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Bad weather causing flight delays in Austin
Bad winter weather around the country is likely to be the cause of delays at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport this evening, an airport spokesman said.
As of 5:45 p.m., 21 of 59 arrivals were delayed up to three hours, according to the airport’s Web site. Also, eight of 34 departures were delayed up to an hour, with a 5:40 p.m. flight to Dallas canceled.
“Some of the airports — Chicago, Dallas — were having weather issues earlier today,” airport spokesman Jim Halbrook said. “I guess conditions got worse during the day, and it’s kind of a domino effect. Once a plane gets late, it’s got to get to the other side and turn back around.”
He advises travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Firefighters quench fire at UT golf course
Despite high winds, fire fighters have wrestled a blaze at the University of Texas Golf Club into submission, officials say.
The shell of the clubhouse extension was still smoldering at mid-afternoon, leaving mostly just a charred shell of a building. The extension was under construction and nearly 70 percent completed when the fire started, said Dale Faust, spokesman for the Hudson Bend Fire Department.
“Of course, the big factor is the wind,” Faust said. “The wind is blowing out here, and it is hampering getting this fire under control.”
The golf course is in western Travis County near Steiner Ranch. The fire only affected the extension, not the other buildings.
No injuries have been reported, although construction crews were on the roof of the building when the fire was spotted, Faust said.
Officials are still looking for the cause of the fire, which is believed to have started on the roof. No estimates on damage were available.
Suspects sought in aggravated robbery
From the Travis County Sheriff’s Department:
On 12-22-07 at approx 10:00 a.m. the 73 year old victim of an apparent Aggravated Robbery arrived at Brackenridge hospital seeking treatment for injuries suffered during a home invasion.
Hat suspected of belonging to one of the intruders.
Detectives believe that two suspects entered the victim’s home at 8709 Old Manor Rd. believing that it was abandoned. Suspects entered the unlocked residence and shot the resident with a small caliber pistol. The suspects stole a black wallet that contained cash and possibly a SS card with the last name, Sanders. The suspects also stole two long guns. The stolen weapons are described as very old and in poor shape. One is a Harrington Richardson, single shot, 20 gauge shotgun. The other is a Winchester, single shot, 22 caliber rifle. The victim was driven to the hospital by two of his friends who found him early Saturday morning.
One of the suspects is a male, believed to be in his mid twenties. The 2nd suspect is unknown age, race or gender. Evidence found at the scene of the offense includes an item of clothing suspected to belong to one of the intruders, a black knit ‘stocking hat’ with grey trim.
If you have any information about this incident, please call Detective Craig Smith, 512-854-3425 or Crime stoppers, 472-TIPS.
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Police investigating a fatal shooting in North Austin
Austin police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man they describe as Hispanic in the 8200 block of Sam Rayburn Drive early this morning, police spokesman Sgt. Richard Stresing said.
Stresing said that witnesses told police they heard at least one gunshot, looked out of their windows and saw the Hispanic male in the parking lot as six to eight men ran from the scene about 2:49 a.m.
Paramedics transported the Hispanic male, who has not been identified, to Brackenridge Hospital, Stresing said. He was pronounced dead from injuries related to the gunshot wound to his body at the scene, according to Stresing.
This is the city’s 29th homicide investigation in 2007, police said. Anyone with more information about the incident is asked to call the Homicide Tip Line at 477-3588.
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Brush fires rage through Central Texas
High winds and low humidity meant a tough Saturday for firefighters as brush fires tore through parts of Central Texas.
About 100 firefighters and neighbors battled a blaze near Dripping Springs starting around 11:30 a.m. when winds blew two power lines together, causing molten metal to fall and ignite the grass below, said Hays County Sheriff’s spokesman Mike Thielen.
STAR Flight helicopters dumped water from above while residents in the area of Fawn Meadows Drive pitched in to douse flames with buckets of water. Thielen said the 30 mph winds made it easy for the flames to spread quickly, eventually burning more than 100 acres.
“The high winds are terrible,” Thielen said. “One young man out here said he saw the fire move 100 feet in a short time.”
Fire crews and neighbors were able to extinguish the flames before they reached area homes, Thielen said. No structures were damaged and no one was injured.
Firefighters in Bastrop County were faced with the same problems. Bastrop Fire Dept. Chief Henry Perry said crews fought a five-acre fire in the area of Yellow Moon Drive for almost three hours. The flames burned down a mobile home, but firefighters were able to save a small wooden home. Both structures were uninhabited, Perry said. No one was injured.
“The cold front came in and dropped the humidity into the teens and drove the winds up,” Perry said. “Even when the temperatures are cool, that doesn’t mean there is no fire danger.”
National Weather Service forecaster Dennis Cook said fire-prone conditions won’t be as bad Sunday as the winds will die down to only about five mph.
