Police: Busy burglary ring broken up
12 arrested, linked to 250 thefts worth up to $750,000 in two states
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
BRIDGEPORT, Texas - Bridgeport police say they have busted a burglary ring that stole nearly $750,000 from businesses in North Texas and southern Oklahoma.
The group of 14 people might be responsible for as many as 250 crimes, said Sgt. Bobby Arriola of the Bridgeport Police Department in Wise County.
Their trail ran as far west as Palo Pinto, east to Pittsburg, south to Corsicana and north to McAlester, Okla., officials said.
The burglaries resulted in losses of $750,000.
Dubbed the Rooftop Burglars, the group struck businesses in Fort Worth, Bridgeport, Grand Prairie, Denton, Arlington and Lewisville in the last 18 months.
Thieves entered restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses by cutting holes through rooftops or by entering air conditioning units.
This technique, officials said, allowed the thieves to work without being seen.
"It's kind of a new thing to enter through the roof to avoid the burglar alarms," Burleson police Sgt. Chris Havens said.
After entering, the thieves headed straight for the safes.
"We connected them to offenses through DNA," Sgt. Arriola said.
Other businesses that were targeted included gas stations, bowling alleys and VFW halls, he said.
"They hit pretty much anything that had safes or ATMs or large amounts of cash," Sgt. Arriola said.
Police from 28 agencies assisted in rounding up the suspects.
The ring was organized and run by Danny Seeders, 57, of Fort Worth, who was arrested on a parole violation, officials said.
The others taken into custody include two of Mr. Seeders' sons, Danny Seeders Jr., 37, and Bobby Seeders, 28, and his daughter, Tammy Seeders Coleman, 32, who were all arrested on burglary charges.
Also arrested on burglary charges were Jerry Cato, 37; Jimi McDonald, 32; Cassandra Glass, 20; Hud Parker, 29; and Tommy Blackstock, 19.
Deborah Orman, 21, is facing a charge of possession of stolen property. Eddie Beggs, 35, was arrested on a charge of parole violation.
Albert Massey, 38, faces charges of firearms possession and possession of a criminal instrument.
Two others are wanted for burglary, investigators said.
Sgt. Arriola said all of those arrested were from Tarrant County.
WFAA ABC 8 contributed to this report.
News from the Lone Star State
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Fatal accidents in Irving, Haltom City
WFAA ABC 8 Staff
Two motorists were killed in separate accidents in two area cities early Wednesday.
In Irving, a truck careened off Airport Freeway near Texas Stadium around midnight.
The vehicle slammed into a concrete bridge abutment and the driver was killed.
The name of the victim was not released.
About an hour later, another motorist was killed in Haltom City when a westbound pickup truck on Highway 121 clipped a sport utility vehicle.
The SUV landed upside down on the service road near Carson Street. The two occupants were hospitalized with serious injuries.
The impact also sent the pickup truck off the highway, where it smashed through a utility pole and a tree before ending up back on the highway.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Traffic on Highway 121 was diverted for a portion of the morning rush hour as police conducted an investigation and cleanup.
WFAA ABC 8 Staff
Two motorists were killed in separate accidents in two area cities early Wednesday.
In Irving, a truck careened off Airport Freeway near Texas Stadium around midnight.
The vehicle slammed into a concrete bridge abutment and the driver was killed.
The name of the victim was not released.
About an hour later, another motorist was killed in Haltom City when a westbound pickup truck on Highway 121 clipped a sport utility vehicle.
The SUV landed upside down on the service road near Carson Street. The two occupants were hospitalized with serious injuries.
The impact also sent the pickup truck off the highway, where it smashed through a utility pole and a tree before ending up back on the highway.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Traffic on Highway 121 was diverted for a portion of the morning rush hour as police conducted an investigation and cleanup.
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Warrant issued for woman in Wal-Mart stabbing
By DONNA FIELDER / Denton Record-Chronicle
HICKORY CREEK, Texas - Hickory Creek police have obtained an arrest warrant for a Denton woman they say stabbed herself in a Wal-Mart parking lot Friday and claimed she had been assaulted by a would-be car thief.
Hickory Creek Police Sgt. Chad Brinlee, who is the acting police chief, said Tuesday he obtained the arrest warrant and would present it to the district attorney and file it “at large” instead of taking her to jail.
Karen Sue Casey, 30, is under evaluation at a mental health facility, Brinlee said.
He said Casey told him she harmed herself in a bid for sympathy from her husband. She showed criminal culpability, he said, aside from her mental condition.
Casey could not be reached for comment.
“Anybody who would do something like this obviously has some mental problems,” Brinlee said. “But I believe she is criminally responsible for this crime.”
Hickory Creek police responded about 1 p.m. Friday to a report from a Wal-Mart employee in the store on FM2181 that a woman was lying in the parking lot with apparent stab wounds. The victim was taken to an emergency room and later transferred to the mental facility.
She initially told police she left the store and saw a man trying to steal her 2004 Dodge Durango. She said she attempted to stop him, and he stabbed her in the leg and the abdomen before driving away.
Police began looking for the SUV and its driver on nearby highways, but officers soon found it in the parking lot. A surveillance video from the store showed the SUV arriving at the store about 8:30 a.m., and sitting undisturbed for several hours while the woman was inside.
Under further questioning, the woman said she made up the story about the car thief and had cut herself, Brinlee said.
Making a false report to a police officer is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail.
By DONNA FIELDER / Denton Record-Chronicle
HICKORY CREEK, Texas - Hickory Creek police have obtained an arrest warrant for a Denton woman they say stabbed herself in a Wal-Mart parking lot Friday and claimed she had been assaulted by a would-be car thief.
Hickory Creek Police Sgt. Chad Brinlee, who is the acting police chief, said Tuesday he obtained the arrest warrant and would present it to the district attorney and file it “at large” instead of taking her to jail.
Karen Sue Casey, 30, is under evaluation at a mental health facility, Brinlee said.
He said Casey told him she harmed herself in a bid for sympathy from her husband. She showed criminal culpability, he said, aside from her mental condition.
Casey could not be reached for comment.
“Anybody who would do something like this obviously has some mental problems,” Brinlee said. “But I believe she is criminally responsible for this crime.”
Hickory Creek police responded about 1 p.m. Friday to a report from a Wal-Mart employee in the store on FM2181 that a woman was lying in the parking lot with apparent stab wounds. The victim was taken to an emergency room and later transferred to the mental facility.
She initially told police she left the store and saw a man trying to steal her 2004 Dodge Durango. She said she attempted to stop him, and he stabbed her in the leg and the abdomen before driving away.
Police began looking for the SUV and its driver on nearby highways, but officers soon found it in the parking lot. A surveillance video from the store showed the SUV arriving at the store about 8:30 a.m., and sitting undisturbed for several hours while the woman was inside.
Under further questioning, the woman said she made up the story about the car thief and had cut herself, Brinlee said.
Making a false report to a police officer is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail.
