Help sought to ID 'Pot Belly Bandit'
From The Dallas Morning News Staff Writers
FBI and local law enforcement officials are searching for a man who has robbed five bank branches inside North Texas grocery stores over the past six months.
The suspect, dubbed the “Pot Belly Bandit” due to his appearance, is described as a white male in his late 30s or early 40s, 5 feet 9 inches or 6 feet tall, weighing between 200 and 230 pounds with brown hair, a goatee and a pot belly.
Beginning with the robbery of a First Convenience Bank branch on Matlock Road in Mansfield on July 14, the suspect then robbed a Wells Fargo branch on Belt Line Road in Irving on Aug. 22 and a Woodforest National Bank branch on Rufe Snow Drive in Keller on Dec. 12.
He also hit two other First Convenience Bank branches, one on Camp Bowie Boulevard in Fort Worth on Oct. 11 and one on Southeast Green Oaks Boulevard in Arlington on Dec. 30.
Each incident occurred during late afternoon or early evening hours. In every case, the robber approached the teller, displayed a handgun and verbally demanded money.
Wells Fargo is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robber.
News from the Lone Star State
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Flyer escalates tensions at Burleson High
By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8
BURLESON, Texas — A battle over two rebel flag purses banned from Burleson High School has led to new protests and hurt feelings.
Aubrie McAllum and Ashley Thomas said they carried the stars and bars on their handbags to show Southern heritage—not racism.
Last week, school officials told the teens it is inappropriate to wear the Confederate flag in school, so they left.
The girls are back after draping their purses in black with the word CENSORED in bold white lettering.
"All my friends are like, 'We know what's under that,'" Ashley said.
But the small minority of African-American students at the school said they have new reasons to be alarmed.
Someone distributed hundreds of flyers at BHS with the headline, "The Confederate Flag and a History Lesson."
The flyer compares the Confederate flag with the British Union Jack—both of which, it says, have symbolic links to racist policies of the past.
"But we're still allowed to wear the Union Jack, right?" the flyer says.
Black student Keandria Nichols said she doesn't like what's happening. "They're putting them on their binders—everybody," she said. "They're just passing them out to everybody."
Keandria said the flyers have increased racial tension at Burleson High "a lot." Dorian McCoy, another black student, agrees.
Both are friends of Ashley Thomas. "Was she racist by having it? Personally, I don't think so," Dorian said.
But Dorian and Keandria—who are among about a dozen African-Americans among the 2,200 students at Burleson High—said they wish Ashley and Aubrie had never brought their flag purses to school.
That's why Burleson ISD officials maintain they have the discretion to ban any clothing or accessories that could be potentially offensive or disruptive. School officials in Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington said they have similar policies.
But there is some support in Burleson for the girls' right to carry the rebel flag purses to school as a free speech issue that could eventually wind up in court.
WFAA ABC 8
The banned purses are now covered with a word of protest.
By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8
BURLESON, Texas — A battle over two rebel flag purses banned from Burleson High School has led to new protests and hurt feelings.
Aubrie McAllum and Ashley Thomas said they carried the stars and bars on their handbags to show Southern heritage—not racism.
Last week, school officials told the teens it is inappropriate to wear the Confederate flag in school, so they left.
The girls are back after draping their purses in black with the word CENSORED in bold white lettering.
"All my friends are like, 'We know what's under that,'" Ashley said.
But the small minority of African-American students at the school said they have new reasons to be alarmed.
Someone distributed hundreds of flyers at BHS with the headline, "The Confederate Flag and a History Lesson."
The flyer compares the Confederate flag with the British Union Jack—both of which, it says, have symbolic links to racist policies of the past.
"But we're still allowed to wear the Union Jack, right?" the flyer says.
Black student Keandria Nichols said she doesn't like what's happening. "They're putting them on their binders—everybody," she said. "They're just passing them out to everybody."
Keandria said the flyers have increased racial tension at Burleson High "a lot." Dorian McCoy, another black student, agrees.
Both are friends of Ashley Thomas. "Was she racist by having it? Personally, I don't think so," Dorian said.
But Dorian and Keandria—who are among about a dozen African-Americans among the 2,200 students at Burleson High—said they wish Ashley and Aubrie had never brought their flag purses to school.
That's why Burleson ISD officials maintain they have the discretion to ban any clothing or accessories that could be potentially offensive or disruptive. School officials in Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington said they have similar policies.
But there is some support in Burleson for the girls' right to carry the rebel flag purses to school as a free speech issue that could eventually wind up in court.
WFAA ABC 8
The banned purses are now covered with a word of protest.
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1,000 pupils suspended for failing to do homework
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
LANCASTER, Texas - Parents in the Lancaster school district are taking sides this morning, after hundreds of students were suspended for failing to hand in homework assigned over the winter break.
More than 1,000 students have been suspended for not completing projects.
Lancaster superintendent Larry Lewis says he is not going to bend the rules. He says this is about improving student performance and holding them to a high standard.
"The parents should have been helping the pupils get the work done, as opposed to pulling them out a school district which requires them to perform at a different level," he said.
On Monday, high school students were suspended. Yesterday, the district started suspending middle and elementary school students.
Parents are furious, saying pupils should not be given homework over winter vacation at all.
"Over the winter period, they had a science project, a reading project, it was like my son had homework every day," said parent Trina Strong. "It was too much - they didn't get the vacation. I'm going to put them in another school."
School officials will be visiting the homes of the students who have failed to complete the projects. They say when the homework is finished, they will be allowed to go back to school.
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
LANCASTER, Texas - Parents in the Lancaster school district are taking sides this morning, after hundreds of students were suspended for failing to hand in homework assigned over the winter break.
More than 1,000 students have been suspended for not completing projects.
Lancaster superintendent Larry Lewis says he is not going to bend the rules. He says this is about improving student performance and holding them to a high standard.
"The parents should have been helping the pupils get the work done, as opposed to pulling them out a school district which requires them to perform at a different level," he said.
On Monday, high school students were suspended. Yesterday, the district started suspending middle and elementary school students.
Parents are furious, saying pupils should not be given homework over winter vacation at all.
