Crime declines overall
Increase in homicides offsets drop in reported rapes, assaults
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Fewer crimes were reported in Irving last year compared with 2003, although the city saw increases in reports of homicides, burglaries and vehicle thefts.
But many crimes could be prevented, police say, if residents didn't store valuables in their automobiles or were more aware of their surroundings.
The overall crime rate in Irving went down 0.32 percent in 2004. The largest decreases in reported crimes included rapes, aggravated assaults and robberies.
Of the 10 homicides last year, seven victims knew their attackers, police said. The Police Department hasn't solved the other three homicides, but officials have significant leads, Police Chief Larry Boyd said.
Police believe the three killings are related. In June, Ace Cash Express manager Kendra LeMaster was fatally shot as she closed the Irving Boulevard shop.
Two brothers – Ki Chang Cha and Ki Taek Cha – were found fatally shot in May in an apparent home-invasion robbery on McHam Street in central Irving.
Anyone with information about either case is asked to call the Police Department at 972-721-2518.
In other crimes, 1,535 burglaries were reported last year, an increase of about 1.3 percent compared with 2003. The city typically sees a spike in garage burglaries in the summer because residents are more likely to keep their garage doors open, police said.
More than 40 percent of last year's thefts were vehicle burglaries. Many of those could have been prevented if victims hadn't left valuables in plain view, police said.
Reported rapes decreased 31 percent in 2004 – 52 rapes were reported last year, compared with 75 in 2003.
Aggravated assaults decreased 5 percent in 2004 – 504 assaults were reported last year, compared with 533 in 2003.
Chief Boyd offers the following tips to residents to avoid becoming crime victims:
•Join a neighborhood watch program, or create a program if one doesn't exist. Programs can be created for apartment complexes. For more information, visit the Police Department's Web site at http://www.irvingpd.com.
•Don't keep valuables in plain view in automobiles. Keep windows shut and doors locked.
•Be aware of surroundings while walking.
News from the Lone Star State
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Tows to target the uninsured
City could begin policy to impound crashed vehicles in May
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Uninsured motorists who crash within city limits will soon have more to worry about than repairing their damaged cars.
First, they'll have to retrieve their automobiles from the pound.
The effort, which could begin in May, follows numerous complaints from residents concerned about motorists who lack insurance. City officials hope to reduce the number of uninsured motorists on the roads and encourage drivers to buy insurance.
City officials call the new policy a good first step.
"If there is an accident involved, that clearly elevates the issue of not having insurance," said Irving Police Chief Larry Boyd, who presented the plan to City Council members last week. "It warrants a tow even more."
Most cities issue citations to uninsured motorists, but DeSoto may be the only area city to practice automatic towing.
Conducting a more expansive effort in Irving would be overwhelming, city officials said. The Police Department says there isn't enough manpower to tow the vehicle of each uninsured motorist. The Police Department issued about 19,000 no-insurance citations last year, Chief Boyd said. About 1,700 no-insurance citations were issued at accident scenes last year.
The policy will need to be flexible to protect motorists' safety, he said. Vehicles might not be towed if an accident occurs overnight or if there's inclement weather.
"I don't want us to get into consequences we're not willing to accept," Chief Boyd said.
The city manager's office recently requested that the Police Department study towing. The city will monitor the policy and make changes if necessary, Deputy City Manager Sandy Cash said.
"We can do this and see how everything works," he said. "It gives us an opportunity to attack the problem."
Residents have offered police an earful about uninsured motorists, sounding off about the matter this month at a town hall meeting.
Council member Rick Stopfer has received similar complaints. He approves of the new policy.
"These are things that need to be dealt with," he said. "If a person is in an accident and they don't have insurance, they have to suffer the consequences."
City could begin policy to impound crashed vehicles in May
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Uninsured motorists who crash within city limits will soon have more to worry about than repairing their damaged cars.
First, they'll have to retrieve their automobiles from the pound.
The effort, which could begin in May, follows numerous complaints from residents concerned about motorists who lack insurance. City officials hope to reduce the number of uninsured motorists on the roads and encourage drivers to buy insurance.
City officials call the new policy a good first step.
"If there is an accident involved, that clearly elevates the issue of not having insurance," said Irving Police Chief Larry Boyd, who presented the plan to City Council members last week. "It warrants a tow even more."
Most cities issue citations to uninsured motorists, but DeSoto may be the only area city to practice automatic towing.
Conducting a more expansive effort in Irving would be overwhelming, city officials said. The Police Department says there isn't enough manpower to tow the vehicle of each uninsured motorist. The Police Department issued about 19,000 no-insurance citations last year, Chief Boyd said. About 1,700 no-insurance citations were issued at accident scenes last year.
The policy will need to be flexible to protect motorists' safety, he said. Vehicles might not be towed if an accident occurs overnight or if there's inclement weather.
"I don't want us to get into consequences we're not willing to accept," Chief Boyd said.
The city manager's office recently requested that the Police Department study towing. The city will monitor the policy and make changes if necessary, Deputy City Manager Sandy Cash said.
"We can do this and see how everything works," he said. "It gives us an opportunity to attack the problem."
Residents have offered police an earful about uninsured motorists, sounding off about the matter this month at a town hall meeting.
Council member Rick Stopfer has received similar complaints. He approves of the new policy.
"These are things that need to be dealt with," he said. "If a person is in an accident and they don't have insurance, they have to suffer the consequences."
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Building a better band doesn't come cheap
Leaders make sure district gets the most bass for its buck
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - On occasion, the Dallas Wind Symphony has need for an instrument not at its disposal.
On some of those occasions, it turns to the Irving Independent School District. Though better known for handing out high-tech laptops to high-schoolers, it's also garnering a musical reputation. There among the trumpets, clarinets and French horns can be found some even more exotic instruments – a $3,000 bassoon, a $5,000 oboe and an eyebrow-raising bass clarinet. Price tag: $14,000.
There are 50 instruments in the typical high school concert band – from piccolos to tubas. It's an estimated half million dollars worth of brass and woodwinds in all.
And then there are the extras...
Like the $14,000 bass clarinet, a large instrument that stands nearly as tall as its player – MacArthur freshman Josue Garcia.
"It was a lot different than anything I had played," said the 15-year-old, who plays bassoon most of the time.
For those wondering about handing a 15-year-old a $14,000 piece of equipment, "I've never dropped it," said Josue, who is aware of how much it costs but doesn't fret over it.
"They wouldn't be able to play those instruments if they weren't sharp kids," said Will James, MacArthur's head band director, a 23-year veteran of transforming the musically inclined into virtuosos.
The band director decides who gets to hold it up, based on expertise and factors such as hand size and lip size, which are important to playing the instruments. Large fingers can make it difficult to play the piccolo, for example, while smaller hands may have more difficulty navigating the larger instruments.
But Dr. Alfred "Buzzy" Green, a former musician, composer and director and now head of performing arts for the Irving district, decides whether it's worth it. He is the man who holds the purse strings and upon whom trustees rely heavily to determine whether the requests are justified.
"I jealously guard my reputation as a skin flint," he said.
So how do you explain a $14,000 bass clarinet?
The clarinet is part of about $150,000 worth of instruments the district is buying with voter-approved bond funds – among them $750 trumpets, $1,500 trombones, some $5,000 oboes and the $14,000 bass clarinet, all replacements for existing instruments.
Band is typically one of the most expensive fine arts programs because of the instrument costs. But it also tends to be one of the more popular programs within the fine arts.