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Dallas council considers red light cameras
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The Dallas City Council is expected to move forward with proposals to install cameras to catch red light runners and to impound uninsured vehicles involved in wrecks.
Cameras have already been installed at busy Dallas intersections to catch motorists jumping red lights.
Today, the council will vote on the bidding process.
That will pave the way for private companies to place cameras at designated traffic lights which will then take photos of violators who will receive $75 citations in the mail.
A percentage of that money will go to the private company.
Garland reports that red light running is down 21 percent since cameras were installed in that Dallas suburb.
"[Crashes will be reduced], especially at our large intersections where you have three lanes of traffic and two turn lanes," said Dallas police Chief David Kunkle.
The council is also considering a plan to impound uninsured vehicles which are involved in traffic accidents. The driver would have to provide proof of insurance to get the car back.
Some people say this is targeting motorists who cannot afford insurance.
But city officials say they are trying to get everybody to follow the letter of the law. They add that one-third of people involved in wrecks do not have insurance, and for victims in other cars, they have no recourse.
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The Dallas City Council is expected to move forward with proposals to install cameras to catch red light runners and to impound uninsured vehicles involved in wrecks.
Cameras have already been installed at busy Dallas intersections to catch motorists jumping red lights.
Today, the council will vote on the bidding process.
That will pave the way for private companies to place cameras at designated traffic lights which will then take photos of violators who will receive $75 citations in the mail.
A percentage of that money will go to the private company.
Garland reports that red light running is down 21 percent since cameras were installed in that Dallas suburb.
"[Crashes will be reduced], especially at our large intersections where you have three lanes of traffic and two turn lanes," said Dallas police Chief David Kunkle.
The council is also considering a plan to impound uninsured vehicles which are involved in traffic accidents. The driver would have to provide proof of insurance to get the car back.
Some people say this is targeting motorists who cannot afford insurance.
But city officials say they are trying to get everybody to follow the letter of the law. They add that one-third of people involved in wrecks do not have insurance, and for victims in other cars, they have no recourse.
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Vickery Meadow eyes affordable housing
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Affordable housing is bound for a struggling part of Dallas - the city's Vickery Meadow neighborhood.
About 41,000 people live in the area, east of Central Expressway at Park Lane.
The county and city arranged $1 million in aid that will pay for about 300 units of multi-family housing.
Over the past 20 years, the Vickery Meadow area attracted immigrants from Mexico, Latin America and African nations with affordable apartments.
At the Vickery Meadow learning center where people take English and citizenship classes resident Laura Gamez agrees more housing is needed.
"They have a lot of family or big families - they cannot pay expensive rents. That's why they need more cheaper places," she says.
The county and city agreed to a tax increment finance district to help a developer build a hotel, office, retail and apartment project at Park Lane and Central Expressway across from North Park Center.
For that aid, the county requires at least 20 percent of new housing be affordable for middle to low income people.
So the developer offered to build 300 units in Vickery Meadow, close to new jobs that should be created. The county agreed.
"The reality is that people need to have a place to live close by to where they work," said Rick Loessberg, Dallas county planning director.
Vickery Meadow has a low income population and crime ravaged the neighborhoods. But crime is down. The Park Lane Dart rail station is nearby and the Dallas ISD is building four new schools.
"Now we can begin to be a real neighborhood and have our own neighborhood schools," said Judy Jacks from the Vickery Meadow Learning Center.
The new housing will be going up in about two years.
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Affordable housing is bound for a struggling part of Dallas - the city's Vickery Meadow neighborhood.
About 41,000 people live in the area, east of Central Expressway at Park Lane.
The county and city arranged $1 million in aid that will pay for about 300 units of multi-family housing.
Over the past 20 years, the Vickery Meadow area attracted immigrants from Mexico, Latin America and African nations with affordable apartments.
At the Vickery Meadow learning center where people take English and citizenship classes resident Laura Gamez agrees more housing is needed.
"They have a lot of family or big families - they cannot pay expensive rents. That's why they need more cheaper places," she says.
The county and city agreed to a tax increment finance district to help a developer build a hotel, office, retail and apartment project at Park Lane and Central Expressway across from North Park Center.
For that aid, the county requires at least 20 percent of new housing be affordable for middle to low income people.
So the developer offered to build 300 units in Vickery Meadow, close to new jobs that should be created. The county agreed.
"The reality is that people need to have a place to live close by to where they work," said Rick Loessberg, Dallas county planning director.
Vickery Meadow has a low income population and crime ravaged the neighborhoods. But crime is down. The Park Lane Dart rail station is nearby and the Dallas ISD is building four new schools.
"Now we can begin to be a real neighborhood and have our own neighborhood schools," said Judy Jacks from the Vickery Meadow Learning Center.
The new housing will be going up in about two years.
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Mass transit use jumps in Dallas-Fort Worth
Study: Many U.S. cities saw double-digit increases last year
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - One of Hurricane Katrina's legacies may be crowded commutes around the country.
More people in North Texas and elsewhere rode buses and trains last summer after gasoline prices spiked, and many continued to take mass transportation even after those prices fell, according to figures released Wednesday by the American Public Transportation Association.
Average gas prices rose all summer after breaking $2 a gallon in late March, soaring to $3.07 during the week of Sept. 5, the aftermath of Katrina.
"When it spikes, that gets people's attention," said Mantill Williams, AAA spokesman.
From July through September 2005, public transportation use was up 18.5 percent in Fort Worth and 14.9 percent in Dallas. Nationwide, there were 3.3 percent more trips on public transportation than there were during the same period in 2004, according to APTA.
DART spokesman Morgan Lyons said the agency has enjoyed the increases in ridership, and plans to continue its push to broaden local interest in bus and rail service.
“What we hope is that as people try the system and experience the convenience and cost savings, they’ll continue to stay with mass transit,” Mr. Lyons said. “You can park free, and for $2.50 you can ride all day. That won’t even buy you enough gas to drive from Plano to downtown.”
The American Public Transportation Association said that more than 25 transit systems showed double-digit ridership increases from November 2004 to November 2005, including Houston (14.9 percent), Kansas City, Mo. (13 percent), Reno, Nev. (12.4 percent), Salt Lake City (17.7 percent), and Tulsa, Okla. (22 percent).
"It looks like the riders stuck," said William Millar, APTA president.
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $2.55 during those months, up from $1.85 a year before.
Though gasoline prices fell to $2.22 in November, they were still higher than they were a year ago -- $1.93 a gallon in November 2004.
Transit ridership goes up and down, depending on gas prices, weather and the economy.
Mr. Lyons said DART is working to increase support to speed up the construction of expansion projects such as a planned rail line through Northwest Dallas, Farmers Branch and Carrollton.
“We’re still competing for $700 million in federal funding to advance that project,” he said. “Now our challenge is building more, faster.”
The Associated Press and DallasNews.com staff writer Alan Melson contributed to this report.
