Rural house fire causes $20,000 damage

A fire Tuesday northeast of Lawrence left a family of five without a home and caused $20,000 in damage. No one was injured.

Residents called Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical crews to the Grant Township home at 1652 Highway 24/40 about 9 a.m., after the family’s 2-year-old boy discovered the fire in the laundry room. The boy told officials he heard an explosion.

Firefighters had the fire under control 20 minutes after arrival.

The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in structural damage and $10,000 in damage to belongings.

The family rents the home, and doesn’t have renter’s insurance, resident Steven Biehn said. But Biehn said family and friends were helping out.

The American Red Cross is providing temporary lodging, meals, and replacement clothing for the family.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office officials say the fire’s cause has not been determined. The Sheriff’s Office and Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical are investigating.

Courts

Teen pleads no contest to Honda, Acura thefts

A Lawrence man has entered a plea in connection with a rash of Honda and Acura thefts earlier this year.

Kao Her, 18, on Monday pleaded no contest in Douglas County District Court to two counts of felony theft and one count of fleeing to elude a police officer. Her had been charged with 15 counts stemming from seven auto thefts in the first two months of the year.

Authorities say they believe Her was stealing the Hondas and delivering them to a person in the Kansas City area who wanted them for parts.

He’ll be sentenced June 14.

Public safety

Police department plans D.U.I. checkpoint

Lawrence Police will have officers assigned to a D.U.I. checkpoint from 11 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday. Police won’t say exactly where they’ll be set up, but it will be somewhere in the city limits.