Bond money has allowed the district more flexibility in what it can afford than many districts that purchase instruments as part of annual budgets. For example, Mesquite ISD buys its instruments annually, replacing those that are worn out, so they haven't had any large capital outlays, said John Kline, director of Mesquite ISD's fine arts programs.
Making the purchases outside the operating budget helps stave off budgetary pressures. Irving, for example, spends $215,420 on music programs, compared with nearly $975,000 for athletics, which has to buy its equipment annually.
Earl Hurrey, assistant executive director at the Virginia-based National Association for Music Education, said the bass clarinet isn't uncommon in concert bands, even in high schools, though high school bands differ radically depending on size and interest in music.
Almost every piece of music written today would include a part for bass clarinet, he said. It's also a sound that isn't as easily substituted by other types of instruments, he said.
The $14,000 cost is probably middle of the road for that instrument, neither cheapest nor at the top end, he said.
There's no exact science or formula Dr. Green uses for determining what is worth it, but there are standards to be satisfied.
"It sort of depends on the usage," he said. Is it important to the musical presentation, how often can it be used, will it last a long time, is it something parents won't be able to afford themselves – are among factors weighed.
One director asked for a gong, but Dr. Green calculated the number of gongs that would be struck in a year, and the math suggested that wasn't the most bang for the buck. The bass clarinet isn't used as often as say the average trumpet, so it will last several decades, Dr. Green said.
Irving is a bit different from other districts, as well. Among its beliefs is not only to ensure students have music education, but to ensure students can tap into opportunities such as band whether their parents can afford the instrument or not. About 60 percent of students in Irving are considered economically disadvantaged.
"Our demographics have changed, and not every student can afford an instrument," he said. "We want our students to have every opportunity that students have in more affluent districts."
Trustees agreed.
"I think it's important to offer that kind of opportunity," said trustee Jerry Christian, particularly for instruments that parents could otherwise not afford. His daughter played a district instrument a few years before they decided she was serious about it and invested in their own, he said.
Leaders make sure district gets the most bass for its buck
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - On occasion, the Dallas Wind Symphony has need for an instrument not at its disposal.
On some of those occasions, it turns to the Irving Independent School District. Though better known for handing out high-tech laptops to high-schoolers, it's also garnering a musical reputation. There among the trumpets, clarinets and French horns can be found some even more exotic instruments – a $3,000 bassoon, a $5,000 oboe and an eyebrow-raising bass clarinet. Price tag: $14,000.
There are 50 instruments in the typical high school concert band – from piccolos to tubas. It's an estimated half million dollars worth of brass and woodwinds in all.
And then there are the extras...
Like the $14,000 bass clarinet, a large instrument that stands nearly as tall as its player – MacArthur freshman Josue Garcia.
"It was a lot different than anything I had played," said the 15-year-old, who plays bassoon most of the time.
For those wondering about handing a 15-year-old a $14,000 piece of equipment, "I've never dropped it," said Josue, who is aware of how much it costs but doesn't fret over it.
"They wouldn't be able to play those instruments if they weren't sharp kids," said Will James, MacArthur's head band director, a 23-year veteran of transforming the musically inclined into virtuosos.
The band director decides who gets to hold it up, based on expertise and factors such as hand size and lip size, which are important to playing the instruments. Large fingers can make it difficult to play the piccolo, for example, while smaller hands may have more difficulty navigating the larger instruments.
But Dr. Alfred "Buzzy" Green, a former musician, composer and director and now head of performing arts for the Irving district, decides whether it's worth it. He is the man who holds the purse strings and upon whom trustees rely heavily to determine whether the requests are justified.
"I jealously guard my reputation as a skin flint," he said.
So how do you explain a $14,000 bass clarinet?
The clarinet is part of about $150,000 worth of instruments the district is buying with voter-approved bond funds – among them $750 trumpets, $1,500 trombones, some $5,000 oboes and the $14,000 bass clarinet, all replacements for existing instruments.
Band is typically one of the most expensive fine arts programs because of the instrument costs. But it also tends to be one of the more popular programs within the fine arts.
Bond money has allowed the district more flexibility in what it can afford than many districts that purchase instruments as part of annual budgets. For example, Mesquite ISD buys its instruments annually, replacing those that are worn out, so they haven't had any large capital outlays, said John Kline, director of Mesquite ISD's fine arts programs.
Making the purchases outside the operating budget helps stave off budgetary pressures. Irving, for example, spends $215,420 on music programs, compared with nearly $975,000 for athletics, which has to buy its equipment annually.
Earl Hurrey, assistant executive director at the Virginia-based National Association for Music Education, said the bass clarinet isn't uncommon in concert bands, even in high schools, though high school bands differ radically depending on size and interest in music.
Almost every piece of music written today would include a part for bass clarinet, he said. It's also a sound that isn't as easily substituted by other types of instruments, he said.
The $14,000 cost is probably middle of the road for that instrument, neither cheapest nor at the top end, he said.
There's no exact science or formula Dr. Green uses for determining what is worth it, but there are standards to be satisfied.
"It sort of depends on the usage," he said. Is it important to the musical presentation, how often can it be used, will it last a long time, is it something parents won't be able to afford themselves – are among factors weighed.
One director asked for a gong, but Dr. Green calculated the number of gongs that would be struck in a year, and the math suggested that wasn't the most bang for the buck. The bass clarinet isn't used as often as say the average trumpet, so it will last several decades, Dr. Green said.
Irving is a bit different from other districts, as well. Among its beliefs is not only to ensure students have music education, but to ensure students can tap into opportunities such as band whether their parents can afford the instrument or not. About 60 percent of students in Irving are considered economically disadvantaged.
"Our demographics have changed, and not every student can afford an instrument," he said. "We want our students to have every opportunity that students have in more affluent districts."
Trustees agreed.
"I think it's important to offer that kind of opportunity," said trustee Jerry Christian, particularly for instruments that parents could otherwise not afford. His daughter played a district instrument a few years before they decided she was serious about it and invested in their own, he said.
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Egyptian twins to get three-wheeler from Ambucs
By DEBORAH FLECK / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Yellow Rose Ambucs wants to make a difference in the lives of Ahmed and Mohamed Ibrahim, the formerly conjoined twins from Egypt who came to Dallas to be separated. The women's division of Irving Ambucs will donate an AmTryke to the family on Tuesday.
"We wanted to donate one for each child, but the family doesn't have the space," said Jo Ann Gardner, Yellow Rose president. So the boys will have to share the therapeutic tricycle for now. She said the organization has offered to donate another AmTryke when they return to Egypt.
The organization works with Irving Ambucs to raise money to purchase AmTrykes for disabled children. The tricycles, which cost about $500 to $600, help develop muscle control, balance and coordination.
During the last few years, Irving and Yellow Rose Ambucs have donated hundreds of AmTrykes to children, schools and rehabilitation faculties.
Mrs. Gardner said the Irving organization is constantly winning awards and recognition at the national level. "For a small club, we are very active," she said.
The donation to the twins will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Bank of the West, 2111 W. Airport Freeway. Yellow Rose will also donate an AmTryke to a child at the Irving Women's Network meeting at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Las Colinas Country Club.
The group meets at noon every Thursday at Golden Corral, 1701 N. Belt Line Road.
Call Mrs. Gardner at 972-254-3306.
Making a difference
Saturday is "Roberta Carnley Day" in Irving. Mayor Joe Putnam will present the proclamation to the VFW State Auxiliary president on Saturday in honor of her homecoming visit to VFW Post 2494. Mrs. Carnley will also receive a Texas flag that flew over the Capitol in Austin the day she was installed as president.