Study: Many U.S. cities saw double-digit increases last year
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - One of Hurricane Katrina's legacies may be crowded commutes around the country.
More people in North Texas and elsewhere rode buses and trains last summer after gasoline prices spiked, and many continued to take mass transportation even after those prices fell, according to figures released Wednesday by the American Public Transportation Association.
Average gas prices rose all summer after breaking $2 a gallon in late March, soaring to $3.07 during the week of Sept. 5, the aftermath of Katrina.
"When it spikes, that gets people's attention," said Mantill Williams, AAA spokesman.
From July through September 2005, public transportation use was up 18.5 percent in Fort Worth and 14.9 percent in Dallas. Nationwide, there were 3.3 percent more trips on public transportation than there were during the same period in 2004, according to APTA.
DART spokesman Morgan Lyons said the agency has enjoyed the increases in ridership, and plans to continue its push to broaden local interest in bus and rail service.
“What we hope is that as people try the system and experience the convenience and cost savings, they’ll continue to stay with mass transit,” Mr. Lyons said. “You can park free, and for $2.50 you can ride all day. That won’t even buy you enough gas to drive from Plano to downtown.”
The American Public Transportation Association said that more than 25 transit systems showed double-digit ridership increases from November 2004 to November 2005, including Houston (14.9 percent), Kansas City, Mo. (13 percent), Reno, Nev. (12.4 percent), Salt Lake City (17.7 percent), and Tulsa, Okla. (22 percent).
"It looks like the riders stuck," said William Millar, APTA president.
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $2.55 during those months, up from $1.85 a year before.
Though gasoline prices fell to $2.22 in November, they were still higher than they were a year ago -- $1.93 a gallon in November 2004.
Transit ridership goes up and down, depending on gas prices, weather and the economy.
Mr. Lyons said DART is working to increase support to speed up the construction of expansion projects such as a planned rail line through Northwest Dallas, Farmers Branch and Carrollton.
“We’re still competing for $700 million in federal funding to advance that project,” he said. “Now our challenge is building more, faster.”
The Associated Press and DallasNews.com staff writer Alan Melson contributed to this report.
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Woman dies in Garland house fire
By MARGARITA MARTÍN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News
GARLAND, Texas - A woman in her 40s died Wednesday afternoon after her northwest Garland home caught fire, officials said.
Garland Fire Department spokesman Merrill Balanciere said the name of the woman, who died at Baylor Medical Center at Garland, was being withheld at a relative's request.
Authorities said a 78-year-old woman, identified by a relative as the dead woman's grandmother, escaped unharmed from the house in the 2900 block of Canis Circle.
Mr. Balanciere said the woman who died was found in a second-floor bathroom off a heavily damaged bedroom and probably inhaled a lot of smoke; he didn't know whether she suffered burns.
Fire investigators were still trying to determine the point of origin and cause of the blaze, which broke out about 1:45 p.m.
Don Matthews, 51, a home repairman from Plano, was working four houses down when he saw the smoke. He said he ran to the house, and he and a neighbor helped the older woman get out.
He said she apparently suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and didn't remember that another person was in the house.
"She thought the dogs and the cats were still in there," Mr. Matthews said.
He said he felt bad when he saw the firefighters bring the younger woman out.
Had he known she was there, he said, "I probably would have been an idiot and gone in. I don't think I would have gotten too far in that house."
Mr. Matthews said the second floor of the home was engulfed in flames and smoke.
No dollar estimate of the damage was available.
By MARGARITA MARTÍN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News
GARLAND, Texas - A woman in her 40s died Wednesday afternoon after her northwest Garland home caught fire, officials said.
Garland Fire Department spokesman Merrill Balanciere said the name of the woman, who died at Baylor Medical Center at Garland, was being withheld at a relative's request.
Authorities said a 78-year-old woman, identified by a relative as the dead woman's grandmother, escaped unharmed from the house in the 2900 block of Canis Circle.
Mr. Balanciere said the woman who died was found in a second-floor bathroom off a heavily damaged bedroom and probably inhaled a lot of smoke; he didn't know whether she suffered burns.
Fire investigators were still trying to determine the point of origin and cause of the blaze, which broke out about 1:45 p.m.
Don Matthews, 51, a home repairman from Plano, was working four houses down when he saw the smoke. He said he ran to the house, and he and a neighbor helped the older woman get out.
He said she apparently suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and didn't remember that another person was in the house.
"She thought the dogs and the cats were still in there," Mr. Matthews said.
He said he felt bad when he saw the firefighters bring the younger woman out.
Had he known she was there, he said, "I probably would have been an idiot and gone in. I don't think I would have gotten too far in that house."
Mr. Matthews said the second floor of the home was engulfed in flames and smoke.
No dollar estimate of the damage was available.
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BREAKING NEWS
MESQUITE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Mesquite firefighters are battling a grass fire near Interstate 30 and Loop 12. There are some apartments in the vicinity.
See Continuing Coverage of the Extreme Wildfire Danger and Severe Drought in the USA Weather Forum.
MESQUITE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Mesquite firefighters are battling a grass fire near Interstate 30 and Loop 12. There are some apartments in the vicinity.
See Continuing Coverage of the Extreme Wildfire Danger and Severe Drought in the USA Weather Forum.
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BREAKING NEWS
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Jones Street is closed between 7th and 8th avenues due to a gas line break caused by construction in the area. Fire personnel and Atmos Energy crews are on scene.
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Jones Street is closed between 7th and 8th avenues due to a gas line break caused by construction in the area. Fire personnel and Atmos Energy crews are on scene.
Last edited by TexasStooge on Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Baby found dead with burns to body
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Authorities said a 7-month-old infant found dead in a home in the 2400 block of Randolph in southeast Dallas had unexplained burns and they are unsure of the exact cause of the baby's death.
Police said they were doing a welfare check at the home when they said they encountered a strange smell. After searching for the smell, police said they found the infant girl in the back bedroom with burns on her body.
"He went inside and smelled something that was burning, or was burnt," said Sgt. Gil Cerda, Dallas Police Department. "He looked down on the floor and saw the body of a small child."
Police said they are questioning the child's mother who appeared to have several bruises across her face and body. The father had been placed in the jail over the weekend after police said there was a domestic disturbance at the residence.
"There was some kerosene in there," Cerda said. "Don't know and can't confirm, was that an accelerant that was used?"
Neighbors called the police after they noticed the woman roaming around the neighborhood injured.
Troy Williams rented the home to the woman, and someone he said he believed was her husband.
"I couldn't believe it, you know?" he said.
A next door neighbor, Felipe Aguina, said the couple argued regularly and he had called the police on the couple less than a year ago.
He said after he made the call, police arrived and arrested the man.
"We don't know we have a homicide," Cerda said. "We won't know that until the ME completes his examination."
The medical examiner will complete an autopsy to determine the cause of the baby's death and how long the child had been dead before she was discovered.
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Authorities said a 7-month-old infant found dead in a home in the 2400 block of Randolph in southeast Dallas had unexplained burns and they are unsure of the exact cause of the baby's death.