"Over the winter period, they had a science project, a reading project, it was like my son had homework every day," said parent Trina Strong. "It was too much - they didn't get the vacation. I'm going to put them in another school."
School officials will be visiting the homes of the students who have failed to complete the projects. They say when the homework is finished, they will be allowed to go back to school.
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Construction accident at Victory development
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Chalk up a defeat for progress at the Victory Park development in downtown Dallas.
Construction crews were pouring a concrete floor for The Vista building around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday when some of the scaffolding supporting it collapsed.
A portion of the floor caved in, but no workers were hurt.
The Vista is planned as a 7-story residential and retail space next door to the 45-story W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences, which is also under construction.
There was no word on whether Tuesday's accident will delay The Vista's scheduled opening later this year. It will have 125 upscale rental units and 25,000 square feet of retail space.
The Victory development bridges the West End to the American Airlines Center in an area that was once an industrial wasteland.
Backers hope it will help resurrect downtown life with its mixed-use development.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Chalk up a defeat for progress at the Victory Park development in downtown Dallas.
Construction crews were pouring a concrete floor for The Vista building around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday when some of the scaffolding supporting it collapsed.
A portion of the floor caved in, but no workers were hurt.
The Vista is planned as a 7-story residential and retail space next door to the 45-story W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences, which is also under construction.
There was no word on whether Tuesday's accident will delay The Vista's scheduled opening later this year. It will have 125 upscale rental units and 25,000 square feet of retail space.
The Victory development bridges the West End to the American Airlines Center in an area that was once an industrial wasteland.
Backers hope it will help resurrect downtown life with its mixed-use development.
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McKinney firefighter charged in medication theft
MCKINNEY, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A McKinney firefighter was arrested and charged after he allegedly stole medication that was to be used in treatment by city rescue crews.
McKinney Police Capt. Randy Roland said Mark Hemphill, 28, confessed to stealing and using the medication. Mr. Hemphill was charged with tampering with a consumer product, a second-degree felony, and remained in the Collin County Jail Wednesday morning.
Capt. Roland said a fire captain noticed on Dec. 21 that tamper-proof seals had been disturbed on numerous medicine vials and containers housed in a central storage area. All medications that showed signs of tampering were taken out of service, and samples were sent to a lab for testing.
Lab results showed that in multiple cases, the contents of the vials and containers were replaced with water. Police were notified and began an investigation earlier this week after notifying Texas Rangers and Drug Enforcement Agency officials.
Capt. Roland said a review of incident reports is under way, but preliminary results indicate that no patients treated by McKinney Fire Department paramedics received diluted or tampered medication.
Mr. Hemphill has been placed on administrative leave pending termination from the department, Capt. Roland said.
MCKINNEY, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A McKinney firefighter was arrested and charged after he allegedly stole medication that was to be used in treatment by city rescue crews.
McKinney Police Capt. Randy Roland said Mark Hemphill, 28, confessed to stealing and using the medication. Mr. Hemphill was charged with tampering with a consumer product, a second-degree felony, and remained in the Collin County Jail Wednesday morning.
Capt. Roland said a fire captain noticed on Dec. 21 that tamper-proof seals had been disturbed on numerous medicine vials and containers housed in a central storage area. All medications that showed signs of tampering were taken out of service, and samples were sent to a lab for testing.
Lab results showed that in multiple cases, the contents of the vials and containers were replaced with water. Police were notified and began an investigation earlier this week after notifying Texas Rangers and Drug Enforcement Agency officials.
Capt. Roland said a review of incident reports is under way, but preliminary results indicate that no patients treated by McKinney Fire Department paramedics received diluted or tampered medication.
Mr. Hemphill has been placed on administrative leave pending termination from the department, Capt. Roland said.
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N. Texas soccer pioneer ends deportation fight
By FRANK TREJO / The Dallas Morning News
RICHARDSON, Texas - A Richardson resident who has been highly regarded for decades as a pioneer in North Texas youth soccer dropped his efforts to fight deportation Wednesday and agreed to return to his native England.
U.S. immigration officials sought the deportation of Ron Griffith because of a 1981 conviction for fondling a 14-year-old boy he met through the sport. Mr. Griffith, 64, had no record of any other crimes, but officials for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas stressed that removing convicted sex offenders from the country is one of their top priorities.
Garry Davis, Mr. Griffith’s lawyer, said neither he nor his client would comment on the case.
Mr. Griffith, who arrived in the United States about 40 years ago, has been a longtime legal permanent resident. He started the Texas Longhorns, the oldest soccer club in the Southwest. He also led numerous groups of young players on overseas trips and is widely known as the founder of the Dallas Cup, a premier youth soccer tournament.
Although he pled guilty to the fondling charge in 1981 and served five years probation, Mr. Griffith continued to work with soccer organizations for several years after that. Deportation proceedings against him did not begin until 1999, after he landed at Dulles International Airport, near Washington, D.C.
Paul Hunker, chief counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Dallas, has noted that prior to 1996 non-citizens who committed certain crimes five years after obtaining their permanent resident status were not deportable. However, the law changed in 1996 and the government increased efforts to find and deport immigrants who have criminal records, especially those involving sex crimes.
“Sexual crimes are particularly heinous crimes, and ICE zealously seeks the removal of persons convicted of such crimes,” Mr. Hunker said.
Mr. Griffith had fought his deportation for years and was scheduled to appear before Immigration Judge Deitrich Sims on Wednesday. But shortly before the start of proceedings, Mr. Griffith agreed to a deportation order.
Saundra Arrington, counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told Judge Sims that she had planned to call at least 10 witnesses at the hearing. Several past and present Longhorns and Dallas Cup officials had been subpoenaed to testify.
Judge Sims reminded Mr. Griffith that if he agreed to the deportation order, he would lose his permanent residency and would not be able to return to the United States.
Mr. Griffith replied that he understood.
Mr. Hunker declined to say how long Mr. Griffith had before he had to leave the country, but added that he did have a set time to depart.
“One reason we’re happy with this settlement is that it prevents the reopening of some old wounds,” Mr. Hunker said. “This hearing would have been very emotional for a lot of people.”
