis Mark Tauscheck introduces us to a man who is taking a risk even telling his story. Mark pain has always been part of bob lewis. Whenever im asked to give a pain spectrum from one to 10, ive told physicians in the at your number five and it goes up from there. Mark after a childhood filled with fatigue headaches and frustration doctors finally gave him an answer that sounds like a punchline, his brain was too big. It did not fit his goal. Fit his skull. This caused fluid to envelop his brain stem and spinal cord. Causing severe nerve and muscle damage he had his first surgery at 21. Exposed my spinal cord and then drained the fluid that surgery began a forty year relationship. The pain was so severe. Mark with his constant companion. Id have tears in my eyes and i just didnt want to be around anybody. Mark as he visits with employees in his Windsor HeightsMarket ResearchCompany Lewis says he has no feeling in his arms or upper back. And thats why i look like a drunken sailor when i walk he says pain has always dominated when i walk. Mark he says pain has always when you are around family and friends youre feeling the pain so much that you just. Youre there physically but youre not present you just want to be someplace else. Mark pain medications scared numb himself so he sought relief thru simple aspirin. When i tell people how much i took up to 12 a day. Mark lewis was resigned to this life of pain until a family trip to kara last august. To colorado last august. A state where medical marijuana is legally manufactured and distributed he tried a patch on his back that released cannabis with a small amount of thc he says within 90 minutes he realized his life could change. Just absolutely feeling different than i had felt in 41 years and it just took a couple of seconds to realize i had no pain. I was absolutely without pain. I had to force myself to go to bed that night because i was still feeling so good. You have no idea what its like. Its like the shackles are off. Gone. Lewis didnt even try to bring any cannabis patches home to iowa. I didnt want to take chance of i didnt want to take chance of getting home and being arrested because we had them in our bag. Several people offered to bring mark several people offered to bring him some but lewis told them all he wanted to do this the right way getting the existing medical cannabis law changed in iowa. There are a lot of us out there with intractable pain and we could sure use the help now. Mark lewis spoke about his experience in colorado at a subcommittee hearing this month. Within a couple of hours my pain had gone to point where it was nonexistent. Mark he spoke knowing the bill introduced the previous week had been radically altered. The number of medical conditions that qualify for medical cannabis treatment reduced from 11 to three. When i found out the intractable pain was taken out it was like a brick hitting me in the chest. I was very disappointed. Marco mark an interesting twist as bob lewis testified before the subcommittee he was wearing a cannabis patch. Been able to get thru the day like i did without it. Mark a friend had surprised lewis with a 30day supply and there he was at the capitol using an illegal drug to control his pain even showing legislators his patch behind the house floor, fighting for a way to purchase more patches legally. Because emotionally something has happened to me that when i have that pain, and there is nothing i can do about it, it is like, i dont feel frantic, but but im like oh my gosh i can feel better than this. Thanks jim for inviting me here. I appreciate it. So i bought a patch. Mark lewis now is trying to educate the masses through his personal story. I had no pain i was pain free for first time in 42 years mark lewiss employees claim to know what days hes wearing a patch. You can kind of see the relief in his face that hes pain free. Mark while he wants his story to help expand the medical cannabis law in iowa to include more medical conditions like lewis completely understands the legal risks of speaking about his journey and his solution. Bring them on. Bring them on, mark, if they want to throw me in jail, why would they . Ive had Police Officers tell me good for you. It for you. Good for you. Elizabeth bob lewiss Research Company selffunded that poll of 1000 iowans on medical cannabis it concluded three in four people support a medical cannabis law and 67 think medical cannabis should be addressed this legislative session. Eric coming up see how coffee of all things is helping turn elizabeth rate between ames and des moines, right between ames in des moines, theres a new coffee shop on highway 69. Eric along that stretch you can find plenty of places for coffee but ill show you why coffee and scones arent as important as the iowans behind the counter in this is iowa. Brewing coffee is simple. Roasting it isnt. Were at about 416 degrees. Eric but a year ago brian dannen mueller didnt even know that. I thought it just came from a can folgers you know . Eric today every bean of freedom blend coffee goes through him. But thats not even close to the biggest transformation in his i went to jail and then i was evicted from my apartment. Eric some believe 21yearolds from the suburbs all have it made. I actually made a few wrong turns in life. Eric brians living proof trouble doesnt have a zip code. I ended up looking for a homeless shelter. Eric which is exactly why the coffee hes roasting is moving into small towns like huxley. February 1 freedom for youth, the group behind the coffee took over a shop that going to close along highway 69 and added to the menu. We dont want to be a coffee shop just to be a coffee shop. Eric offering opportunities for guys like brian. By buying coffee youre making a difference. Eric every cup thats sold here helps kids whove found trouble track down their right path. Its really about the kids dignity for the kids and giving them opportunities to succeed. Eric some like brian will work here earning both experience and money. Its an easy way to do something thats constructive for the community. Eric others as young as elementary will learn stability from the classes theyll take here. Coffees just the front for this store thats really offering a second chance. Ive paid off thousands of dollars in fines. Im going back to school at dmacc. Eric by summer freedom blends second shop will open on hickman. Eventually they want one in every county across iowa. Because youll find brians in every zip code. Absolutely. Were all over the place. [laughter] thank you so much. Youre welcome. Eric businesses and churches iowa kids by serving freedom blend coffee. Weve got a link to their website at kcci. Com if you want to give it a try. Elizabeth that is a great idea. Still ahead on kcci its super tuesday. The make or break day for president ial candidates, next at eric right now at 5 00, super tuesday. Today could be make or break for candidates vying for a 2016 president ial nomination. The states to watch, coming up. Alyx and there maybe states to watch while this state is watching, how local analysts weigh in on iowans role on this super tuesday. Elizabeth plus, grassley at the white house. Whats on the agenda for the iowa senators meeting with president obama, coming up. You are watching kcci 8 news. Eric also this hour, theyre taking over the well. Girls state basketball in full swing in downtown des moines. Well take a look at the big in store for today. Good morning and thanks for waking up with kcci 8 news this morning