Police said they were doing a welfare check at the home when they said they encountered a strange smell. After searching for the smell, police said they found the infant girl in the back bedroom with burns on her body.
"He went inside and smelled something that was burning, or was burnt," said Sgt. Gil Cerda, Dallas Police Department. "He looked down on the floor and saw the body of a small child."
Police said they are questioning the child's mother who appeared to have several bruises across her face and body. The father had been placed in the jail over the weekend after police said there was a domestic disturbance at the residence.
"There was some kerosene in there," Cerda said. "Don't know and can't confirm, was that an accelerant that was used?"
Neighbors called the police after they noticed the woman roaming around the neighborhood injured.
Troy Williams rented the home to the woman, and someone he said he believed was her husband.
"I couldn't believe it, you know?" he said.
A next door neighbor, Felipe Aguina, said the couple argued regularly and he had called the police on the couple less than a year ago.
He said after he made the call, police arrived and arrested the man.
"We don't know we have a homicide," Cerda said. "We won't know that until the ME completes his examination."
The medical examiner will complete an autopsy to determine the cause of the baby's death and how long the child had been dead before she was discovered.
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Incidents raise excessive force questions
By BRETT SHIPP / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - As Dallas police investigate whether Officer Ceaphus Gordon used excessive force while restraining a roller derby skater Saturday night in Deep Ellum, News 8 has discovered another incident in which officers were accused of hurting and arresting innocent civilians at a popular nightspot.
Two friends, Britt Amsler of Oklahoma and Darren Davis of Dallas, said they walked outside a club on Lower Greenville last summer when they saw Dallas police trying to break up a big fight.
Seconds later, one of the men found himself slammed to the ground and cuffed and the other found himself with a gaping wound to his face.
Officers refused to take any responsibility for the injuries they said they received as innocent bystanders.
"Everybody started running different directions, people were hollering," Amsler said.
The men said they were caught in a hail of pepper ball rounds being fired by Dallas police who were trying to break up the fight.
"At the time, these little balls that I've identified now as pepper spray balls [are] flying," Amsler said. "[They were] flying against the wall. My buddy gets one in the face."
Graphic photos showed the extent of the damage Davis received from what he said was a pepper spray ball shot to the face.
"...I took a look up to see what was going on, and as soon as I did my lip basically exploded and I put my hand up to my lip and went down to a knee and looked down and my hand was full of blood," Davis said.
The two men said an officer also was very aggressive towards Amsler when he tried to help his injured friend.
"And I'm like, 'You shot my friend in the face. We were inside eating pizza. We're not involved in this,'" Amsler said. "That's when I was grabbed by the throat, thrown against the car down to the ground and handcuffed."
Amsler was arrested and thrown in jail for public intoxication despite having nothing to drink for hours, according to his own account.
However, a police report stated Amsler's status was listed as incapacitated.
Davis said he was shocked that police refused to acknowledge that they shot him in the face.
"He said, 'Nobody shot you," Davis said. "And I said, 'What are you talking about? Look at my lip.' And he said 'No, one of the suspects actually fell into you and his head hit your lip. "
The police report states one suspect hit Davis in the head "with his fists," and police arrested that person for assault.
Davis and Amsler have both filed official complaints asking for an investigation into alleged police misconduct.
Dallas police spokesperson Sgt. Gil Cerda said the matter is still being investigated.
"Until this is complete, until they talk to all the witnesses as well as the complainants themselves, we won't be able to determine was there any bad intent or anything violated by these officers," Cerda said.
According to procedures governing the firing of the pepper gun, police should "beware of accidental contamination of other officers and bystanders" and never hit someone in the face.
Last year during the world series celebration in Boston, a bystander was killed when a pepper pellet hit her in the face.
"That is a possibility, yes," said Sgt. David Welch, who trains Dallas officers on how to use the pepper gun. "That's why we train to never intentionally target the face, eyes, throat or spine."
Charges against Amsler were never dropped.
"They told me they weren't interested in dismissing the case," said David Schiller, Amsler's attorney.
Dallas has also refused to pay for pepper ball damage to another civilian's car during the same incident.
While discipline to the officers may still be forthcoming, Davis said he feels it all could have been avoided had they simply done the right thing.
"When things happen like that, it kind of shakes your confidence in the Dallas police," he said.
The citizen complaint was filed last August, but nearly five months later there has been no word on when and what will become of the investigation.
By BRETT SHIPP / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - As Dallas police investigate whether Officer Ceaphus Gordon used excessive force while restraining a roller derby skater Saturday night in Deep Ellum, News 8 has discovered another incident in which officers were accused of hurting and arresting innocent civilians at a popular nightspot.
Two friends, Britt Amsler of Oklahoma and Darren Davis of Dallas, said they walked outside a club on Lower Greenville last summer when they saw Dallas police trying to break up a big fight.
Seconds later, one of the men found himself slammed to the ground and cuffed and the other found himself with a gaping wound to his face.
Officers refused to take any responsibility for the injuries they said they received as innocent bystanders.
"Everybody started running different directions, people were hollering," Amsler said.
The men said they were caught in a hail of pepper ball rounds being fired by Dallas police who were trying to break up the fight.
"At the time, these little balls that I've identified now as pepper spray balls [are] flying," Amsler said. "[They were] flying against the wall. My buddy gets one in the face."
Graphic photos showed the extent of the damage Davis received from what he said was a pepper spray ball shot to the face.
"...I took a look up to see what was going on, and as soon as I did my lip basically exploded and I put my hand up to my lip and went down to a knee and looked down and my hand was full of blood," Davis said.
The two men said an officer also was very aggressive towards Amsler when he tried to help his injured friend.
"And I'm like, 'You shot my friend in the face. We were inside eating pizza. We're not involved in this,'" Amsler said. "That's when I was grabbed by the throat, thrown against the car down to the ground and handcuffed."
Amsler was arrested and thrown in jail for public intoxication despite having nothing to drink for hours, according to his own account.
However, a police report stated Amsler's status was listed as incapacitated.
Davis said he was shocked that police refused to acknowledge that they shot him in the face.
"He said, 'Nobody shot you," Davis said. "And I said, 'What are you talking about? Look at my lip.' And he said 'No, one of the suspects actually fell into you and his head hit your lip. "
The police report states one suspect hit Davis in the head "with his fists," and police arrested that person for assault.
Davis and Amsler have both filed official complaints asking for an investigation into alleged police misconduct.
Dallas police spokesperson Sgt. Gil Cerda said the matter is still being investigated.
"Until this is complete, until they talk to all the witnesses as well as the complainants themselves, we won't be able to determine was there any bad intent or anything violated by these officers," Cerda said.
According to procedures governing the firing of the pepper gun, police should "beware of accidental contamination of other officers and bystanders" and never hit someone in the face.
Last year during the world series celebration in Boston, a bystander was killed when a pepper pellet hit her in the face.