By FRANK TREJO / The Dallas Morning News
RICHARDSON, Texas - A Richardson resident who has been highly regarded for decades as a pioneer in North Texas youth soccer dropped his efforts to fight deportation Wednesday and agreed to return to his native England.
U.S. immigration officials sought the deportation of Ron Griffith because of a 1981 conviction for fondling a 14-year-old boy he met through the sport. Mr. Griffith, 64, had no record of any other crimes, but officials for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas stressed that removing convicted sex offenders from the country is one of their top priorities.
Garry Davis, Mr. Griffith’s lawyer, said neither he nor his client would comment on the case.
Mr. Griffith, who arrived in the United States about 40 years ago, has been a longtime legal permanent resident. He started the Texas Longhorns, the oldest soccer club in the Southwest. He also led numerous groups of young players on overseas trips and is widely known as the founder of the Dallas Cup, a premier youth soccer tournament.
Although he pled guilty to the fondling charge in 1981 and served five years probation, Mr. Griffith continued to work with soccer organizations for several years after that. Deportation proceedings against him did not begin until 1999, after he landed at Dulles International Airport, near Washington, D.C.
Paul Hunker, chief counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Dallas, has noted that prior to 1996 non-citizens who committed certain crimes five years after obtaining their permanent resident status were not deportable. However, the law changed in 1996 and the government increased efforts to find and deport immigrants who have criminal records, especially those involving sex crimes.
“Sexual crimes are particularly heinous crimes, and ICE zealously seeks the removal of persons convicted of such crimes,” Mr. Hunker said.
Mr. Griffith had fought his deportation for years and was scheduled to appear before Immigration Judge Deitrich Sims on Wednesday. But shortly before the start of proceedings, Mr. Griffith agreed to a deportation order.
Saundra Arrington, counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told Judge Sims that she had planned to call at least 10 witnesses at the hearing. Several past and present Longhorns and Dallas Cup officials had been subpoenaed to testify.
Judge Sims reminded Mr. Griffith that if he agreed to the deportation order, he would lose his permanent residency and would not be able to return to the United States.
Mr. Griffith replied that he understood.
Mr. Hunker declined to say how long Mr. Griffith had before he had to leave the country, but added that he did have a set time to depart.
“One reason we’re happy with this settlement is that it prevents the reopening of some old wounds,” Mr. Hunker said. “This hearing would have been very emotional for a lot of people.”
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Teen charged in connection to bank robberies
By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com
A 16-year-old Dallas girl is facing charges in connection with a string of North Texas bank robberies that occurred last month.
The teen would give a note to the teller saying she had a gun and wanted all the money in the drawer. Once she got the cash, she fled on foot, Dallas police Sr. Cpl. Donna Hernandez said.
The girl, whose name has not been released because she is a juvenile, was arrested after the Dec. 30 robbery of a Chase Bank in the 10000 block of Preston Road. An accomplice fled the scene.
Someone tipped officers to the getaway vehicle and they found it at the corner of Ewing Avenue and Seventh Street in North Oak Cliff, Hernandez said. The girl got out of the vehicle, while the driver tossed the money bag out the window and sped away.
Witnesses told police which direction the girl had gone and she was located and arrested. Police recovered the bag of money, and no other arrests have been made in the case, Hernandez said.
The girl was connected to the other robberies through similar suspect descriptions and identified by bank tellers in a photo lineup, police said.
Hernandez said she has heard the media call the girl "Miss December" but does not know where the moniker originated.
The girl also was charged in the Dec. 9 robbery of a Bank of America on Wheatland Road, the Dec. 13 robbery of a Wells Fargo on Forest Lane and the Dec. 15 robbery of a Wells Fargo on Preston Road, Hernandez said.
Separately, the girl is charged with the Dec. 30 aggravated robbery of a Wells Fargo bank located in a Tom Thumb grocery store on West Campbell Road, Richardson police Sgt. Keith Perlich said.
By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com
A 16-year-old Dallas girl is facing charges in connection with a string of North Texas bank robberies that occurred last month.
The teen would give a note to the teller saying she had a gun and wanted all the money in the drawer. Once she got the cash, she fled on foot, Dallas police Sr. Cpl. Donna Hernandez said.
The girl, whose name has not been released because she is a juvenile, was arrested after the Dec. 30 robbery of a Chase Bank in the 10000 block of Preston Road. An accomplice fled the scene.
Someone tipped officers to the getaway vehicle and they found it at the corner of Ewing Avenue and Seventh Street in North Oak Cliff, Hernandez said. The girl got out of the vehicle, while the driver tossed the money bag out the window and sped away.
Witnesses told police which direction the girl had gone and she was located and arrested. Police recovered the bag of money, and no other arrests have been made in the case, Hernandez said.
The girl was connected to the other robberies through similar suspect descriptions and identified by bank tellers in a photo lineup, police said.
Hernandez said she has heard the media call the girl "Miss December" but does not know where the moniker originated.
The girl also was charged in the Dec. 9 robbery of a Bank of America on Wheatland Road, the Dec. 13 robbery of a Wells Fargo on Forest Lane and the Dec. 15 robbery of a Wells Fargo on Preston Road, Hernandez said.
Separately, the girl is charged with the Dec. 30 aggravated robbery of a Wells Fargo bank located in a Tom Thumb grocery store on West Campbell Road, Richardson police Sgt. Keith Perlich said.
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McKinney firefighter charged in morphine theft
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8
MCKINNEY, Texas - A McKinney firefighter accused of stealing morphine and a sedative out of ambulances and replacing them with water was placed under arrest and fired Wednesday after police said he confessed to the crime.
Fire administrators sent vials and syringes to a lab to be tested after they found 49 had their tampered proof seals broken into. Initial results showed that nine out of ten of the vials and syringes tested had had their medicinal contents exchanged with saline or water.
"They realized immediately they had a problem," said Randy Roland, with the McKinney Police Department.
The McKinney Police Department was contacted after the discovery and the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Texas Rangers helped investigate the case.
Police said Mark Hemphill, a firefighter paramedic, confessed to the theft and his own personal use of drugs.