"This is a big day for us," said auxiliary member Marge Hoenig. She said visitors from across Texas will join in the homecoming festivities, which start Friday with a shrimp dinner and dancing at the post home at 3375 N. Belt Line Road. Meetings and programs will be Saturday at the Holiday Inn Select North at Esters Road and Carpenter Freeway.
Mrs. Carnley joined the auxiliary in 1978. She and her husband, C. Wayne Carnley, who served in Vietnam, are devoted to the VFW. Mrs. Carnley has held all auxiliary offices except trustee. Her mother is a life member of an auxiliary in Kansas and her daughter, five granddaughters and five sisters-in-law all belong to the Irving auxiliary. She has a nephew who is currently serving in Afghanistan.
Her theme as president is "Make a Difference by Unity as One." Irving members will join together this weekend to show their support for one of their own in her job as state president. Call the post at 972-790-1611.
National attention
The entertainment industry's leading publication, Variety, came to Irving on Thursday. The magazine is reviewing the world premiere of Lyric Stage's The Living End, which runs through Saturday at the Irving Arts Center.
Based in Irving and founded by Irving native Steven Jones, Lyric Stage is Dallas County's only locally produced professional musical theater company.
The company receives attention from across the country, especially the East Coast, according to Mr. Jones. Playbill.com has written about its productions, and Broadway and off-Broadway directors and producers have noticed the work, picking up three of its world premieres to produce.
This latest premiere is a production of four one-act musicals by different writers, including 2003 Tony Award nominee Jeff Blumenkrantz. He teamed with Libby Saines and Annie Kessler on Woman With Pocketbook. The companion musicals are Precious Little Jewel, also by Mr. Blumenkrantz and Ms. Saines, The Ransom of Red Chief by Brad Alexander and Helen Chayefsky and The Life and Times of Joe Jefferson Benjamin Blow by Andy Monroe.
Performances are at 2:30 p.m. today and Saturday and at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Call 972-252-2787.
By DEBORAH FLECK / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Yellow Rose Ambucs wants to make a difference in the lives of Ahmed and Mohamed Ibrahim, the formerly conjoined twins from Egypt who came to Dallas to be separated. The women's division of Irving Ambucs will donate an AmTryke to the family on Tuesday.
"We wanted to donate one for each child, but the family doesn't have the space," said Jo Ann Gardner, Yellow Rose president. So the boys will have to share the therapeutic tricycle for now. She said the organization has offered to donate another AmTryke when they return to Egypt.
The organization works with Irving Ambucs to raise money to purchase AmTrykes for disabled children. The tricycles, which cost about $500 to $600, help develop muscle control, balance and coordination.
During the last few years, Irving and Yellow Rose Ambucs have donated hundreds of AmTrykes to children, schools and rehabilitation faculties.
Mrs. Gardner said the Irving organization is constantly winning awards and recognition at the national level. "For a small club, we are very active," she said.
The donation to the twins will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Bank of the West, 2111 W. Airport Freeway. Yellow Rose will also donate an AmTryke to a child at the Irving Women's Network meeting at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Las Colinas Country Club.
The group meets at noon every Thursday at Golden Corral, 1701 N. Belt Line Road.
Call Mrs. Gardner at 972-254-3306.
Making a difference
Saturday is "Roberta Carnley Day" in Irving. Mayor Joe Putnam will present the proclamation to the VFW State Auxiliary president on Saturday in honor of her homecoming visit to VFW Post 2494. Mrs. Carnley will also receive a Texas flag that flew over the Capitol in Austin the day she was installed as president.
"This is a big day for us," said auxiliary member Marge Hoenig. She said visitors from across Texas will join in the homecoming festivities, which start Friday with a shrimp dinner and dancing at the post home at 3375 N. Belt Line Road. Meetings and programs will be Saturday at the Holiday Inn Select North at Esters Road and Carpenter Freeway.
Mrs. Carnley joined the auxiliary in 1978. She and her husband, C. Wayne Carnley, who served in Vietnam, are devoted to the VFW. Mrs. Carnley has held all auxiliary offices except trustee. Her mother is a life member of an auxiliary in Kansas and her daughter, five granddaughters and five sisters-in-law all belong to the Irving auxiliary. She has a nephew who is currently serving in Afghanistan.
Her theme as president is "Make a Difference by Unity as One." Irving members will join together this weekend to show their support for one of their own in her job as state president. Call the post at 972-790-1611.
National attention
The entertainment industry's leading publication, Variety, came to Irving on Thursday. The magazine is reviewing the world premiere of Lyric Stage's The Living End, which runs through Saturday at the Irving Arts Center.
Based in Irving and founded by Irving native Steven Jones, Lyric Stage is Dallas County's only locally produced professional musical theater company.
The company receives attention from across the country, especially the East Coast, according to Mr. Jones. Playbill.com has written about its productions, and Broadway and off-Broadway directors and producers have noticed the work, picking up three of its world premieres to produce.
This latest premiere is a production of four one-act musicals by different writers, including 2003 Tony Award nominee Jeff Blumenkrantz. He teamed with Libby Saines and Annie Kessler on Woman With Pocketbook. The companion musicals are Precious Little Jewel, also by Mr. Blumenkrantz and Ms. Saines, The Ransom of Red Chief by Brad Alexander and Helen Chayefsky and The Life and Times of Joe Jefferson Benjamin Blow by Andy Monroe.
Performances are at 2:30 p.m. today and Saturday and at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Call 972-252-2787.
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FBI probes laser activity at D/FW
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Texas - The FBI is investigating reports of laser activity, seen by airline pilots approaching Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Sunday night.
About “two or three” pilots from different airlines told authorities they saw a green laser over Denton County between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., said Special Agent Lori Bailey, an FBI spokeswoman.
The Federal Aviation Administration has received dozens of reports in the past four months of lasers being pointed at airplanes. The incident Sunday night would be at least the third incident reported by pilots taking off or landing at D/FW since November.
But Agent Bailey said the laser reports were different from previous incidents because the pilots did not report feeling that the lasers were aimed at their cockpits.
“Right now we’re characterizing it as having observed laser activity,” she said. “It would be different from somebody actually getting targeted with a laser light.”
On Feb. 6, an American Airlines captain reported a laser beam hitting his jet near Lake Grapevine.
On Nov. 8, another American pilot reported a green laser shining into his cockpit near Fort Worth Meacham Airport.
Laser illuminations can briefly disorient a pilot during the critical flight maneuvers of ascending and descending.
The Department of Transportation announced measures in January to encourage pilots to report laser incidents so that authorities could better track the activity.
Agent Bailey said the FBI takes laser incidents seriously.
“It’s a violation of federal law,” she said. “This type of activity is not taken lightly. Any time there’s an event that could affect public safety, we’re going to aggressively go after the source.”
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Texas - The FBI is investigating reports of laser activity, seen by airline pilots approaching Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Sunday night.
About “two or three” pilots from different airlines told authorities they saw a green laser over Denton County between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., said Special Agent Lori Bailey, an FBI spokeswoman.
The Federal Aviation Administration has received dozens of reports in the past four months of lasers being pointed at airplanes. The incident Sunday night would be at least the third incident reported by pilots taking off or landing at D/FW since November.
But Agent Bailey said the laser reports were different from previous incidents because the pilots did not report feeling that the lasers were aimed at their cockpits.
“Right now we’re characterizing it as having observed laser activity,” she said. “It would be different from somebody actually getting targeted with a laser light.”
On Feb. 6, an American Airlines captain reported a laser beam hitting his jet near Lake Grapevine.
On Nov. 8, another American pilot reported a green laser shining into his cockpit near Fort Worth Meacham Airport.