"That is a possibility, yes," said Sgt. David Welch, who trains Dallas officers on how to use the pepper gun. "That's why we train to never intentionally target the face, eyes, throat or spine."
Charges against Amsler were never dropped.
"They told me they weren't interested in dismissing the case," said David Schiller, Amsler's attorney.
Dallas has also refused to pay for pepper ball damage to another civilian's car during the same incident.
While discipline to the officers may still be forthcoming, Davis said he feels it all could have been avoided had they simply done the right thing.
"When things happen like that, it kind of shakes your confidence in the Dallas police," he said.
The citizen complaint was filed last August, but nearly five months later there has been no word on when and what will become of the investigation.
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Police join probe after homeless man found burned
By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Fire and police investigators are being criticized for their late response by a homeless advocacy group after family members of a homeless man said they believe the man was set on fire.
Assault and arson investigators have began to work together to figure out how the homeless man was critically burned and said initial response was slow because the call came in as a grass fire.
The homeless man was found on fire Monday night behind a gas station in the 800 block of Industrial Boulevard near downtown Dallas.
"It was bad, real bad," said Gloria Igleta, mother-in-law. "He's not the same person."
Francisco "Paco" Ramirez, known as 'The Boxer' on the streets, is still fighting to survive burns that covered 75 percent of his body.
"I just walked through the door and started screaming," Igleta said. "It can't be him. The doctors said, it's him."
While a store clerk put out the flames and called 911, Ramirez told him he had been attacked.
However, it took nearly a day for arson investigators to begin looking into that claim. While they waited for investigators to start their probe, Ramirez's family started their own investigation.
They canvassed the homeless community and got the description of a suspect who they heard set fires before.
Ramirez quit his job and has spent nearly five years homeless by choice.
His family said he spends half his money on alcohol and the other on his two children.
However, his family said Ramirez having an address does not mean he does not deserve justice.
"When we responded to the call, it came in as a grass fire," said Annette Ponce, Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Investigators have begun looking into the incident as a possible crime and Dallas Fire-Rescue is looking into how the department handled the homeless man's case.
"It's never a discrimination factor," Ponce said. "The fire department does not discriminate. We handle all calls equally."
"We're the one doing it all because we love him and we want something done," Igleta said.
By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Fire and police investigators are being criticized for their late response by a homeless advocacy group after family members of a homeless man said they believe the man was set on fire.
Assault and arson investigators have began to work together to figure out how the homeless man was critically burned and said initial response was slow because the call came in as a grass fire.
The homeless man was found on fire Monday night behind a gas station in the 800 block of Industrial Boulevard near downtown Dallas.
"It was bad, real bad," said Gloria Igleta, mother-in-law. "He's not the same person."
Francisco "Paco" Ramirez, known as 'The Boxer' on the streets, is still fighting to survive burns that covered 75 percent of his body.
"I just walked through the door and started screaming," Igleta said. "It can't be him. The doctors said, it's him."
While a store clerk put out the flames and called 911, Ramirez told him he had been attacked.
However, it took nearly a day for arson investigators to begin looking into that claim. While they waited for investigators to start their probe, Ramirez's family started their own investigation.
They canvassed the homeless community and got the description of a suspect who they heard set fires before.
Ramirez quit his job and has spent nearly five years homeless by choice.
His family said he spends half his money on alcohol and the other on his two children.
However, his family said Ramirez having an address does not mean he does not deserve justice.
"When we responded to the call, it came in as a grass fire," said Annette Ponce, Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Investigators have begun looking into the incident as a possible crime and Dallas Fire-Rescue is looking into how the department handled the homeless man's case.
"It's never a discrimination factor," Ponce said. "The fire department does not discriminate. We handle all calls equally."
"We're the one doing it all because we love him and we want something done," Igleta said.
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Dramatic police chase ends in wreck
HOUSTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A dramatic police car chase took place in Houston on Wednesday, ending in a head on collision and a mother screaming to reach her baby.
A driver in a BMW led police on an almost two-hour high-speed chase, before driving the wrong way on an entrance and crashing into a vehicle heading in the opposite direction.
Helicopter video showed a victim getting out of her car, wrapping on the suspect's vehicle, before screaming at police to help her reach her baby.
A cop could be seen rocking the baby while the woman climbed over the collided cars to reach her child. Another person was pulled out of the victim's car while the driver of the BMW was arrested.
The chase started after 1:45 p.m. when officers tried pull the suspect over to question him about a domestic assault case in Montgomery County.
The driver took off on the Beltway, sped along I-45, then back to the Beltway and several highways in between, before exiting to Hwy. 59.
The suspect headed south toward Sugar Land before turning back north toward downtown.
Along with the major freeways, the suspect also entered Hwy. 6, Hwy. 249 and Hwy. 290 at times during the chase. He darted between cars, but didn't appear to hit any other vehicle until the very end.
At one point early in the chase, police lost the car which blended in with traffic at a normal rate of speed.
When they caught up with him again, the driver sped off at speeds up to 90 miles an hour which continued until the chase ended around 3:30 p.m.
Houston's KHOU.com contributed to this story.
HOUSTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A dramatic police car chase took place in Houston on Wednesday, ending in a head on collision and a mother screaming to reach her baby.
A driver in a BMW led police on an almost two-hour high-speed chase, before driving the wrong way on an entrance and crashing into a vehicle heading in the opposite direction.
Helicopter video showed a victim getting out of her car, wrapping on the suspect's vehicle, before screaming at police to help her reach her baby.
A cop could be seen rocking the baby while the woman climbed over the collided cars to reach her child. Another person was pulled out of the victim's car while the driver of the BMW was arrested.
The chase started after 1:45 p.m. when officers tried pull the suspect over to question him about a domestic assault case in Montgomery County.
The driver took off on the Beltway, sped along I-45, then back to the Beltway and several highways in between, before exiting to Hwy. 59.
The suspect headed south toward Sugar Land before turning back north toward downtown.
Along with the major freeways, the suspect also entered Hwy. 6, Hwy. 249 and Hwy. 290 at times during the chase. He darted between cars, but didn't appear to hit any other vehicle until the very end.
At one point early in the chase, police lost the car which blended in with traffic at a normal rate of speed.
When they caught up with him again, the driver sped off at speeds up to 90 miles an hour which continued until the chase ended around 3:30 p.m.
Houston's KHOU.com contributed to this story.
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TexasStooge
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Baby found dead with burns to body
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Authorities said a 7-month-old infant found dead in a home in the 2400 block of Randolph in southeast Dallas had unexplained burns and they are unsure of the exact cause of the baby's death.
Police said they were doing a welfare check at the home when they said they encountered a strange smell. After searching for the smell, police said they found the infant girl in the back bedroom with burns on her body.
"He went inside and smelled something that was burning, or was burnt," said Sgt. Gil Cerda, Dallas Police Department. "He looked down on the floor and saw the body of a small child."