"He indeed replaced the morphine...with water and had used the morphine on himself," Roland said.
Authorities said there is no evidence that patients received water instead of medicine.
"If a patient was to receive water instead of morphine that could certainly enhance the crime ," Roland said.
As a result of the medicine tampering, McKinney fire administrators have changed the way they store and guard drugs. They also said they added additional safety resistant seals to their drug supply.
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8
MCKINNEY, Texas - A McKinney firefighter accused of stealing morphine and a sedative out of ambulances and replacing them with water was placed under arrest and fired Wednesday after police said he confessed to the crime.
Fire administrators sent vials and syringes to a lab to be tested after they found 49 had their tampered proof seals broken into. Initial results showed that nine out of ten of the vials and syringes tested had had their medicinal contents exchanged with saline or water.
"They realized immediately they had a problem," said Randy Roland, with the McKinney Police Department.
The McKinney Police Department was contacted after the discovery and the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Texas Rangers helped investigate the case.
Police said Mark Hemphill, a firefighter paramedic, confessed to the theft and his own personal use of drugs.
"He indeed replaced the morphine...with water and had used the morphine on himself," Roland said.
Authorities said there is no evidence that patients received water instead of medicine.
"If a patient was to receive water instead of morphine that could certainly enhance the crime ," Roland said.
As a result of the medicine tampering, McKinney fire administrators have changed the way they store and guard drugs. They also said they added additional safety resistant seals to their drug supply.
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Dallas looks into pulling out of Tollway Authority
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas County has started to study what it could do to legally pull out of the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) after increasingly higher tolls to pay for new projects.
Some of the decision to look into pulling out started because of the debate whether Dallas residents should pay for Tarrant County's tolls. However, competition is another reason Dallas has started their study.
Many Dallas and Collin County drivers have said they don't like the idea of paying higher tolls for a road in Tarrant County they won't frequently use.
"It seems like if we're driving on the Dallas toll road it probably should go towards Dallas roads, shouldn't it?" said one Dallas driver.
"I'd rather my money go in Dallas where I live," said another Dallas driver.
The NTTA is raising tolls on all roads for the George Bush Tollway extension in northeast Dallas County and to heavily subsidize construction of the Southwest Parkway in Fort Worth.
"Well, I don't think you want users of one toll road to have to continue to subsidize a project that is not a feasible project no matter where it is," said Margaret Keliher, Dallas County judge.
With the legislature allowing private companies and TxDOT to build toll roads, Dallas County officials said they fear they will get the profitable projects and NTTA will get stuck building roads that require big money from Dallas drivers.
But Tarrant County officials said transportation problems are regional.
"And we expected that our partners would feel the same way when it came to Tarrant County," said Roy Brooks, Tarrant County commissioner.
What may not be clear by the possibility of Dallas pulling out is if Dallas drivers would be affected and what impact it would have on the planned NTTA toll road along the Trinity River near downtown Dallas.
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas County has started to study what it could do to legally pull out of the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) after increasingly higher tolls to pay for new projects.
Some of the decision to look into pulling out started because of the debate whether Dallas residents should pay for Tarrant County's tolls. However, competition is another reason Dallas has started their study.
Many Dallas and Collin County drivers have said they don't like the idea of paying higher tolls for a road in Tarrant County they won't frequently use.
"It seems like if we're driving on the Dallas toll road it probably should go towards Dallas roads, shouldn't it?" said one Dallas driver.
"I'd rather my money go in Dallas where I live," said another Dallas driver.
The NTTA is raising tolls on all roads for the George Bush Tollway extension in northeast Dallas County and to heavily subsidize construction of the Southwest Parkway in Fort Worth.
"Well, I don't think you want users of one toll road to have to continue to subsidize a project that is not a feasible project no matter where it is," said Margaret Keliher, Dallas County judge.
With the legislature allowing private companies and TxDOT to build toll roads, Dallas County officials said they fear they will get the profitable projects and NTTA will get stuck building roads that require big money from Dallas drivers.
But Tarrant County officials said transportation problems are regional.
"And we expected that our partners would feel the same way when it came to Tarrant County," said Roy Brooks, Tarrant County commissioner.
What may not be clear by the possibility of Dallas pulling out is if Dallas drivers would be affected and what impact it would have on the planned NTTA toll road along the Trinity River near downtown Dallas.
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Police witness shooting in Fort Worth
Incident took place near mobile home where officer was shot
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas – Police and federal agents witnessed a shooting Wednesday near the mobile home where Fort Worth police officer Henry “Hank” Nava was shot six weeks ago.
A gang shooting, which involved men in two separate cars, took place in the 6800 block of Seth Barwise Street shortly after 2 p.m., officials said.
One man was struck in the arm and taken to John Peter Smith Hospital, where he is listed in serious condition, said Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Dean Sullivan.
Three assailants in another car fled and were chased by Fort Worth officers and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, officials said.
The three, who police say are members of a gang, were caught less than a mile away in the 6600 block of Bowman Roberts Road. Officials arrested the three men without incident, Lt. Sullivan said.
Members of the gang unit are looking for a gun that was apparently discarded during the chase.
ATF agents were on Seth Barwise Street assisting Fort Worth police in a follow-up investigation of the Nov. 29 shooting of Officer Nava.
Officer Nava was investigating an identity theft ring when police say he was shot in the head by Stephen Lance Heard.
He died Dec. 1 at a Fort Worth hospital.
Incident took place near mobile home where officer was shot
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas – Police and federal agents witnessed a shooting Wednesday near the mobile home where Fort Worth police officer Henry “Hank” Nava was shot six weeks ago.
A gang shooting, which involved men in two separate cars, took place in the 6800 block of Seth Barwise Street shortly after 2 p.m., officials said.
One man was struck in the arm and taken to John Peter Smith Hospital, where he is listed in serious condition, said Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Dean Sullivan.
Three assailants in another car fled and were chased by Fort Worth officers and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, officials said.
The three, who police say are members of a gang, were caught less than a mile away in the 6600 block of Bowman Roberts Road. Officials arrested the three men without incident, Lt. Sullivan said.
Members of the gang unit are looking for a gun that was apparently discarded during the chase.