Laser illuminations can briefly disorient a pilot during the critical flight maneuvers of ascending and descending.
The Department of Transportation announced measures in January to encourage pilots to report laser incidents so that authorities could better track the activity.
Agent Bailey said the FBI takes laser incidents seriously.
“It’s a violation of federal law,” she said. “This type of activity is not taken lightly. Any time there’s an event that could affect public safety, we’re going to aggressively go after the source.”
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Technicians: Most Computer Problems Caused By Hidden Spyware
Survey: 80-Percent Of Home PCs Have Nearly 100 Pieces Of Hidden Spyware
FORT WORTH, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Many North Texans are discovering their computers are under attack from hidden programs that are spying on their PCs. Running in the background, they could even send account numbers and passwords to identity thieves.
At times, Grady Faulk notices his computer runs much more slowly and is plagued with many more pop-up ads.
"You go in and you try to click on something on a site. Next thing you know, you've got 50 balloons coming up and you're closing out and trying to figure out where you are and try to get back to what you're really looking for," Faulk said.
The problem could be what's called spyware.
"Almost every computer has something on it. They may not even know it," Matthew Lewis from Geeks On Call, a computer technical support company, said.
Technicians say most computer problems now are being caused by hidden spyware secretly installed in the computer itself.
"You go to a Web site and click on a banner. Some Web sites it automatically installs to your computer, and it puts a little application that runs in the memory. You don't see it running, but it's in there," Lewis said.
A recent survey found most users think their computers are safe, but don't have current software to protect them.
As a result, 8 out of 10 home computers have an average of nearly 100 different pieces of hidden spyware.
"It sends you the consumer, the PC user, to their website of choice either to click on ads or to purchase something to generate revenue for them," Lewis said.
A free program called Spybot Search And Destroy can find hidden spyware and remove it.
Computer experts recommend running it often.
Survey: 80-Percent Of Home PCs Have Nearly 100 Pieces Of Hidden Spyware
FORT WORTH, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Many North Texans are discovering their computers are under attack from hidden programs that are spying on their PCs. Running in the background, they could even send account numbers and passwords to identity thieves.
At times, Grady Faulk notices his computer runs much more slowly and is plagued with many more pop-up ads.
"You go in and you try to click on something on a site. Next thing you know, you've got 50 balloons coming up and you're closing out and trying to figure out where you are and try to get back to what you're really looking for," Faulk said.
The problem could be what's called spyware.
"Almost every computer has something on it. They may not even know it," Matthew Lewis from Geeks On Call, a computer technical support company, said.
Technicians say most computer problems now are being caused by hidden spyware secretly installed in the computer itself.
"You go to a Web site and click on a banner. Some Web sites it automatically installs to your computer, and it puts a little application that runs in the memory. You don't see it running, but it's in there," Lewis said.
A recent survey found most users think their computers are safe, but don't have current software to protect them.
As a result, 8 out of 10 home computers have an average of nearly 100 different pieces of hidden spyware.
"It sends you the consumer, the PC user, to their website of choice either to click on ads or to purchase something to generate revenue for them," Lewis said.
A free program called Spybot Search And Destroy can find hidden spyware and remove it.
Computer experts recommend running it often.
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Experts Give Advice About Being Good Crime Witness
Test Proves How Accounts Can Vary
DALLAS, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Police say good information is key to solving crimes, but there are tricks to being a good witness.
When someone sees a crime take place, adrenaline and emotions can cloud perception. "Nobody sees the same thing exactly the same," Sgt. Al Wagner said.
That proved to be true during an early-morning test at Steve Link's Brookhaven College psychology class, where a mock intruder slipped in and "stole" the professor's lunch.
The description of the lunch thief varied among the students.
"Black hat on, like a black knit cap," one student said. "I thought it was blue jeans and, like, a black jacket."
"I saw him wearing kakis," another student said.
When the perpetrator returned, some had to admit how wrong they'd been about the suspect, who was actually wearing white pants, a ball cap and a red jacket.
Some of the students' recollections had been influenced by what others had said, according to a military veteran in the class who is trained to be observant.
"Each of the guys in our unit would write down what we saw, and not converse together. And usually that was the more correct thing than getting together and talking about it," he said.
In fact, police say they separate witnesses at crime scenes to keep them from comparing their stories until each has given a statement. They also say past experience, daily habits, peer influence and stress are additional factors.
So how do you get it right? Here's the expert advice:
1. Jot down what you see when it's fresh in your mind, like a license plate number or other key fact.
2. Avoid talking to others.
3. Try to take a moment to calm down.
"The first thing I'd ask everybody to do is just try to relax. I mean, I realize any situation where they're a witness can be a tense situation," Sgt. Wagner said. "We want them to relax, take a deep breath and just chill out for half a second if they can."
Test Proves How Accounts Can Vary
DALLAS, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Police say good information is key to solving crimes, but there are tricks to being a good witness.
When someone sees a crime take place, adrenaline and emotions can cloud perception. "Nobody sees the same thing exactly the same," Sgt. Al Wagner said.
That proved to be true during an early-morning test at Steve Link's Brookhaven College psychology class, where a mock intruder slipped in and "stole" the professor's lunch.
The description of the lunch thief varied among the students.
"Black hat on, like a black knit cap," one student said. "I thought it was blue jeans and, like, a black jacket."
"I saw him wearing kakis," another student said.
When the perpetrator returned, some had to admit how wrong they'd been about the suspect, who was actually wearing white pants, a ball cap and a red jacket.
Some of the students' recollections had been influenced by what others had said, according to a military veteran in the class who is trained to be observant.
"Each of the guys in our unit would write down what we saw, and not converse together. And usually that was the more correct thing than getting together and talking about it," he said.
In fact, police say they separate witnesses at crime scenes to keep them from comparing their stories until each has given a statement. They also say past experience, daily habits, peer influence and stress are additional factors.
So how do you get it right? Here's the expert advice:
1. Jot down what you see when it's fresh in your mind, like a license plate number or other key fact.
2. Avoid talking to others.
3. Try to take a moment to calm down.
"The first thing I'd ask everybody to do is just try to relax. I mean, I realize any situation where they're a witness can be a tense situation," Sgt. Wagner said. "We want them to relax, take a deep breath and just chill out for half a second if they can."
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T-Mobile Fires Worker Over Hateful Text Messages
Cell Phone Company Apologizes To Customer
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- A Texas woman said she received racially hateful text messages on her cell phone shortly after making a complaint to T-Mobile.
"I thought it was a joke," the woman said.
She wanted only to be identified as "Delia" because she said the wording of the message embarrassed her.
According to Delia, the message said, "you need to go back to Mexico you taco-bending whore."
Delia said the message was sent an hour after she filed a complaint with T-Mobile about making phone calls to her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. She said the customer service representative was rude and hung up on her.
"Only my husband, my son and my daughter have this phone number," Delia said. "Nobody else does."
Delia didn't want to think it was a T-Mobile employee who sent the text message, but just in case she went to a T-Mobile store on Huebner Road to show them the message.
The next day she filed a police report.
When the police opened the phone, there was another message, Delia said.
That one said, "AIDS-infested Mexican whores need to go back to Mexico. Quit spreading AIDS in the U.S. you AIDS-infested Mexican whores," Delia said.
In a statement late Friday, T-Mobile said, "following a thorough internal investigation, we have learned that a person familiar with the employee in question sent the messages from a home computer.
"We are treating 'Delia's' situation very seriously and have taken swift action, terminating the employee. T-Mobile offers its most sincere apologies."
