Jury convicts man in 2006 hammer beating of store clerk
Andrew David Newman, 34, has been convicted in the Sept. 23, 2006 assault with a hammer on a Fort Worth store clerk.
The clerk, Lucia Milan, testified Wednesday that Newman came to her family's store three times on that date.
The first time, Newman (left) counted out 50 pennies for a can of cola. Later he asked to use the restroom.
But the third time, he came at her with a claw hammer, savagely beating her while demanding money.
Milan, 23, said that she pleaded for him to stop so that she could give him money from the cash register, but he kept swinging.
"He didn’t give me a chance," she said, weeping. "I tried to put up my feet to get him off me, but he just kept on hitting me."
Staff Writer Martha Deller reports.
Weatherford man pleads guilty to '07 racing fatality
A 49-year-old man pleaded guilty Wednesday for his part in the wreck that killed Willie "B.B." Fielder, a 17-year-old Weatherford High School football standout.
Prosecutors in Parker County recommended that Rodney Swindle receive a 10-year probated sentence, a $2,000 fine and 300 hours of community service, along with several other conditions of probation, Jeff Swain, Parker County assistant district attorney, wrote in the release.
Swindle was a suspect in a collision that occurred about 3 p.m. on Jan. 8, as Fielder, who was driving a 1997 Dodge Avenger to track practice, turned north onto South Main Street from Cleburne Avenue. A southbound Chevrolet pickup hit the car in the driver's door, police said.
Staff Writer Mitch Mitchell reports.
FBI releases security-camera images of bank robber
The FBI has released security-camera images of the man who robbed a bank inside a Kroger’s store at 2210 S. Fielder Road in southwest Arlington on Tuesday.
The robber approached a teller about 10 a.m., demanded money and threatened to shoot the teller if he did not comply, according to an FBI news release.
Staff Writer Nate Jones reports.
Eight people in East Texas were among 30 people arrested Wednesday in dogfighting raids in three states, the Justice Department said.
Officials from the Humane Society of the United States, which cooperated in the investigation, said this was the largest dogfighting raid in U.S. history.
The raids by task forces involving federal, state and local law enforcement agencies were conducted across Missouri, southern Illinois and eastern Texas after a nine-month investigation.
“This intervention is a momentous victory in our ongoing battle to end the cruel, criminal dog fighting industry,” said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president.
Prosecutors said nine people were indicted in East Texas, and eight of them were arrested Wednesday in Texas' Panola and Gregg counties. Nine dogs, mostly pit bull terriers (like the ones shown at right), were seized during a search of property in rural Panola County.
The Humane Society officials said hundreds of dogs were rescued Wednesday in the various states.
Read more here.
-- Bill Miller
Slain cabdriver had fled Iran to avoid danger
Hooshang Vatanpour (right) never talked about the dangers of being a cabdriver in North Texas.
That was because the 56-year-old Allen father of four was too busy working 12- to 14-hour days, his daughter said Tuesday.
And besides, for more than 20 years, Vatanpour had seen his share of danger in Iran, where he was persecuted for his religious beliefs as a member of the Baha’i faith, Lida Vatanpour said.
"He had been through so much in Iran," she said. "He took us out of there so we could have freedom of ideas and freedom to practice our religion."
Vatanpour was robbed and killed Thursday night as he worked to support his family.
Staff Writer Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.
Dogs seized from 'largest kennel in North Texas'
Authorities on Tuesday seized almost 500 dogs from a Montague County breeding ranch that bills itself as the largest kennel in North Texas.
Montague County sheriff’s officers served search and seizure warrants on Maggic Pets/Heddins Kennel after complaints that the dogs did not receive proper veterinary care, said Sandy Grambort of the Humane Society of North Texas.
Several dead animals were found, and some dogs had skin conditions or open sores, she said.
"From what I understand, two animals were rushed to a local vet for critical care," Grambort said.
The husband of the kennel’s owner said that the dogs received proper care and that authorities received bad information.
Staff Writer Alex Branch reports.
Witness leads Denton police to vehicle burglary suspect
An observant resident proved to be the right crime-fighting tool Tuesday for police.
A 19-year-old Denton man was arrested Tuesday morning after the witness observed someone breaking into vehicles on Eufemia Drive, followed the suspect, and led police to him.
The witness told police about the burglaries and led police to the 3500 block of Crisoforo Drive where Livingston was arrested.
Staff Writer Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.
Hurst woman, 84, again found incompetent to stand trial
An 84-year-old Hurst woman is again headed back to a state hospital for the criminally insane after being found incompetent to stand trial on charges that she killed a neighbor in 2003 because she believed the neighbor was trying to steal her boyfriend.
Authorities and that man have said the relationship never existed.
Kristal Locke (right) was found incompetent on June 25 in a Fort Worth courtroom after a psychological examination was conducted on her in early June. She’s scheduled to return to Vernon State Hospital in a few days.
Staff Writer Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.
Police: Man killed mother, then was run over by a train
A 21-year-old man who fatally stabbed his mother Monday afternoon was run over by a train minutes later as he tried to flee, authorities said Tuesday.
Ana Ascencio-Quintanilla, 42, was stabbed repeatedly with a kitchen knife at her home in the 2100 block of Highbury Road on the northeast side of Carrollton, said officer Dustin Bartram, a Carrollton police spokesman.
Relatives told investigators that Robinson Chulo-Ascencio came home about 5 p.m. and went into a room with his mother. They heard the mother screaming and saw the son run from the house, Bartram said.
They also told investigators that they had no idea why the son attacked his mother.
"This is really a shocking chain of events for them," Bartram said. "According to them, there is no history of violence and no personal issues."
Staff Writer Bill Miller reports.