ATF agents were on Seth Barwise Street assisting Fort Worth police in a follow-up investigation of the Nov. 29 shooting of Officer Nava.
Officer Nava was investigating an identity theft ring when police say he was shot in the head by Stephen Lance Heard.
He died Dec. 1 at a Fort Worth hospital.
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Boy arrested after bringing knife to school
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
BIRDVILLE, Texas - A 12-year-old student who brought a knife to Haltom Middle School, in Birdville Independent School District, has been arrested.
A fellow student suffered a cut from the knife during a fight on Tuesday.
The boy faces a charge of aggravated assault.
Pupils at the school were sent home with a letter to parents in which the principle explains that an eighth grade student suffered a minor cut to his hand when he tried to take the knife away from a classmate in what the district describes as a "shoving match."
This is the second time a student has been found on campus with a knife this week, say school officials.
In a second case on Monday, an Eighth grade student was suspended after knives were found in his locker.
The boy's mother says he collects pocket knives and meant no harm.
"I encourage parents to talk to their children and find out what they are interested in. What they are doing in school. Talk to your kids. I was very shocked. But I know him and I know he collects them and he didn't intend to hurt people."
"The police were called and the student with the knife has been removed from the school and the district," said Susan Taylor, principle of Haltom Middle School.
School officials say they have no plans to change security at the school and say the campus is safe.
There are no metal detectors on campus but security guards can search students with hand wands.
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
BIRDVILLE, Texas - A 12-year-old student who brought a knife to Haltom Middle School, in Birdville Independent School District, has been arrested.
A fellow student suffered a cut from the knife during a fight on Tuesday.
The boy faces a charge of aggravated assault.
Pupils at the school were sent home with a letter to parents in which the principle explains that an eighth grade student suffered a minor cut to his hand when he tried to take the knife away from a classmate in what the district describes as a "shoving match."
This is the second time a student has been found on campus with a knife this week, say school officials.
In a second case on Monday, an Eighth grade student was suspended after knives were found in his locker.
The boy's mother says he collects pocket knives and meant no harm.
"I encourage parents to talk to their children and find out what they are interested in. What they are doing in school. Talk to your kids. I was very shocked. But I know him and I know he collects them and he didn't intend to hurt people."
"The police were called and the student with the knife has been removed from the school and the district," said Susan Taylor, principle of Haltom Middle School.
School officials say they have no plans to change security at the school and say the campus is safe.
There are no metal detectors on campus but security guards can search students with hand wands.
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TexasStooge
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Work restarted after cement spill at Victory Park
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Construction crews were pouring a concrete floor on the third floor on The Vista building around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday when a large cement spill halted work.
He was filling a floor moldwith cement when the mold broke apart. The broken mold spilled a large load of cement but did not cause any serious damage or injuries.
However, work was back on track at the Victory Park project later Wednesday night.
The Vista is planned as a 7-story residential and retail space next door to the 45-story W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences, which is also under construction. It will have 125 upscale rental units and 25,000 square feet of retail space.
The Victory development bridges the West End to the American Airlines Center in an area that was once an industrial wasteland.
Backers hope it will help resurrect downtown life with its mixed-use development.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Construction crews were pouring a concrete floor on the third floor on The Vista building around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday when a large cement spill halted work.
He was filling a floor moldwith cement when the mold broke apart. The broken mold spilled a large load of cement but did not cause any serious damage or injuries.
However, work was back on track at the Victory Park project later Wednesday night.
The Vista is planned as a 7-story residential and retail space next door to the 45-story W Dallas Victory Hotel and Residences, which is also under construction. It will have 125 upscale rental units and 25,000 square feet of retail space.
The Victory development bridges the West End to the American Airlines Center in an area that was once an industrial wasteland.
Backers hope it will help resurrect downtown life with its mixed-use development.
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TexasStooge
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1,000 pupils face suspension for failing to do homework (Updated)
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
LANCASTER, Texas - Some parents of students in the Lancaster district are considering pulling their children out of school and enroll them elsewhere, after 1,000 pupils were threatened with suspension for not completing homework assigned over winter break.
But Lancaster superintendent Larry Lewis says he is not going to back down. He says the decision was taken to improve student performance and to hold them to a high standard.
"The parents should have been helping the pupils get the work done, as opposed to pulling them out a school district which requires them to perform at a different level," he said.
On Monday, high school students were suspended. Yesterday, the district started suspending middle and elementary school students.
Parents are furious, saying pupils should not be given homework over winter vacation at all.
"Over the winter period, they had a science project, a reading project, it was like my son had homework every day," said parent Trina Strong. "It was too much - they didn't get the vacation. I'm going to put them in another school."
School officials will be visiting the homes of the students who have failed to complete the projects. They say when the homework is finished, they will be allowed to go back to school.
One student at Elsie Robertson High School to Channel 8 News that the pupils did not mind being given homework over the winter break.
"But by suspending us you are taking away from our time doing school work," she said.
Students were told to go online to find their assignments.
Last summer, 700 students were sent home when they didn't hand in projects due to be completed over the summer break.
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
LANCASTER, Texas - Some parents of students in the Lancaster district are considering pulling their children out of school and enroll them elsewhere, after 1,000 pupils were threatened with suspension for not completing homework assigned over winter break.
But Lancaster superintendent Larry Lewis says he is not going to back down. He says the decision was taken to improve student performance and to hold them to a high standard.
"The parents should have been helping the pupils get the work done, as opposed to pulling them out a school district which requires them to perform at a different level," he said.
On Monday, high school students were suspended. Yesterday, the district started suspending middle and elementary school students.
Parents are furious, saying pupils should not be given homework over winter vacation at all.
"Over the winter period, they had a science project, a reading project, it was like my son had homework every day," said parent Trina Strong. "It was too much - they didn't get the vacation. I'm going to put them in another school."
School officials will be visiting the homes of the students who have failed to complete the projects. They say when the homework is finished, they will be allowed to go back to school.
One student at Elsie Robertson High School to Channel 8 News that the pupils did not mind being given homework over the winter break.
"But by suspending us you are taking away from our time doing school work," she said.
Students were told to go online to find their assignments.