Cell Phone Company Apologizes To Customer
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- A Texas woman said she received racially hateful text messages on her cell phone shortly after making a complaint to T-Mobile.
"I thought it was a joke," the woman said.
She wanted only to be identified as "Delia" because she said the wording of the message embarrassed her.
According to Delia, the message said, "you need to go back to Mexico you taco-bending whore."
Delia said the message was sent an hour after she filed a complaint with T-Mobile about making phone calls to her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. She said the customer service representative was rude and hung up on her.
"Only my husband, my son and my daughter have this phone number," Delia said. "Nobody else does."
Delia didn't want to think it was a T-Mobile employee who sent the text message, but just in case she went to a T-Mobile store on Huebner Road to show them the message.
The next day she filed a police report.
When the police opened the phone, there was another message, Delia said.
That one said, "AIDS-infested Mexican whores need to go back to Mexico. Quit spreading AIDS in the U.S. you AIDS-infested Mexican whores," Delia said.
In a statement late Friday, T-Mobile said, "following a thorough internal investigation, we have learned that a person familiar with the employee in question sent the messages from a home computer.
"We are treating 'Delia's' situation very seriously and have taken swift action, terminating the employee. T-Mobile offers its most sincere apologies."
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9-Year-Old Escapes Potential Abduction
MCKINNEY, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- A 9-year-old McKinney boy escaped a potential kidnapping this weekend, police said.
The incident reportedly happened Saturday near Ridge Road and Sidney Lane.
The boy said a man grabbed his arm and tried to drag him away until an unidentified person interfered.
That person reportedly drove up next to the man and ordered him to leave the boy alone.
The suspect is said to be between 28 to 38 years old and between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall. He ran off and jumped over a fence.
The boy was not hurt.
MCKINNEY, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- A 9-year-old McKinney boy escaped a potential kidnapping this weekend, police said.
The incident reportedly happened Saturday near Ridge Road and Sidney Lane.
The boy said a man grabbed his arm and tried to drag him away until an unidentified person interfered.
That person reportedly drove up next to the man and ordered him to leave the boy alone.
The suspect is said to be between 28 to 38 years old and between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall. He ran off and jumped over a fence.
The boy was not hurt.
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Rush hour wreck snarls McKinney traffic
MCKINNEY, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A major accident snarled rush hour traffic on U.S. 75 in McKinney Tuesday morning.
All lanes of the highway were shut down north of U.S. 380 after the wreck, which involved at least two vehicles: a white truck and a red convertible.
McKinney police said one person was airlifted to Methodist Medical Center in Dallas. Two other accident victims were taken to North Central Medical Center in McKinney.
The Collin County Medical Examiner was summoned to the scene.
The cause of the accident was under investigation.
Debris littered the highway, and motorists in both directions were forced to use the service roads to bypass the accident.
MCKINNEY, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A major accident snarled rush hour traffic on U.S. 75 in McKinney Tuesday morning.
All lanes of the highway were shut down north of U.S. 380 after the wreck, which involved at least two vehicles: a white truck and a red convertible.
McKinney police said one person was airlifted to Methodist Medical Center in Dallas. Two other accident victims were taken to North Central Medical Center in McKinney.
The Collin County Medical Examiner was summoned to the scene.
The cause of the accident was under investigation.
Debris littered the highway, and motorists in both directions were forced to use the service roads to bypass the accident.
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Students say college misled them
By BYRON HARRIS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - There's a long-held American belief that education is the key to a better life.
But a News 8 investigation has found that scores of young men and women claim to have been duped by a chain of private schools in North Texas.
They were fresh out of high school. They often lacked the grades or money for college. Yet, they wanted a degree that will lead them to a career, so they went to a private for-profit school called Westwood College of Technology for an associate degree.
What many said they got, however, were a worthless piece of paper and crippling debt.
Each morning seems bright for hundreds of students on Westwood's campuses in Euless and Dallas, because every minute spent on those campuses is based on the promise of a better life through education - a sense of promise based on Westwood's widely-aired TV commercials.
"You need to know where the really hot careers are," said the ad. "You have lots of questions, and Westwood College has lots of answers."
Westwood is expensive, from $27,000 to $34,000 for about a year and a half of classes. That's as much as a year's tuition at Harvard, or four years at UT-Austin.
A large number of the students have to borrow money to pay the tuition. They frequently come from low-income families with little experience in higher education.
Gerald Brazell was a highly paid Westwood salesman, trained to focus on their desire to improve themselves.
"We really truly believed that what we were doing was for the good of the student," Brazell said. "We were trained to make them 'feel their pain.'"
And pain is what Katrina Vargas, a single mom, felt after completing her degree at Westwood.
"Now I'm a single mother, still, and I'm in so much debt," Vargas said. "I have marks on my credit, I can't pay for my daughter's needs ... my mom has to help me."
"I got people in financial jeopardy rather than getting into a career," Brazell said. "They made bets with me on how many students I would enroll."
All of the former students who spoke with News 8 bought into Westwood's sales pitch because they were told nearly all graduates get jobs in their field of study. Today, all of them are still doing what they did before they started.
"I turned 27 yesterday, and I make $24,000 a year drawing blood," former student Robert Moers said.
"They just fed us lies just so we'd give them our money," said former student Robert Bradbury.
Westwood College recruiters use a slide show to sign up prospective students that shows the careers students can look forward to. The sales pitch said Westwood is accredited; students said that led them to believe the school has the same academic status as well-known colleges and universities.
But the sales pitch doesn't mention the fine print on the back of the contract, which said "Westwood College of Technology makes no guarantee of credit transfer."
In fact, these students found that when they presented their Westwood transcripts to other schools, the reaction was anything but positive.
"You can just keep this ... because we don't recognize this institution as a school," Moers recalled one school's representative as saying.
Westwood is headquartered in Denver, and claims it's been around for more than 50 years. However, Colorado state incorporation records indicate the current owner began business in 1986.
Kelly Coates is Westwood's executive director at its Euless campus. He agreed to talk with News 8 about complaints against the school, but when a crew got there for our scheduled interview, two representatives from the home office met them outside.
"We just received notice that we're going to be preparing for some litigation," one of those representatives said, refusing to allow the News 8 crew to go inside.
67 former students have just sued Westwood College and its parent corporation for deceptive trade practices and breach of contract. Their lawyer is Julie Johnson.
"It's blatant fraud," Johnson said. "The school sold them a bill of goods; not only do they have more debt, but they spent a lot of time wasted and they have a degree that they cannot use."
In a letter to News 8, Westwood officials said the school does not gurarantee employment. They also said the college is accredited, and said the school is eager for a face-to-face interview - which has not yet happened.
By BYRON HARRIS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - There's a long-held American belief that education is the key to a better life.
But a News 8 investigation has found that scores of young men and women claim to have been duped by a chain of private schools in North Texas.
They were fresh out of high school. They often lacked the grades or money for college. Yet, they wanted a degree that will lead them to a career, so they went to a private for-profit school called Westwood College of Technology for an associate degree.
What many said they got, however, were a worthless piece of paper and crippling debt.
Each morning seems bright for hundreds of students on Westwood's campuses in Euless and Dallas, because every minute spent on those campuses is based on the promise of a better life through education - a sense of promise based on Westwood's widely-aired TV commercials.
"You need to know where the really hot careers are," said the ad. "You have lots of questions, and Westwood College has lots of answers."
Westwood is expensive, from $27,000 to $34,000 for about a year and a half of classes. That's as much as a year's tuition at Harvard, or four years at UT-Austin.
A large number of the students have to borrow money to pay the tuition. They frequently come from low-income families with little experience in higher education.