Police said they are questioning the child's mother who appeared to have several bruises across her face and body. The father had been placed in the jail over the weekend after police said there was a domestic disturbance at the residence.
"There was some kerosene in there," Cerda said. "Don't know and can't confirm, was that an accelerant that was used?"
Neighbors called the police after they noticed the woman roaming around the neighborhood injured.
Troy Williams rented the home to the woman, and someone he said he believed was her husband.
"I couldn't believe it, you know?" he said.
A next door neighbor, Felipe Aguina, said the couple argued regularly and he had called the police on the couple less than a year ago.
He said after he made the call, police arrived and arrested the man.
"We don't know we have a homicide," Cerda said. "We won't know that until the ME completes his examination."
The medical examiner will complete an autopsy to determine the cause of the baby's death and how long the child had been dead before she was discovered.
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Authorities said a 7-month-old infant found dead in a home in the 2400 block of Randolph in southeast Dallas had unexplained burns and they are unsure of the exact cause of the baby's death.
Police said they were doing a welfare check at the home when they said they encountered a strange smell. After searching for the smell, police said they found the infant girl in the back bedroom with burns on her body.
"He went inside and smelled something that was burning, or was burnt," said Sgt. Gil Cerda, Dallas Police Department. "He looked down on the floor and saw the body of a small child."
Police said they are questioning the child's mother who appeared to have several bruises across her face and body. The father had been placed in the jail over the weekend after police said there was a domestic disturbance at the residence.
"There was some kerosene in there," Cerda said. "Don't know and can't confirm, was that an accelerant that was used?"
Neighbors called the police after they noticed the woman roaming around the neighborhood injured.
Troy Williams rented the home to the woman, and someone he said he believed was her husband.
"I couldn't believe it, you know?" he said.
A next door neighbor, Felipe Aguina, said the couple argued regularly and he had called the police on the couple less than a year ago.
He said after he made the call, police arrived and arrested the man.
"We don't know we have a homicide," Cerda said. "We won't know that until the ME completes his examination."
The medical examiner will complete an autopsy to determine the cause of the baby's death and how long the child had been dead before she was discovered.
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Customers hot over heating bills
Some 'ready to start revolt' as Atmos gas prices soar
By SUDEEP REDDY / The Dallas Morning News
Atmos Energy customers are facing some of their biggest heating bills ever this month, and many North Texans are finding them particularly tough to digest.
Some customers are discovering that their bills have doubled. Most have seen increases of at least 40 percent in recent months as natural gas has soared to record prices over the last year.
"It's ridiculous. It's absolutely ridiculous," said Ed Skeen of Garland, who saw his bill in December jump 55 percent over a year ago. "I was ready to start a revolt."
Slightly better days may be on the horizon for customers of Dallas-based Atmos, which serves 1.5 million households in the area. Temperatures in the first half of January were way above normal. Weather is the most significant factor in customers' gas bills because it can alter their consumption patterns and market prices.
"Prices are going down because the weather is warmer than normal," Atmos Energy spokesman Rand LaVonn said. "We've seen that across the country where prices are falling."
In the meantime, customers are dealing with bills for last month.
A cold front in early December may have hit some especially hard. Temperatures in the first half of the month were well below normal, though the month overall ended up slightly warmer than average.
That means a customer with a meter reading in mid-December could see a particularly ugly bill.
"Depending on when your meter-reading cycle comes in, some people may have a bill that is really offset by those first 10 days," Mr. LaVonn said. "Then the next month will be much lower."
By law, Atmos must charge customers the price it pays to buy natural gas for its users. The largely regulated company earns a profit through separate pipeline and customer charges.
For several years, customers have seen their heating bills increase as natural gas markets face turmoil.
The cost of natural gas, known on bills as the GCR, or gas cost recovery, is about $12.60 per thousand cubic feet this month, up from $8.70 a year ago. The December charge was $13.02 per thousand cubic feet, up 50 percent. In November the spike was about 80 percent to $15.67.
Gas utilities generally store natural gas in the months leading up to the winter heating season, when demand rises.
Market prices for natural gas soared throughout the year, rising from just over $7 per thousand cubic feet in late July to more than $15 last month. They've since tumbled as warmer weather nationwide eases demand. Natural gas futures closed at less than $9 Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
"We're probably over the worst with the exception of some incredible cold weather in the mid-continent," said Allen Mesch, president of PetroStrategies Inc., a consulting firm.
"That means your energy bills are still going to be higher than what they were relative to a year ago, but not as dramatic as we thought they might be," Mr. Mesch said.
In Richardson, Phil and Doris Houston saw their latest bill jump to $247 this month, up 60 percent from a year ago, despite just an 18 percent increase in their consumption.
That's after their bill jumped 40 percent in December and more than doubled in November.
"It's quite a shock to have $247 when you've been having quite a bit less than that," Mrs. Houston said. "We cut it back to 72 instead of 74. And I'm wearing more sweaters.
"Groceries are increasing and everything else is increasing," she said. "It's just one more thing. But this was a little bit more than we expected."
Vicente and Olga Matheus are having trouble understanding why their Atmos bill has tripled in the past month.
"We paid $85 in November, and by December we are being charged $155," Mr. Matheus said. "This is too much. We do not overuse gas. This winter has not even been cold."
With the bill going up so much, the couple checked with Atmos to see if there was a gas leak in their home.
Customers who think their meter may have been misread can request that the company examine the equipment.
But a maintenance representative told them everything was working properly.
"We know we have to pay, but the increase should be moderate," Mrs. Matheus said.
Atmos says it's allowed under state rules to skip a meter reading and estimate a customer's consumption for up to six months before doing an actual reading to reconcile the actual consumption with the estimate.
But in practice, the company estimates for only two months. Any difference between the estimate and the actual usage is adjusted on the bill based on the most recent month's rate.
"We make every good faith to estimate bills as best we can, but we really want to get a reading as often as we can," Mr. LaVonn said. "It's to the benefit of customers and us if we are able to read the meter every month."
Staff writer Liliana Vargas of Al Día contributed to this report.
Some 'ready to start revolt' as Atmos gas prices soar
By SUDEEP REDDY / The Dallas Morning News
Atmos Energy customers are facing some of their biggest heating bills ever this month, and many North Texans are finding them particularly tough to digest.
Some customers are discovering that their bills have doubled. Most have seen increases of at least 40 percent in recent months as natural gas has soared to record prices over the last year.
"It's ridiculous. It's absolutely ridiculous," said Ed Skeen of Garland, who saw his bill in December jump 55 percent over a year ago. "I was ready to start a revolt."
Slightly better days may be on the horizon for customers of Dallas-based Atmos, which serves 1.5 million households in the area. Temperatures in the first half of January were way above normal. Weather is the most significant factor in customers' gas bills because it can alter their consumption patterns and market prices.
"Prices are going down because the weather is warmer than normal," Atmos Energy spokesman Rand LaVonn said. "We've seen that across the country where prices are falling."