Last summer, 700 students were sent home when they didn't hand in projects due to be completed over the summer break.
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TexasStooge
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TexasStooge
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Victim seeks justice after shooter never charged
By BYRON HARRIS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The justice system depends on grand juries to be safeguards in making sure the right people get charged with crimes, but a month ago the Dallas County grand jury decided not to charge one man with a crime even though he put eight bullet holes in an unarmed victim.
Erick Hobbs still wears a cast on his hand to heal the hole that was blown by a bullet.
"It went all the way through," Hobbs said.
Hobbs also has an entrance and exit wound on his back and chest and an 18-inch scar from where the doctors opened him up. Six slugs still remain in Hobbs' buttocks.
Yet Johnny Ray Dennis, who admitted shooting Hobbs, was never charged with anything.
There was no question there was bad blood between the two men.
"We started fighting right there," Hobbs said pointing to an area on the side of the highway. "I knocked him down and let him back up. I knocked him down again."
On a Saturday morning in November, on a service road off Stemmons Freeway, Hobbs said he knocked Dennis down three times in a fist fight and then left him on the ground and drove away.
He said afterwards Dennis chased down his car, rammed his car on the driver's side and started shooting. Four shots were fired in the dashboard and eight more went into Hobbs' body as he ducked in the front seat.
Hobbs limped into the lobby of the Marriott Hotel where a clerk called an ambulance and he was taken away before police arrived.
He said a police detective told him on the phone the case would go to trial in six months to a year, but it never did.
It was up to the Dallas County grand jury to charge Hobbs' assailant with the crime, but three weeks ago the Grand Jury wrote him a letter that said no criminal charges would be filed. The Grand Jury's decision meant Hobbs would have to pay his hospital bills and car repair himself.
"I think somebody's covering up something or something went wrong somewhere down the line," Hobbs said.
Dallas County grand jury proceedings are secret and because of that the prosecutor wouldn't talk to News 8. The defense attorney also won't talk and Hobbs has no way of learning why they made the decision they did.
Dallas Police admit they made a mistake because it was their responsibility to make sure Hobbs would appear before the grand jury to explain the shooting, which never happened.
"My concern in this case is that we may not have provided them with enough information to make the right decision," said Asst. Chief Ron Waldrop, Dallas Police Department.
As a result of News 8's investigation, Dallas Police said they will reopen the case and take it back to the grand jury, which means Hobbs may get a day in court.
By BYRON HARRIS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The justice system depends on grand juries to be safeguards in making sure the right people get charged with crimes, but a month ago the Dallas County grand jury decided not to charge one man with a crime even though he put eight bullet holes in an unarmed victim.
Erick Hobbs still wears a cast on his hand to heal the hole that was blown by a bullet.
"It went all the way through," Hobbs said.
Hobbs also has an entrance and exit wound on his back and chest and an 18-inch scar from where the doctors opened him up. Six slugs still remain in Hobbs' buttocks.
Yet Johnny Ray Dennis, who admitted shooting Hobbs, was never charged with anything.
There was no question there was bad blood between the two men.
"We started fighting right there," Hobbs said pointing to an area on the side of the highway. "I knocked him down and let him back up. I knocked him down again."
On a Saturday morning in November, on a service road off Stemmons Freeway, Hobbs said he knocked Dennis down three times in a fist fight and then left him on the ground and drove away.
He said afterwards Dennis chased down his car, rammed his car on the driver's side and started shooting. Four shots were fired in the dashboard and eight more went into Hobbs' body as he ducked in the front seat.
Hobbs limped into the lobby of the Marriott Hotel where a clerk called an ambulance and he was taken away before police arrived.
He said a police detective told him on the phone the case would go to trial in six months to a year, but it never did.
It was up to the Dallas County grand jury to charge Hobbs' assailant with the crime, but three weeks ago the Grand Jury wrote him a letter that said no criminal charges would be filed. The Grand Jury's decision meant Hobbs would have to pay his hospital bills and car repair himself.
"I think somebody's covering up something or something went wrong somewhere down the line," Hobbs said.
Dallas County grand jury proceedings are secret and because of that the prosecutor wouldn't talk to News 8. The defense attorney also won't talk and Hobbs has no way of learning why they made the decision they did.
Dallas Police admit they made a mistake because it was their responsibility to make sure Hobbs would appear before the grand jury to explain the shooting, which never happened.
"My concern in this case is that we may not have provided them with enough information to make the right decision," said Asst. Chief Ron Waldrop, Dallas Police Department.
As a result of News 8's investigation, Dallas Police said they will reopen the case and take it back to the grand jury, which means Hobbs may get a day in court.
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TexasStooge
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Three dead after R.L. Thornton crash
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Three people, including a mother and her baby, died Wednesday and miles of highway were shut down late into the night.
The cause was an accident that included at least six vehicles on R.L. Thornton and near Interstate 20 south of downtown Dallas.
Crews were still cleaning up the road around 10:00 p.m. after the accident that occurred during rush hour around 6:00 p.m.
The mother and child died in a vehicle fire and the other died in a truck mangled by a dump truck.
Traffic was backed up for hours while police said investigators probed the site.
"The accident investigator is still out here measuring skid marks and doing their investigation," said one officer at the scene.
Police said one of the passenger vehicles where a person died appeared to be at fault.
"It looks like speed may have been a factor," the office said.
The Sheriff's Department said they do not plan on issuing any citations to any of those who survived the accident because they appeared to not be a part of the cause.
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Three people, including a mother and her baby, died Wednesday and miles of highway were shut down late into the night.
The cause was an accident that included at least six vehicles on R.L. Thornton and near Interstate 20 south of downtown Dallas.
Crews were still cleaning up the road around 10:00 p.m. after the accident that occurred during rush hour around 6:00 p.m.
The mother and child died in a vehicle fire and the other died in a truck mangled by a dump truck.
Traffic was backed up for hours while police said investigators probed the site.
"The accident investigator is still out here measuring skid marks and doing their investigation," said one officer at the scene.
Police said one of the passenger vehicles where a person died appeared to be at fault.
"It looks like speed may have been a factor," the office said.