A former TCU football player was shot by his mother’s boyfriend in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last week during an argument over a can of beer, authorities in Florida said.
Lorenzo Jones, 22, was shot June 30, and taken to a Florida hospital in critical condition, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. His condition was unavailable Monday.
Jones (right) was one of three TCU athletes who were accused of sexually assaulting an unconscious freshman student in an on-campus dorm in October 2006. Those charges were later dropped by the Tarrant County district attorney’s office.
Jones was at his mother’s home in Fort Lauderdale for the summer, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, when he got into an argument with Ricky Von Welch, his mother’s 47-year-old boyfriend.
The two were arguing over a can of beer, according to police. Read what else is in their report in this article by Correspondent Andrew Chavez.
A Hurst homeowner is feeling blue after his sax-playing garden gnome was swiped recently.
That’s right, thieves stole the $80 garden decoration from a front yard in the 2200 block of Farrington Lane on June 26.
We're not sure if he looks exactly like the musician with the conical cap shown at left, but this ought to get you started.
If you find him, point him home, toward Hurst.
— Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.
Police in North Richland Hills caught a burglary suspect early Saturday the easy way: They waited for him to come back to the scene.
Stunned officers arrested a 20-year-old Saginaw man in a Super Wal-Mart parking lot on suspicion of burglary of a vehicle just as they were taking information from the woman who had had her purse stolen.
"The officers looked up and there was the car that matched the license plate description of the one they were given by witnesses," North Richland Hills investigator Keith Bauman said Monday. "It had to be just minutes from the time the purse was taken, and the suspect returned to the parking lot."
Police identified the suspect as Danten Hallman (right).
Staff Writer Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.
There are reports out of Florida that authorities expect to file charges in the death of a 2-year-old girl who was strangled by the family's pet python.
Investigators apparently are working on the nature of the charges. The snakes owner, the boyfriend on the girl's mother -- reportedly did not have the $100 permit required to own a Burmese python in Florida.
Shaiunna Hare was killed as she slept in the attack by the 8-foot, 5-inch python. The snake apparently escaped its tank in another room.
-- Lance Murray
-- Orlando Sentinel Photo via the Associated Press
The medical condition has been upgraded for a 26-year-old man who was injured early Sunday during an incident at a gay bar.
Protesters have accused officers of using excessive force during the incident.
Chad Gibson, who was hospitalized for a head injury, was in fair condition Wednesday morning at John Peter Smith Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.
He had been in serious condition as late as Tuesday night, according to earlier reports.
Also on Tuesday, Police Chief Jeff Halstead (above) said Gibson was in the custody of an agent for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, not a Fort Worth police officer.
"They were not my employees," Halstead said.
Read what else the chief had to say in this report by Staff Writer Mitch Mitchell.
Grapevine police say man fondled girls at theater
Seen this guy?
Police believe he may be the man accused of fondling young girls at Cinemark Tinseltown Grapevine on at least four occasions.
Authorities released photographs of the man Tuesday morning from surveillance cameras at the theater. They believe he may be responsible for four different incidents, possibly six, since December.
The suspect has escalated his contact from brushing up and touching the arms and legs of victims to fondling, police said.
Staff Writer Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.
Man accused of making up story about assault
A Euless man was robbed, but his story may land him in jail.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a 29-year-old Euless man on suspicion of making a false report last week about a holdup in which he claimed to have been knocked unconscious.
He told police he had been at a nearby Bedford restaurant when he walked to his vehicle and was assaulted.
But police later determined that the married man had gone to a strip club in far east Fort Worth with friends, came back to Bedford and then returned to Fort Worth in an attempt to visit a woman he had met at the bar.
Staff Writer Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.
Store owner accused of selling counterfeit Cowboys jerseys
The owner of a Fort Worth sportswear store was arrested Monday morning on accusations that he sold more than 500 counterfeit Cowboys jerseys -- unlike the real one worn by the real Tony Romo (left).
But authorities believe Michael J. Harris, owner of MJ Sportswear in Ridgmar Mall, collected more than $150,000 for the fake jerseys.
He was arrested at his Cedar Hill home on a charge of trademark counterfeiting, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Staff Writer Deanna Boyd reports.
Judge hears recording in ex-radio personality's assault case
Rage and profanities filled a Tarrant County courtroom Monday when a digital recording was played during a hearing in the case of a former radio talk show host who is charged with assault.
On the recording, Russ Martin, 48, (right) is heard repeatedly screaming at his fiancee and threatened her during a domestic dispute.
“Shut up, or you are going to get hurt,” yelled the person identified as Martin.
The former host has been indicted on a charge of misdemeanor assault.
Martin’s defense attorneys, however, claimed that a warrant in the case should be thrown out because of a sloppy police investigation last summer.
Staff Writer Domingo Ramirez Jr. reports.
New charges could lead to life sentence for Richardson
Life in prison could be the penalty if an Iowa man is convicted of being drunk when he caused a wreck that left an Arlington toddler in a vegetative state.
Stewart Richardson, 45, (left) initially faced a maximum of 10 years in prison on intoxication assault and felony DWI from the Feb. 20 wreck in Arlington.
Abdallah Khader (right) and his parents and a sibling were seriously injured when Richardson’s Ford F-250 pickup plowed into the back of the family’s Honda Accord at a red light.
But last week, tougher charges against Richardson were approved by a Tarrant County grand jury.
-- Staff Writer Martha Deller reports.
Officials say fire in Joshua was deliberately set
Joshua police are investigating an early-morning fire on Monday that destroyed a transmission repair shop.
When Joshua and Burleson fire units arrived at the scene of the 1:10 a.m. fire, they found the Pro-AM transmission repair shop fully engulfed.
-- Staff Writer Martha Deller reports.
-- Bill Miller