Gerald Brazell was a highly paid Westwood salesman, trained to focus on their desire to improve themselves.
"We really truly believed that what we were doing was for the good of the student," Brazell said. "We were trained to make them 'feel their pain.'"
And pain is what Katrina Vargas, a single mom, felt after completing her degree at Westwood.
"Now I'm a single mother, still, and I'm in so much debt," Vargas said. "I have marks on my credit, I can't pay for my daughter's needs ... my mom has to help me."
"I got people in financial jeopardy rather than getting into a career," Brazell said. "They made bets with me on how many students I would enroll."
All of the former students who spoke with News 8 bought into Westwood's sales pitch because they were told nearly all graduates get jobs in their field of study. Today, all of them are still doing what they did before they started.
"I turned 27 yesterday, and I make $24,000 a year drawing blood," former student Robert Moers said.
"They just fed us lies just so we'd give them our money," said former student Robert Bradbury.
Westwood College recruiters use a slide show to sign up prospective students that shows the careers students can look forward to. The sales pitch said Westwood is accredited; students said that led them to believe the school has the same academic status as well-known colleges and universities.
But the sales pitch doesn't mention the fine print on the back of the contract, which said "Westwood College of Technology makes no guarantee of credit transfer."
In fact, these students found that when they presented their Westwood transcripts to other schools, the reaction was anything but positive.
"You can just keep this ... because we don't recognize this institution as a school," Moers recalled one school's representative as saying.
Westwood is headquartered in Denver, and claims it's been around for more than 50 years. However, Colorado state incorporation records indicate the current owner began business in 1986.
Kelly Coates is Westwood's executive director at its Euless campus. He agreed to talk with News 8 about complaints against the school, but when a crew got there for our scheduled interview, two representatives from the home office met them outside.
"We just received notice that we're going to be preparing for some litigation," one of those representatives said, refusing to allow the News 8 crew to go inside.
67 former students have just sued Westwood College and its parent corporation for deceptive trade practices and breach of contract. Their lawyer is Julie Johnson.
"It's blatant fraud," Johnson said. "The school sold them a bill of goods; not only do they have more debt, but they spent a lot of time wasted and they have a degree that they cannot use."
In a letter to News 8, Westwood officials said the school does not gurarantee employment. They also said the college is accredited, and said the school is eager for a face-to-face interview - which has not yet happened.
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Meals on Wheels keeps going after fire
By GARY REAVES / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Not even a six-alarm fire over the weekend could slow down the delivery of Meals on Wheels to shut-ins across North Texas.
The program is run by the Visiting Nurses Association, and even though the group's headquarters may be a shambles following the blaze, officials said patients should never even notice.
Construction crews were out in force Monday, surveying the remains of the eight-story building on West Mockingbird Lane in Dallas that was owned by the VNA. Trisha Dunbar and the 300 others who work at the site still can't get inside.
"Five and a half years of my life, my work life, may be gone," Dunbar said, gazing upon the damaged structure.
The Saturday fire gutted one side of the building, and left the other a smoky disaster area. The preliminary damage estimate stands at $8 million.
As bad as the building looks, the folks at the VNA are still counting their blessings, because they are also counting the fortuitous circumstances that kept this from being much worse.
For example, they lost their kitchen, where they were completing a $3 million expansion. But, the meals will continue to go out on time, because they had already been forced to use a temporary kitchen because of the renovations.
VNA nursing and hospice services continue as well, but it is all done in the clients homes. The patients' paper files were damaged, but officials said that doesn't matter. All but a few were scanned into an off-site computer system four months ago.
"Literally, it is only two or three days of paperwork that has a risk to it," the VNA's Robert Carpenter said.
VNA will move into a temporary location nearby while leaders contemplate their next move.
Said Carpenter, "We have an opportunity to say 'what do we want to do?' and 'if we were to start over how would you do it?'"
VNA officials are confident insurance will cover the damage, and donor support will remain strong, giving it a choice between rebuilding here or elsewhere.
The fire hit right in the middle of a $16 million fundraising campaign, and that goal may grow if the cost of rebuilding exceeds the payoff from insurance.
By GARY REAVES / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Not even a six-alarm fire over the weekend could slow down the delivery of Meals on Wheels to shut-ins across North Texas.
The program is run by the Visiting Nurses Association, and even though the group's headquarters may be a shambles following the blaze, officials said patients should never even notice.
Construction crews were out in force Monday, surveying the remains of the eight-story building on West Mockingbird Lane in Dallas that was owned by the VNA. Trisha Dunbar and the 300 others who work at the site still can't get inside.
"Five and a half years of my life, my work life, may be gone," Dunbar said, gazing upon the damaged structure.
The Saturday fire gutted one side of the building, and left the other a smoky disaster area. The preliminary damage estimate stands at $8 million.
As bad as the building looks, the folks at the VNA are still counting their blessings, because they are also counting the fortuitous circumstances that kept this from being much worse.
For example, they lost their kitchen, where they were completing a $3 million expansion. But, the meals will continue to go out on time, because they had already been forced to use a temporary kitchen because of the renovations.
VNA nursing and hospice services continue as well, but it is all done in the clients homes. The patients' paper files were damaged, but officials said that doesn't matter. All but a few were scanned into an off-site computer system four months ago.
"Literally, it is only two or three days of paperwork that has a risk to it," the VNA's Robert Carpenter said.
VNA will move into a temporary location nearby while leaders contemplate their next move.
Said Carpenter, "We have an opportunity to say 'what do we want to do?' and 'if we were to start over how would you do it?'"
VNA officials are confident insurance will cover the damage, and donor support will remain strong, giving it a choice between rebuilding here or elsewhere.
The fire hit right in the middle of a $16 million fundraising campaign, and that goal may grow if the cost of rebuilding exceeds the payoff from insurance.
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TexasStooge
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Tougher penalties sought for car burglary
By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Car burglaries are the number one crime in Dallas.
Thousands of vehicles are broken into every year, but thieves who get caught spend little or no time in jail.
Police and public safety officials want to change that, though, and now they are lobbying the Texas Legislature for tougher penalties.
Dallas resident Beverly Mendoza's car and truck have been broken into so many times she now doesn't bother to lock it.
"We have a truck that we leave one of the side doors unlocked so that our windows won't be broken, because that is an expensive thing to have to continue to replace," Mendoza said.
Every day, burglars break into dozens of cars in Dallas alone. Even police vehicles aren't safe from thieves; someone hit a squad car belonging to a SWAT team officer in December and took tactical gear worth more than $6,000.
Burglary of a vehicle isn't a felony, only a Class A misdemeanor, so police said there is currently no incentive to keep the bad guys from breaking the law.
"If they are caught, then they are in and out of the system," said Dallas City Council member Elba Garcia, who heads the city's public safety committee. "I don't believe that's a deterrent, and they come back to my neighborhood unfortunately to repeat the violation generally."
Garcia and police chief David Kunkle are pushing the Legislature to enhance the penalty for car burglaries. They want to make the crime a state felony punishable with longer jail time.
"We want to tell the criminals that there is going to be a stiffer penalty for stealing cars," Garcia said. "We are asking them to give us the tools to reduce crimes even more."
Beverly Mendoza hopes the bill passes. She said she wants the burglars in jail and out of her neighborhood.
By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Car burglaries are the number one crime in Dallas.
Thousands of vehicles are broken into every year, but thieves who get caught spend little or no time in jail.
Police and public safety officials want to change that, though, and now they are lobbying the Texas Legislature for tougher penalties.