In the meantime, customers are dealing with bills for last month.
A cold front in early December may have hit some especially hard. Temperatures in the first half of the month were well below normal, though the month overall ended up slightly warmer than average.
That means a customer with a meter reading in mid-December could see a particularly ugly bill.
"Depending on when your meter-reading cycle comes in, some people may have a bill that is really offset by those first 10 days," Mr. LaVonn said. "Then the next month will be much lower."
By law, Atmos must charge customers the price it pays to buy natural gas for its users. The largely regulated company earns a profit through separate pipeline and customer charges.
For several years, customers have seen their heating bills increase as natural gas markets face turmoil.
The cost of natural gas, known on bills as the GCR, or gas cost recovery, is about $12.60 per thousand cubic feet this month, up from $8.70 a year ago. The December charge was $13.02 per thousand cubic feet, up 50 percent. In November the spike was about 80 percent to $15.67.
Gas utilities generally store natural gas in the months leading up to the winter heating season, when demand rises.
Market prices for natural gas soared throughout the year, rising from just over $7 per thousand cubic feet in late July to more than $15 last month. They've since tumbled as warmer weather nationwide eases demand. Natural gas futures closed at less than $9 Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
"We're probably over the worst with the exception of some incredible cold weather in the mid-continent," said Allen Mesch, president of PetroStrategies Inc., a consulting firm.
"That means your energy bills are still going to be higher than what they were relative to a year ago, but not as dramatic as we thought they might be," Mr. Mesch said.
In Richardson, Phil and Doris Houston saw their latest bill jump to $247 this month, up 60 percent from a year ago, despite just an 18 percent increase in their consumption.
That's after their bill jumped 40 percent in December and more than doubled in November.
"It's quite a shock to have $247 when you've been having quite a bit less than that," Mrs. Houston said. "We cut it back to 72 instead of 74. And I'm wearing more sweaters.
"Groceries are increasing and everything else is increasing," she said. "It's just one more thing. But this was a little bit more than we expected."
Vicente and Olga Matheus are having trouble understanding why their Atmos bill has tripled in the past month.
"We paid $85 in November, and by December we are being charged $155," Mr. Matheus said. "This is too much. We do not overuse gas. This winter has not even been cold."
With the bill going up so much, the couple checked with Atmos to see if there was a gas leak in their home.
Customers who think their meter may have been misread can request that the company examine the equipment.
But a maintenance representative told them everything was working properly.
"We know we have to pay, but the increase should be moderate," Mrs. Matheus said.
Atmos says it's allowed under state rules to skip a meter reading and estimate a customer's consumption for up to six months before doing an actual reading to reconcile the actual consumption with the estimate.
But in practice, the company estimates for only two months. Any difference between the estimate and the actual usage is adjusted on the bill based on the most recent month's rate.
"We make every good faith to estimate bills as best we can, but we really want to get a reading as often as we can," Mr. LaVonn said. "It's to the benefit of customers and us if we are able to read the meter every month."
Staff writer Liliana Vargas of Al Día contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Fires damage homes in Plano, Lewisville
From WFAA ABC 8 Staff Reports
Separate fires seriously damaged homes in Plano and Lewisville on Thursday.
Plano firefighters called multiple alarms for a blaze that spread rapidly through a large home in the 4700 block of Altessa Drive, in the Preston Lakes-Cezanne subdivision.
Strong winds with gusts more than 25 mph threatened to spread the fire to adjacent structures.
New homes in the neighborhood are in the 3,000 square foot range and are priced above $400,000. It could not immediately be determined whether the house was occupied.
There were no reports of injuries in the midafternoon fire.
On Thursday morning, a three-alarm fire caused heavy damage to a home in Lewisville. No one was hurt.
Authorities said the blaze, which was first spotted by a neighbor just after 10 a.m., spread quickly through the rear of the one-story brick home in the 1400 block of St. Gallen Lane.
Lewisville fire crews got the fire under control by 10:28 a.m. They were assisted by personnel from other nearby departments, primarily to hose off neighboring homes due to fears strong winds would spread the flames.
Officials believe no one was home when the fire began, although firefighters rescued a dog they found hiding under a sofa.
A damage estimate was not known.
WFAA-TV staff and Dallas Morning News staff writer Brandon Formby contributed to this report.
From WFAA ABC 8 Staff Reports
Separate fires seriously damaged homes in Plano and Lewisville on Thursday.
Plano firefighters called multiple alarms for a blaze that spread rapidly through a large home in the 4700 block of Altessa Drive, in the Preston Lakes-Cezanne subdivision.
Strong winds with gusts more than 25 mph threatened to spread the fire to adjacent structures.
New homes in the neighborhood are in the 3,000 square foot range and are priced above $400,000. It could not immediately be determined whether the house was occupied.
There were no reports of injuries in the midafternoon fire.
On Thursday morning, a three-alarm fire caused heavy damage to a home in Lewisville. No one was hurt.
Authorities said the blaze, which was first spotted by a neighbor just after 10 a.m., spread quickly through the rear of the one-story brick home in the 1400 block of St. Gallen Lane.
Lewisville fire crews got the fire under control by 10:28 a.m. They were assisted by personnel from other nearby departments, primarily to hose off neighboring homes due to fears strong winds would spread the flames.
Officials believe no one was home when the fire began, although firefighters rescued a dog they found hiding under a sofa.
A damage estimate was not known.
WFAA-TV staff and Dallas Morning News staff writer Brandon Formby contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Tax firm sued for filing bogus returns
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott pledged Thursday to vigorously prosecute a Dallas-based tax preparation firm that was the subject of a series of News 8 Investigates reports.
In the original story that aired last November, taxpayers who had used Twin Tax Services told News 8 they owed the Internal Revenue Service thousands of dollars for refunds they had never received.
The taxpayers alleged that Twin Tax padded their returns with bogus deductions and then intercepted the refund checks from the IRS.
Abbott said Thursday his department's investigation confirmed the allegations exposed in the News 8 investigation. His agency has filed a lawsuit against Twin Tax, affiliated companies and six individuals linked to the firm.
"I intend to pursue these companies and individuals to the fullest extent allowed under the law, because many taxpayers have been hurt, audited by federal authorities, through no fault of their own, and they need relief," Abbott said in a statement.
The lawsuit demands the refund of all money wrongfully taken from taxpaying citizens. Twin Tax and the other defendants are also liable for civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and attorneys' fees.
Consumers who wish to file complaints against deceptive tax preparers ccan call the Attorney General's toll-free complaint line at 1-800-252-8011 or file online at http://www.oag.state.tx.us.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott pledged Thursday to vigorously prosecute a Dallas-based tax preparation firm that was the subject of a series of News 8 Investigates reports.
In the original story that aired last November, taxpayers who had used Twin Tax Services told News 8 they owed the Internal Revenue Service thousands of dollars for refunds they had never received.
The taxpayers alleged that Twin Tax padded their returns with bogus deductions and then intercepted the refund checks from the IRS.