The Sheriff's Department said they do not plan on issuing any citations to any of those who survived the accident because they appeared to not be a part of the cause.
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TexasStooge
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Red-light cameras in Dallas a go
Devices' use on rise across country; foes cite drivers' rights
By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News
Speeding to get through that intersection? Not so fast.
Five years and four legislative sessions after first considering cameras to catch red-light runners, the Dallas City Council is giving the program the green light.
Council members will meet next week to authorize bidding for the cameras, which – although the subject of numerous lawsuits – have been installed at crossroads across the country. They could start recording Dallas' traffic infractions as early as August.
"If you travel all over America, everyone is utilizing this technology," council member Leo Chaney said. "We're in the 21st century. It's an inevitability."
Locally, Frisco, Plano and Richardson are debuting red-light cameras. Denton and Rowlett have plans for them.
Garland – which in 2001 became the first city in Texas to use them – has reported a 21 percent decrease in red-light violations since installing the cameras. Houston's trial run began in November.
Dallas' red-light cameras will work like this: A private company will install them at intersections selected by the city, at no cost to the city. The cameras will collect images of vehicles that run red lights. Civil citations will be sent by mail to the registered owner of the vehicle. The camera company will get a portion of each $75 fine.
The cameras have incited outrage and legal challenges from groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, which contend that they violate due process (by targeting the car's owner, not necessarily the driver) and privacy statutes.
Not OK everywhere
In some cases, lawmakers have agreed. In Florida, the state attorney general ruled against them. In Virginia, the state General Assembly ended the program after several years.
But generally speaking, the cameras have become a national staple. Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., all use cameras at their intersections. So do Minneapolis, Toledo, Ohio, and dozens of other cities and counties.
In Texas, the Legislature's message is less clear-cut. When Dallas City Council members first discussed installing red-light cameras in 1999, the city attorney's office cautioned against it, saying it was unclear whether state law permitted them.
By 2001, red-light cameras were the city's top legislative priority. Dallas representatives made countless trips to Austin, lobbying, along with state Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, for a bill to allow the cameras. The bill died.
A second attempt failed two years later, around the time former Dallas City Council member Sandy Greyson – the city's lead advocate for the cameras – was struck by a driver running a red light.
The Legislature "came up with all kinds of reasons: that 'big brother' was watching, that it would discriminate against minorities, that cities would just use it to make revenue," said Ms. Greyson, who broke her wrist in the auto accident and needed 19 stitches in her head. "They ridiculed the bill."
At the end of the 2003 legislative session, a provision appeared on a state transportation bill that seemed to open the door for the red-light cameras. Garland and a few other Texas cities interpreted the provision as a loophole and moved forward with plans to install them. And some Dallas council members were ready to do so.
But the Dallas city attorney's office still wasn't on board. It warned the council that of all the cities considering the cameras, Dallas had the deepest pockets – and therefore was most likely to be sued in a class-action suit.
"For Dallas to do it was too risky," Ms. Greyson said. "We were ready to do it. But we hate to override the city attorney's office."
In the 2005 legislative session, a state representative introduced a repeal bill intended to close the loophole and ban red-light cameras. His effort failed. Dallas' attorneys had the precedent they were seeking.
"Dallas feels more comfortable now because there is a legislative history that is supportive of municipal authority to use" red-light cameras, said City Attorney Tom Perkins.
Mayor Laura Miller said she is thrilled that the city is proceeding with plans to install the cameras. She said she doesn't blame the city attorney's office for acting with caution.
"Some of the most horrific accidents we see are when people run red lights," she said. "But we didn't know if we had a legal right to prosecute from a picture. I still think it was prudent not to implement it before now."
Police back plan
Once the council authorizes the city staff to seek bids for the cameras, City Manager Mary Suhm will start determining which intersections to target. The Police Department is on board too, Chief David Kunkle said.
Without cameras, "It's difficult for us to enforce [red-light running] because of the logistics of a big intersection, and because we generally have to see it occur," he said. "We think red-light cameras would enhance public safety."
The city's court services office, which keeps tabs on annual red-light citations, did not return phone calls Wednesday. But police Capt. Jack Bragg said one red-light grant that the Police Department received last year from the Texas Department of Transportation resulted in 10,387 tickets at hazardous intersections.
The state agency is seeking a legal opinion on whether red-light cameras may be installed along state highways. Although many municipalities hope the devices are approved, the ACLU hopes otherwise.
"There's an equal-protection problem," said Scott Henson, director of the organization's Texas Police Accountability Project. "You might run a red light [with a camera] and get a $75 civil fine. I can run one [with a police officer] and get a $200 criminal violation."
Devices' use on rise across country; foes cite drivers' rights
By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News
Speeding to get through that intersection? Not so fast.
Five years and four legislative sessions after first considering cameras to catch red-light runners, the Dallas City Council is giving the program the green light.
Council members will meet next week to authorize bidding for the cameras, which – although the subject of numerous lawsuits – have been installed at crossroads across the country. They could start recording Dallas' traffic infractions as early as August.
"If you travel all over America, everyone is utilizing this technology," council member Leo Chaney said. "We're in the 21st century. It's an inevitability."
Locally, Frisco, Plano and Richardson are debuting red-light cameras. Denton and Rowlett have plans for them.
Garland – which in 2001 became the first city in Texas to use them – has reported a 21 percent decrease in red-light violations since installing the cameras. Houston's trial run began in November.
Dallas' red-light cameras will work like this: A private company will install them at intersections selected by the city, at no cost to the city. The cameras will collect images of vehicles that run red lights. Civil citations will be sent by mail to the registered owner of the vehicle. The camera company will get a portion of each $75 fine.
The cameras have incited outrage and legal challenges from groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, which contend that they violate due process (by targeting the car's owner, not necessarily the driver) and privacy statutes.
Not OK everywhere
In some cases, lawmakers have agreed. In Florida, the state attorney general ruled against them. In Virginia, the state General Assembly ended the program after several years.
But generally speaking, the cameras have become a national staple. Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., all use cameras at their intersections. So do Minneapolis, Toledo, Ohio, and dozens of other cities and counties.