House fire kills 3 in Killeen
Three people died in a fire caused by an explosion Saturday morning at a house in Killeen, officials said.
The house in the 4900 block of East Veteran’s Memorial Boulevard had collapsed and was on fire at 5:06 a.m. when firefighters arrived. After the fire was extinguished, the remains of two men and one woman were found inside the house, said Carroll Smith, spokeswoman for the Killeen police.
A 47-year-old man and his 56-year-old wife were pronounced dead on the scene at 7:30 a.m. Their names have not been released pending positive identification.
A second man, Eric Charles Wilson, of Killeen was later found beneath the rubble and pronounced dead at 10:30 a.m. Wilson, who is in his 30s, is the woman’s son, Smith said.
Investigators believe an explosion inside the house, possibly involving propane caused the fire, Smith said.
4 teens charged with aggravated robbery
Police have charged four people with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in connection with a November bank robbery in West Austin.
Police arrested Iram DeJesus-Perez, 19, and Roger Javier Dinarte, 21, and detained a 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, police said. All four were charged with the first degree felony, police said.
On Nov. 13, the 16-year-old girl entered a Prosperity Bank branch at 12730 Research Blvd wearing a Halloween mask and demanded cash, police said.
Local and federal investigators were able to identify the group through tips they received, police said.
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Officer injured during early-morning collision
Two Austin police officers trying to help a corporal pull over what they believed was a stolen vehicle were involved in a minor car accident early this morning, according to Austin police spokeswoman Veneza Aguiñaga.
Several officers heard that the corporal needed assistance on their radios and started heading in his direction, she said. When another priority call went out to officers, one officer made a U-turn in the eastbound lane of the 800 block of Barton Springs Road.
His car was hit on the driver’s side by another officer, Aguiñaga said. He was taken to Brackenridge Hospital with minor injuries. The other officer was not injured. There will be an internal affairs investigation into the collision in accordance with departmental policy, she said.
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Travis County deputies raid cockfighting operation
Travis County sheriff’s deputies have arrested 16 people and charged them with animal cruelty in connection with a cockfighting operation in the far eastern part of the county.
Deputies received a call at about 5 p.m. Thursday about the operation off Blake Manor Road at a house at 20800 Galilee Court. They found numerous people jumping over fences and fleeing the scene when they arrived, said Capt. Phyllis Clair, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office.
“You can drive in any county in Texas and see that some people are raising roosters for fighting. It’s just a matter of if it’s reported,” said Sgt. Richard Hale.
The deputies also found cages, four to six dead roosters and six injured roosters, Clair said. She said it was obvious the dead animals had been killed while fighting one another.
Three of the six injured roosters had to be euthanized, said Hale. He said deputies seized a large amount of money at the house but would not say how much.
The property included a cockfighting arena and was surrounded by a 6-foot fence, Clair said. There was a win/loss tally board that was being monitored and people were gambling there. Hale said it was hard to tell how long the operation had been there.
He said that in his 21 years with the sheriff’s office, he’s received one call about dogfighting but no other animal cruelty calls that involved fighting.
He said that in some cultures, such as Mexico, cockfighting is viewed as a sport but that it is illegal in the United States.
Deputies are preparing to release the names of the people arrested later today.
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Georgetown officer accused of rape suspended indefinitely
Georgetown police said today that Sgt. Jimmy Fennell’s employment with the department has been suspended indefinitely for refusing to cooperate with an internal affairs investigation.
Fennell was indicted by a Williamson County grand jury earlier this month, accused of raping a highly intoxicated woman during a domestic disturbance call on Oct. 26. According to court records, Fennell drove her to what she thought was a park, asked her to dance for him and then raped her as she leaned against his police cruiser.
Temple police looking for bank robber
From the Temple Police Department:
Temple police were notified of a robbery at Guaranty Bank, 1315 S. 31st St. today around 9:30 a.m.
Officers arrived on scene within three minutes of being notified and secured the scene. Bank employees informed officers that the suspect fled the scene and that all employees and customers were safe.
The robber was described as a black male in his mid-30s; about 6’03”-6’4” tall; slender to medium build. He was wearing light blue overalls. Investigators obtained two different vehicle descriptions as the possible suspect vehicle.
Police are working to identify which vehicle description is valid. They are described as: A green Chevrolet Cavalier and a late model silver 4 door.
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations having take charge of this investigation. The Temple Police Department is assisting the FBI.
If you have information that would aide in this investigation contact the Temple Police Department General Investigation Unit at 298-5510.
Mother whose children tested positive for methamphetamine had history with CPS
The mother of three young Florence children who tested positive for methamphetamine last month has had children, one of whom died in 2001, test positive for drugs in the past.