Dallas resident Beverly Mendoza's car and truck have been broken into so many times she now doesn't bother to lock it.
"We have a truck that we leave one of the side doors unlocked so that our windows won't be broken, because that is an expensive thing to have to continue to replace," Mendoza said.
Every day, burglars break into dozens of cars in Dallas alone. Even police vehicles aren't safe from thieves; someone hit a squad car belonging to a SWAT team officer in December and took tactical gear worth more than $6,000.
Burglary of a vehicle isn't a felony, only a Class A misdemeanor, so police said there is currently no incentive to keep the bad guys from breaking the law.
"If they are caught, then they are in and out of the system," said Dallas City Council member Elba Garcia, who heads the city's public safety committee. "I don't believe that's a deterrent, and they come back to my neighborhood unfortunately to repeat the violation generally."
Garcia and police chief David Kunkle are pushing the Legislature to enhance the penalty for car burglaries. They want to make the crime a state felony punishable with longer jail time.
"We want to tell the criminals that there is going to be a stiffer penalty for stealing cars," Garcia said. "We are asking them to give us the tools to reduce crimes even more."
Beverly Mendoza hopes the bill passes. She said she wants the burglars in jail and out of her neighborhood.
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Girl, 15, crossing street is killed by hit-run driver
MESQUITE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A 15-year-old North Mesquite High School student died Monday evening after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver in the 4100 block of Gus Thomasson Road.
The girl was crossing Gus Thomasson in the 2900 block of Whitson Way when she was hit by a mid-1990s maroon or burgundy sedan, police said. The victim's name was not released, pending notification of her family.
Witnesses said the car went north on Gus Thomasson Road and east on Oates Drive. The car has a broken windshield and a missing right window. Anyone with information is asked to call Mesquite police at 972-216-6628
Holly Yan contributed to this report.
MESQUITE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A 15-year-old North Mesquite High School student died Monday evening after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver in the 4100 block of Gus Thomasson Road.
The girl was crossing Gus Thomasson in the 2900 block of Whitson Way when she was hit by a mid-1990s maroon or burgundy sedan, police said. The victim's name was not released, pending notification of her family.
Witnesses said the car went north on Gus Thomasson Road and east on Oates Drive. The car has a broken windshield and a missing right window. Anyone with information is asked to call Mesquite police at 972-216-6628
Holly Yan contributed to this report.
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Dallas men's deaths stir cartel inquiry
Authorities looking into whether killings are linked to rogue soldiers
By ALFREDO CORCHADO and ANGELA KOCHERGA / The Dallas Morning News
MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Federal and state authorities are working to determine if rogue Mexican commandos working for the Gulf drug cartel had a role in the deaths of two Dallas men whose bodies were found over the weekend in the state of Michoacán.
The investigation follows a Dallas Morning News report that the commandos, former Mexican army members known as the Zetas, have carried out at least three drug-related slayings in Dallas.
Mexican authorities said the Michoacán killings could be tied to drug trafficking. A U.S. official said the American government was trying to determine whether the Zetas were involved.
The bodies of Alejandro Muñoz Pérez, 19, and his cousin, Omar Chávez Díaz, 20, both of Dallas, were among four bullet-ridden corpses found Friday near Tacámbaro, Michoacán, about 150 miles west of Mexico City.
The region is known as "a training ground for the Zetas and fertile ground for large marijuana plantations," said the U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Mr. Chávez worked installing air-conditioning units in Dallas and was thinking about getting married, said his mother, Maximina Chávez of Wilmer, southeast of Dallas. "I lost my most beloved son," she said.
Mr. Muñoz was a U.S. Army reservist, according to the U.S. Embassy and his mother, Hermelinda Pérez de Muñoz, also of Wilmer.
"My son had nothing to do with drug trafficking," Ms. Pérez de Muñoz said by phone from Morelia, the capital of Michoacán. "He was a good, responsible young man who was here on vacation.
"That's all. Everything else you hear about drug trafficking is a lie," she said.
The bodies of Ms. Pérez de Muñoz's brothers, Mariano Pérez and Delfino Pérez, were recovered alongside those of the two Dallas men, said Ignacio Roque, spokesman for the Michoacán state attorney general's office. Those two men also had spent time in Dallas, Ms. Pérez de Muñoz said.
Some of the men were hit with as many as 60 bullets from high-powered rifles.
Shells from a type of ammunition thought to have been used exclusively by the Mexican army were discovered at the crime scene, prompting state authorities to ask the federal attorney general's office to help investigate. The nation's equivalent of the FBI, the Agencia Federal de Investigación, also has joined the case.
Delfino Pérez was a relative of Federico Benítez Gamino, alias "El Chino," an alleged drug trafficker in the area who disappeared in March 2004. Mr. Benítez allegedly was a top operator for drug lord Osiel Cárdenas, the leader of the Gulf cartel who is in prison.
Last year, Mexican authorities disrupted a plan by the Zetas to free Mr. Cárdenas from jail. The training for the prison outbreak took place in Michoacán, state and federal authorities said.
Just days earlier, Mexican law enforcement officials said the Zetas were on the run.
On Sunday, The News reported that the Zetas, who are blamed for dozens of killings along the U.S.-Mexico border, carried out at least three drug-related slayings in Dallas and also were in Houston and San Antonio. The Zetas defected to the Gulf cartel in the late 1990s, U.S. and Mexican officials say.
The two cousins, Mr. Muñoz and Mr. Chávez, had gone to Michoacán to deliver a pickup truck, family members said.
"These poor boys were innocent bystanders looking forward to enjoying their vacation," said an aunt, who spoke by phone on condition of anonymity.
The four men disappeared more than a week ago, shortly after Mr. Muñoz and Mr. Chávez had arrived from Dallas in the pickup truck, the aunt said.
Friday evening, the bodies were discovered at the side of a road at La Loma, a farming village near Tacámbaro, west of Morelia.
Authorities are performing autopsies before returning the bodies to relatives, who plan to transport them to Dallas for burial.
"I can't even speak right now," said Ms. Pérez de Muñoz. "I've lost my son, and I feel numbed by his death and these drug-trafficking rumors."
Mr. Muñoz had been in the Army Reserve since graduating from the Dallas Can! Academy in Oak Cliff. He was waiting to hear from a potential employer in Irving, where he had applied for a job as a forklift operator, said his father, Simon Muñoz of Wilmer.
He said he could not understand why authorities would link his son to drug trafficking.
"He didn't have any enemies. What ... [Mexican authorities] are saying about him is a lie."
Alfredo Corchado is a Dallas Morning News staff writer, and Angela Kocherga is Mexico bureau chief for Belo Television. Al Día staff writer Isabel Rojas in Wilmer contributed to this report.
Authorities looking into whether killings are linked to rogue soldiers
By ALFREDO CORCHADO and ANGELA KOCHERGA / The Dallas Morning News
MEXICO CITY, Mexico – Federal and state authorities are working to determine if rogue Mexican commandos working for the Gulf drug cartel had a role in the deaths of two Dallas men whose bodies were found over the weekend in the state of Michoacán.
The investigation follows a Dallas Morning News report that the commandos, former Mexican army members known as the Zetas, have carried out at least three drug-related slayings in Dallas.
Mexican authorities said the Michoacán killings could be tied to drug trafficking. A U.S. official said the American government was trying to determine whether the Zetas were involved.
The bodies of Alejandro Muñoz Pérez, 19, and his cousin, Omar Chávez Díaz, 20, both of Dallas, were among four bullet-ridden corpses found Friday near Tacámbaro, Michoacán, about 150 miles west of Mexico City.