In Texas, the Legislature's message is less clear-cut. When Dallas City Council members first discussed installing red-light cameras in 1999, the city attorney's office cautioned against it, saying it was unclear whether state law permitted them.
By 2001, red-light cameras were the city's top legislative priority. Dallas representatives made countless trips to Austin, lobbying, along with state Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, for a bill to allow the cameras. The bill died.
A second attempt failed two years later, around the time former Dallas City Council member Sandy Greyson – the city's lead advocate for the cameras – was struck by a driver running a red light.
The Legislature "came up with all kinds of reasons: that 'big brother' was watching, that it would discriminate against minorities, that cities would just use it to make revenue," said Ms. Greyson, who broke her wrist in the auto accident and needed 19 stitches in her head. "They ridiculed the bill."
At the end of the 2003 legislative session, a provision appeared on a state transportation bill that seemed to open the door for the red-light cameras. Garland and a few other Texas cities interpreted the provision as a loophole and moved forward with plans to install them. And some Dallas council members were ready to do so.
But the Dallas city attorney's office still wasn't on board. It warned the council that of all the cities considering the cameras, Dallas had the deepest pockets – and therefore was most likely to be sued in a class-action suit.
"For Dallas to do it was too risky," Ms. Greyson said. "We were ready to do it. But we hate to override the city attorney's office."
In the 2005 legislative session, a state representative introduced a repeal bill intended to close the loophole and ban red-light cameras. His effort failed. Dallas' attorneys had the precedent they were seeking.
"Dallas feels more comfortable now because there is a legislative history that is supportive of municipal authority to use" red-light cameras, said City Attorney Tom Perkins.
Mayor Laura Miller said she is thrilled that the city is proceeding with plans to install the cameras. She said she doesn't blame the city attorney's office for acting with caution.
"Some of the most horrific accidents we see are when people run red lights," she said. "But we didn't know if we had a legal right to prosecute from a picture. I still think it was prudent not to implement it before now."
Police back plan
Once the council authorizes the city staff to seek bids for the cameras, City Manager Mary Suhm will start determining which intersections to target. The Police Department is on board too, Chief David Kunkle said.
Without cameras, "It's difficult for us to enforce [red-light running] because of the logistics of a big intersection, and because we generally have to see it occur," he said. "We think red-light cameras would enhance public safety."
The city's court services office, which keeps tabs on annual red-light citations, did not return phone calls Wednesday. But police Capt. Jack Bragg said one red-light grant that the Police Department received last year from the Texas Department of Transportation resulted in 10,387 tickets at hazardous intersections.
The state agency is seeking a legal opinion on whether red-light cameras may be installed along state highways. Although many municipalities hope the devices are approved, the ACLU hopes otherwise.
"There's an equal-protection problem," said Scott Henson, director of the organization's Texas Police Accountability Project. "You might run a red light [with a camera] and get a $75 civil fine. I can run one [with a police officer] and get a $200 criminal violation."
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TexasStooge
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Three shot dead in West Dallas apartment
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - Three men were found dead in a West Dallas apartment early Thursday, police said.
The bodies were discovered in an upstairs unit at the Mountain View apartment complex near Keeneland Parkway and Walton Walker Boulevard.
Sgt. Ross Salverino, a Dallas homicide supervisor, said neighbors told police that they heard an argument and shots sometime between 1:30 and 2 a.m. Someone who arrived at the apartment about 5:30 a.m. found the victims, he said.
The witness called police from a nearby Shell service station, and then escorted officers to the location. They found the door was wide open and the men, who appeared to be in their mid-20s, were inside, Lt. Rick Watson said.
Several neighbors said they did not know the victims or have any information about the shootings.
DallasNews.com staff writer Kimberly Durnan, Dallas Morning News reporter Tanya Eiserer and WFAA ABC 8 contributed to this report.
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - Three men were found dead in a West Dallas apartment early Thursday, police said.
The bodies were discovered in an upstairs unit at the Mountain View apartment complex near Keeneland Parkway and Walton Walker Boulevard.
Sgt. Ross Salverino, a Dallas homicide supervisor, said neighbors told police that they heard an argument and shots sometime between 1:30 and 2 a.m. Someone who arrived at the apartment about 5:30 a.m. found the victims, he said.
The witness called police from a nearby Shell service station, and then escorted officers to the location. They found the door was wide open and the men, who appeared to be in their mid-20s, were inside, Lt. Rick Watson said.
Several neighbors said they did not know the victims or have any information about the shootings.
DallasNews.com staff writer Kimberly Durnan, Dallas Morning News reporter Tanya Eiserer and WFAA ABC 8 contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Fiery I-35E crash leaves 3 dead
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/The Dallas Morning News) - Three people including a mother and her infant died Wednesday evening in a fiery multi-vehicle crash that tied up traffic along Interstate 35E for hours.
Six vehicles were involved in the accident, which occurred around 6 p.m. near the Interstate 20 interchange south of downtown. Dallas County Sheriff officials said a small passenger pickup truck was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler, knocking the pickup into a car which then slid under the large truck.
Nekeisha Austin, 24, of Dallas and her three-month-old son Austin Lawton died in the accident. The third victim's identity has been withheld pending notification of family members.
One other person was transported to Methodist Dallas Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators worked late into the night at the scene while crews began cleaning up the debris. The road did not reopen fully until late Wednesday night.
WFAA-TV's Dan Ronan contributed to this report.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/The Dallas Morning News) - Three people including a mother and her infant died Wednesday evening in a fiery multi-vehicle crash that tied up traffic along Interstate 35E for hours.
Six vehicles were involved in the accident, which occurred around 6 p.m. near the Interstate 20 interchange south of downtown. Dallas County Sheriff officials said a small passenger pickup truck was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler, knocking the pickup into a car which then slid under the large truck.
Nekeisha Austin, 24, of Dallas and her three-month-old son Austin Lawton died in the accident. The third victim's identity has been withheld pending notification of family members.
One other person was transported to Methodist Dallas Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators worked late into the night at the scene while crews began cleaning up the debris. The road did not reopen fully until late Wednesday night.
WFAA-TV's Dan Ronan contributed to this report.
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