Michael Denson and Melody Whatley, both 29, were arrested earlier this week after authorities went to their home last month in response to a disturbance and found their three children, ages 1, 2 and 3, living in filthy conditions.
According to an arrest affidavit, Denson admitted using methamphetamine and was taken to a hospital.
Child Protective Services workers took the three children from the home because of “garbage, filth and a stench all about in the house,” according to the affidavit. All the children tested positive for methamphetamine. They remain in foster care.
It wasn’t the first time state Child Protective Services workers were involved with Whatley.
Two of her children tested positive for marijuana at birth, one in 2006 and previously in 2001 with a baby who later died, said Chris Van Deusen, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
In 2001, the baby, whose last name was Whatley, died of asphixiation as a newborn, Van Deusen said. It was unclear who the child’s father was, he said.
There didn’t appear to be trauma to the baby, he said, and there were no other children in the home at the time. There is no record of Whatley being charged with a crime in connection with the death.
After another baby was born in 2006 tested positive for marijuana, the state determined Whatley’s drug abuse wasn’t excessive enough to put the children in danger, he said.
The agency followed up for six months, requiring Whatley take drug tests, go to therapy and allow home visits from a case worker.
At the end of the six months, “everything seemed to be going alright,” Van Deusen said.
APD stops burglary in progress as resident escapes
From the Austin Police Department:
Audio: Resident’s 911 call
At 10:06 a.m., Career Criminal Unit Officers working Home for the Holidays Traffic Initiative responded to a 9-1-1 call of a Burglary of Residence in progress at the 8900 block of Hunters Trace. When the officers arrived they observed three male suspects rummaging through a dresser inside the residence. They then found the female resident exiting through a back window. The officers assisted her and took her to a safe location. The officers then announced themselves and entered the home. The officer’s placed the three suspects into custody without incident. The officers found the home to be ransacked and all the Christmas presents had been opened and strewn across the floor.
The three suspects are charged with Burglary of a Residence (a 2nd Degree Felony) and are identified as:
Alberto Rea, White Male, (DOB 10-26-88)
Jesus Rea, White Male, (DOB 09-27-87)
Christian Membreno, White Male, (DOB 07-12-88)
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San Marcos police find 12-year-old girl
From the City of San Marcos:
Update:
San Marcos police have located a 12-year old girl who was reported missing from her home earlier this evening.
Police located 12-year old Rowan Castillo at Miller Junior High School. She is reported to be fine and is being returned to her family. Miller Junior High Principal Susan Brown, who went to the school to assist in the search, called police to say the girl had arrived at the school around 8 p.m.
The girl left her home at the Park Hill Apartments at 1001 Leah Avenue to take out the trash around 4 p.m. Wednesday and did not return home. Her parents notified police about 5 p.m. that she was missing. San Marcos police and firefighters participated in the search.
Previous report:
San Marcos police and firefighters are searching for a 12-year-old girl who hasn’t been seen since about 4 p.m. today.
Rowan Castillo, age 12, left her home at the Park Hill Apartments at 1001 Leah Avenue to take out the trash and hasn’t been seen by her family since.
She is described as about 5 feet tall, 98 pounds, with black shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a white hoodie with black paw prints on it, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the girl should call San Marcos Police at 512-753-2108.
Woman dies after collision off MoPac
From the Austin Police Department:
TRAFFIC FATALITY
Case: 07-3520528
Date: Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Time: 8:46 a.m.
Location: South MoPac Expy. SB at LaCrosse Avenue
Deceased: Amanda Gawlik, White Female, (D. O. B. 11-23-1966)
Narrative: At 8:46 a.m., South West Area Command patrol officers responded to a collision at the intersection of S. MoPac Expressway SB and LaCrosse Avenue.
It is believed that a 2000 Ford Explorer was traveling southbound in the outside lane of S. Mopac and ran the red light at the intersection. A 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe was traveling eastbound on Lacrosse Avenue and was struck on the driver side by the Ford.
The Tahoe spun on impact approximately 180 degrees and the driver was ejected in the process. All parties were transported to Brackenridge Hospital.
The driver of the Chevrolet, Amanda Gawlik, was later pronounced dead as a result of her injuries. It is believed that she was not wearing a seatbelt.
Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact the APD Vehicular Homicide Unit detectives at 974-5774.
This case remains under investigation by APD Vehicular Homicide detectives. This is the 57th traffic fatality of 2007.
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Couple charged after their kids test positive for meth
A Florence couple was arrested Tuesday after authorities said their three young children tested positive for methamphetamines.
Michael Denson
Melody Whatley
The arrest was the first in Williamson County under a new law that makes it illegal for a child to test positive for a controlled substance.
Authorities found the children after a Williamson County sheriff’s deputy was called to the home of Melody Lorraine Whatley, 29, and her husband, Michael Joseph Denson, 29, in response to a verbal disturbance on Nov. 28.