Abbott said Thursday his department's investigation confirmed the allegations exposed in the News 8 investigation. His agency has filed a lawsuit against Twin Tax, affiliated companies and six individuals linked to the firm.
"I intend to pursue these companies and individuals to the fullest extent allowed under the law, because many taxpayers have been hurt, audited by federal authorities, through no fault of their own, and they need relief," Abbott said in a statement.
The lawsuit demands the refund of all money wrongfully taken from taxpaying citizens. Twin Tax and the other defendants are also liable for civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and attorneys' fees.
Consumers who wish to file complaints against deceptive tax preparers ccan call the Attorney General's toll-free complaint line at 1-800-252-8011 or file online at http://www.oag.state.tx.us.
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North Texas sees flu outbreak
By JANET ST. JAMES / WFAA ABC 8
Health officials say a flu outbreak in North Texas is reaching epidemic levels.
They are calling on people to get a flu jab.
The flu outbreak comes despite the warm weather.
Dallas County Health Department is warning that the worst is yet to come.
North Texas health departments have been very proactive this year in getting the word out about flu vaccine supplies.
Every county we checked with still has supplies available.
It is not too late to get a vaccine. It does take two weeks for full coverage but flu does typically peak in January and February while the virus sticks around until May.
The Carter Blood Care center in Dallas is warning that illness is meaning blood supplies are dipping dramatically.
They are asking able-bodied people to give blood, as the need for blood for transfusions never drops.
By JANET ST. JAMES / WFAA ABC 8
Health officials say a flu outbreak in North Texas is reaching epidemic levels.
They are calling on people to get a flu jab.
The flu outbreak comes despite the warm weather.
Dallas County Health Department is warning that the worst is yet to come.
North Texas health departments have been very proactive this year in getting the word out about flu vaccine supplies.
Every county we checked with still has supplies available.
It is not too late to get a vaccine. It does take two weeks for full coverage but flu does typically peak in January and February while the virus sticks around until May.
The Carter Blood Care center in Dallas is warning that illness is meaning blood supplies are dipping dramatically.
They are asking able-bodied people to give blood, as the need for blood for transfusions never drops.
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TexasStooge
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Police investigating infant's death
Oak Cliff: Fire probe continues; neighbors describe fighting
By PAUL MEYER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The mother of a 7-month-old girl who was found dead with burns has been taken in for questioning as the investigation continues, a Dallas police spokesman said Thursday.
The woman, whose name and age were not released, was cooperating with police, Dallas police Sgt. Gil Cerda said.
"At this time, we don't know if we have a homicide," he said.
Sgt. Cerda said police were called about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday to check on the welfare of the mother, who was seen walking outside with bruises on her body.
When police arrived at the home in the 2400 block of Randolph Street, they went inside, smelled something burnt and discovered the body of Starlotte Lang. Authorities were awaiting autopsy results before determining whether the child's death was a homicide, Sgt. Cerda said.
Police found kerosene in the home but were investigating how a fire began inside.
Landlord Troy Williams, 67, rents the small white house with green trim to the woman. He was there when police arrived and said the mother was crying.
"She seemed like she was scared," he said.
Mr. Williams said the woman moved in about a year ago and hadn't caused any problems. Other neighbors, however, described an abusive relationship between the woman and the man she lived with.
"They fought. Yeah, they fought," said Clifton Franklin, 35. "But that wouldn't drive a person to kill their kid."
Mr. Franklin, whose family lives across the street, said the woman's boyfriend went to jail a couple of days ago, but he didn't know why. Before the man was arrested, he took the baby to a local fire station to get her checked out after possible abuse, Mr. Franklin said. The child, he said, returned home.
"She was quiet," he said of the woman, adding that she rarely went outside.
Felipe Aguinaga, who lives next door, said he often overheard arguments at the home.
Less than a year ago, he said, he called police after the pregnant woman fell outside and yelled for help. Police arrived and took a man away in handcuffs, Mr. Aguinaga said.
Sgt. Cerda said he did not know the history of police calls made regarding the home, but said there had been no Child Protective Services referrals to the residence.
He said the woman and child were the only two in the house when police arrived Wednesday.
DallasNews.com Staff Writer Alan Melson and WFAA-TV contributed to this report.
Oak Cliff: Fire probe continues; neighbors describe fighting
By PAUL MEYER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The mother of a 7-month-old girl who was found dead with burns has been taken in for questioning as the investigation continues, a Dallas police spokesman said Thursday.
The woman, whose name and age were not released, was cooperating with police, Dallas police Sgt. Gil Cerda said.
"At this time, we don't know if we have a homicide," he said.
Sgt. Cerda said police were called about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday to check on the welfare of the mother, who was seen walking outside with bruises on her body.
When police arrived at the home in the 2400 block of Randolph Street, they went inside, smelled something burnt and discovered the body of Starlotte Lang. Authorities were awaiting autopsy results before determining whether the child's death was a homicide, Sgt. Cerda said.
Police found kerosene in the home but were investigating how a fire began inside.
Landlord Troy Williams, 67, rents the small white house with green trim to the woman. He was there when police arrived and said the mother was crying.
"She seemed like she was scared," he said.
Mr. Williams said the woman moved in about a year ago and hadn't caused any problems. Other neighbors, however, described an abusive relationship between the woman and the man she lived with.
"They fought. Yeah, they fought," said Clifton Franklin, 35. "But that wouldn't drive a person to kill their kid."
Mr. Franklin, whose family lives across the street, said the woman's boyfriend went to jail a couple of days ago, but he didn't know why. Before the man was arrested, he took the baby to a local fire station to get her checked out after possible abuse, Mr. Franklin said. The child, he said, returned home.
"She was quiet," he said of the woman, adding that she rarely went outside.
Felipe Aguinaga, who lives next door, said he often overheard arguments at the home.
Less than a year ago, he said, he called police after the pregnant woman fell outside and yelled for help. Police arrived and took a man away in handcuffs, Mr. Aguinaga said.
Sgt. Cerda said he did not know the history of police calls made regarding the home, but said there had been no Child Protective Services referrals to the residence.
He said the woman and child were the only two in the house when police arrived Wednesday.
DallasNews.com Staff Writer Alan Melson and WFAA-TV contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Family recovering after Houston car chase
HOUSTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A Houston woman, her baby and her mother are all doing well today after their car was hit by another going the wrong way on the freeway.
The man was being chased by police when he turned around on the freeway.
Diana Clayborn was so angry after being hit that she jumped out of her car and began pounding on the suspect's door.
The suspect was wanted for questioning in a domestic assault case in Montgomery County.
HOUSTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A Houston woman, her baby and her mother are all doing well today after their car was hit by another going the wrong way on the freeway.
The man was being chased by police when he turned around on the freeway.
Diana Clayborn was so angry after being hit that she jumped out of her car and began pounding on the suspect's door.
The suspect was wanted for questioning in a domestic assault case in Montgomery County.
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