According to an arrest affidavit, Denson admitted to using methamphetamines and was taken to the hospital. Child Protective Services workers took the three children from the home because of “garbage, filth and a stench all about in the house,” according to the affidavit. All of the children, ages 1, 2 and 3, tested positive for methamphetamines.
Such positive test results would have once been used as probable cause to argue that the children had been endangered, Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley said.
But after the new rules created during the last legislative session, the children’s results alone were enough to charge Denson and Whatley with endangering a child. “It’s part of a nation-wide effort to combat children being around drugs, in particular methamphetamines,” Bradley said.
The drug can be absorbed into a person’s system just by being around it, he said, even if it’s not ingested.
Couple indicted for drinking margaritas while kids were locked in car
A man and woman accused of leaving their two children in a locked sport utility vehicle while they drank margaritas at a Hutto restaurant earlier this year were indicted by a Williamson County grand jury Tuesday.
Miguel Lopez
Beatriz Pedroza
Beatriz Pedroza was indicted on two counts of endangering a child for leaving her then-1-year-old boy and 5-month-old girl unsupervised in a Ford Expedition, according to the indictment. She was also indicted for driving while intoxicated with a child passenger, according to the indictment issued by the 368th District Court in Williamson County. The children’s father, Miguel Lopez, was indicted on two counts of endangering a child.
Pedroza had been drinking on Sept. 30 when she drove her children more than 25 miles from Austin to the Rio Grande restaurant in Hutto, police have said.
The couple drank margaritas in the restaurant for about a half-hour before police were called and found the children sweating in the vehicle outside, according to an arrest affidavit. The children were not injured.
The couple were arrested and remain in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Woman dies in afternoon collision
A pedestrian died earlier today after she was hit by a van on Cameron Road, police said.
Police have re-opened two blocks of Cameron Road near Reinli Street that were closed while they investigated the wreck, said Austin police officer Veneza Aguiñaga.
Around 4:40 p.m., the woman, who was in her 50s, was walking across Cameron Road with a small child just south of Reinli, Aguiñaga said.
A van traveling south struck both of them, Aguiñaga said.
The woman was taken to Brackenridge Hospital, where she died. The child was taken to Dell Children’s Hospital with minor injuries, Aguiñaga said.
The person driving the van stopped at the scene, Aguiñaga said.
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Former Jonestown cop gets 10 years for indecency with child
A former Jonestown police officer was sentenced to 10 years in prison today for forcing a 6-year-old girl to touch his genitals on several occasions, beginning in 1996.
Stephen Burgess, 48, pleaded guilty last month to indecency with a child and attempted indecency with a child. He was sentenced in state District Judge Burt Carnes’ court. Burgess worked at the Jonestown Police Department from 2005 until he resigned in March after his arrest.
He was also a Travis County sheriff’s deputy for a few years but quit in 1999, according to Roger Wade, a spokesman for the department.
APD seeks help on vehicle vandalism
From the Austin Police Department:
Austin Police Department Northwest and Southwest detectives are seeking the public’s assistance to help identify suspects responsible for criminal mischief offenses that have occurred since August 2007 in the northwest and southwest parts of the city.
The suspects have been targeting mostly SUV-type vehicles, shattering the rear windows with what detectives believe to be a BB or pellet gun. In most cases, nothing has been stolen.
To date, there have been more than 400 reported cases in northwest and southwest Austin with the incidents occurring between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. The damaged vehicles were parked either in a driveway or on the street in front of the owner’s home.
The Austin Police Department asks residents to call 911 on any suspicious persons or vehicles during these times of the night.
Individuals with specific information about this incident or the suspect are asked to call Detective M. Gutierrez at 974-5954 for Northwest, Detective M. Feinartz at 974-8252 or Detective B. Buck at 974-4748 for Southwest or CrimeStoppers at 472-8477. CrimeStoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information. These cases remain under investigation by APD Northwest and Southwest detectives.
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City reports Monday wastewater spill into Eanes Creek
From the City of Austin:
An Austin Water Utility (AWU) wastewater lift station overflow alarm failed Monday spilling approximately 55,000 gallons of wastewater into a dry bed of Eanes Creek near the intersection of Thousand Oaks Drive and Crested Butte Drive. The alarm failure and spill were discovered at 1:20 p.m. Monday.
Repairs have been made and AWU crews have recovered all the wastewater that was spilled from the lift station. The affected 200 yards of the creek bed was flushed with potable water and that water was recovered and returned to the wastewater collection system. AWU will continue to monitor the creek.
AWU does not believe this event will affect the public drinking water supply. However, area residents using private wells for human or animal consumption are encouraged to boil their water until they can have their water tested.