The region is known as "a training ground for the Zetas and fertile ground for large marijuana plantations," said the U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Mr. Chávez worked installing air-conditioning units in Dallas and was thinking about getting married, said his mother, Maximina Chávez of Wilmer, southeast of Dallas. "I lost my most beloved son," she said.
Mr. Muñoz was a U.S. Army reservist, according to the U.S. Embassy and his mother, Hermelinda Pérez de Muñoz, also of Wilmer.
"My son had nothing to do with drug trafficking," Ms. Pérez de Muñoz said by phone from Morelia, the capital of Michoacán. "He was a good, responsible young man who was here on vacation.
"That's all. Everything else you hear about drug trafficking is a lie," she said.
The bodies of Ms. Pérez de Muñoz's brothers, Mariano Pérez and Delfino Pérez, were recovered alongside those of the two Dallas men, said Ignacio Roque, spokesman for the Michoacán state attorney general's office. Those two men also had spent time in Dallas, Ms. Pérez de Muñoz said.
Some of the men were hit with as many as 60 bullets from high-powered rifles.
Shells from a type of ammunition thought to have been used exclusively by the Mexican army were discovered at the crime scene, prompting state authorities to ask the federal attorney general's office to help investigate. The nation's equivalent of the FBI, the Agencia Federal de Investigación, also has joined the case.
Delfino Pérez was a relative of Federico Benítez Gamino, alias "El Chino," an alleged drug trafficker in the area who disappeared in March 2004. Mr. Benítez allegedly was a top operator for drug lord Osiel Cárdenas, the leader of the Gulf cartel who is in prison.
Last year, Mexican authorities disrupted a plan by the Zetas to free Mr. Cárdenas from jail. The training for the prison outbreak took place in Michoacán, state and federal authorities said.
Just days earlier, Mexican law enforcement officials said the Zetas were on the run.
On Sunday, The News reported that the Zetas, who are blamed for dozens of killings along the U.S.-Mexico border, carried out at least three drug-related slayings in Dallas and also were in Houston and San Antonio. The Zetas defected to the Gulf cartel in the late 1990s, U.S. and Mexican officials say.
The two cousins, Mr. Muñoz and Mr. Chávez, had gone to Michoacán to deliver a pickup truck, family members said.
"These poor boys were innocent bystanders looking forward to enjoying their vacation," said an aunt, who spoke by phone on condition of anonymity.
The four men disappeared more than a week ago, shortly after Mr. Muñoz and Mr. Chávez had arrived from Dallas in the pickup truck, the aunt said.
Friday evening, the bodies were discovered at the side of a road at La Loma, a farming village near Tacámbaro, west of Morelia.
Authorities are performing autopsies before returning the bodies to relatives, who plan to transport them to Dallas for burial.
"I can't even speak right now," said Ms. Pérez de Muñoz. "I've lost my son, and I feel numbed by his death and these drug-trafficking rumors."
Mr. Muñoz had been in the Army Reserve since graduating from the Dallas Can! Academy in Oak Cliff. He was waiting to hear from a potential employer in Irving, where he had applied for a job as a forklift operator, said his father, Simon Muñoz of Wilmer.
He said he could not understand why authorities would link his son to drug trafficking.
"He didn't have any enemies. What ... [Mexican authorities] are saying about him is a lie."
Alfredo Corchado is a Dallas Morning News staff writer, and Angela Kocherga is Mexico bureau chief for Belo Television. Al Día staff writer Isabel Rojas in Wilmer contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Children's earns top trauma rating
Hospital is state's 1st pediatric center to do so
By SHERRY JACOBSON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Nine-year-old Ethan Ralph rolled into the emergency room of Children's Medical Center Dallas on Monday unaware that it had just been designated the state's first Level I Trauma Center for children.
His arrival, just as reporters were interviewing the staff about the designation, allowed an impromptu look at Children's specialized services foran injured child.
The boy was knocked unconscious after fainting and hitting his head on the wall of his doctor's office in Emory, about 80 miles east of Dallas.
The ER staff gave Ethan, who by that point was conscious, a quick physical and CT scan of his head. When they didn't find anything unusual, Ethan was sent home with his father, who initially had taken the boy to a community clinic because he was sick and having trouble breathing.
"You never know if it's going to be more serious than that," said Dr. Todd Maxson, medical director of trauma services at Children's. "We're ready for whatever injury comes through the door."
The verification by the American College of Surgeons makes Children's Medical Center one of 14 pediatric hospitals in the United States to win the Level I Trauma Care designation. Children's emergency room is the nation's busiest pediatric facility.
Dr. Jay W. Meredith, chairman of the College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma, called the new ranking "a high honor."
"It requires a great deal of commitment, of resources, of expertise and preparedness," he said. "There aren't that many pediatric hospitals in the United States capable of doing this. They have to be very good."
The Dallas hospital began providing trauma care to children in 1995 and has spent the last two years perfecting the way it handles life-threatening injuries, Dr. Maxson said. The improvements will cost the medical center about $2 million in additional staffing and supplies, much of which will be covered by insurance payments and a state subsidy for uncompensated trauma care.
The hospital received $88,000 in state funding last year, from traffic citations collected by the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Debbie Brown, a registered nurse and director of the Trauma/Injury Prevention Service at Children's. "We're not certain how much more we'll get this year."
How they did it
To win the designation, Children's had to persuade the Department of State Health Services to set standards for pediatric trauma care, said Dr. Maxson, who was among those pushing for the new rules.
"We wanted to provide the best and the fastest trauma care we could provide, based on scientific research," he said. "We wanted a way to assure we were getting the best possible outcomes for our patients."
Each year, Children's Medical Center treats about 13,000 trauma patients suffering a variety of injuries, from broken toes to severe head injuries. About half of the trauma injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents, 20 percent from abuse and the remainder by bicycle and pedestrian accidents.
The new designation will allow Children's to do more trauma research to determine the best measures for preventing childhood accidents.
For example, Dr. Mason said he was a strong supporter of requiring booster seats for children until they are 8 years old or weigh at least 57 pounds.
"If children were properly restrained inside a car, their chance of severe injury drops to almost zero," he said.
It is not known whether the new designation will lead to more trauma patients at Children's, which handles more than 100,000 patient visits annually in its emergency room. Most of those are medical problems, not traumatic injuries.
"We won't be sending more patients to Children's from our emergency room, because they already get all our cases under age 13," said Jorie Klein, director of trauma and disaster programs at Parkland Memorial Hospital, one of Dallas' two Level I Trauma Centers for adults. (The other is Baylor University Medical Center.)
'Huge reassurance'
"The real difference is that Children's has shown a tremendous commitment to pediatric trauma care," she said. "It's a huge reassurance to the Dallas community that we're getting the best possible care for our kids."
Children's staff was heavily involved in evaluating and improving the handling of trauma cases, Ms. Brown said.
To improve the care, a 16-member trauma team offers a range of fine-tuned procedures including how quickly to diagnose an injury, restore breathing, give blood transfusions and get a patient to surgery. The team includes trauma surgeons and other pediatric emergency medicine specialists. The designation requires that the hospital be staffed with that personnel, along with anesthesiologists and operating room staff, 24 hours a day. Other specialty doctors, such as orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons, are on-call and have 15 minutes to get to the medical center.
"Our goal is to have the team assembled prior to the arrival of the patient," said Dr. Maxson, who also is an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. "Some doctors, including myself, chose to sleep at the hospital when we are on-call. Our best outcomes occur when we're all here."
Hospital is state's 1st pediatric center to do so
By SHERRY JACOBSON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Nine-year-old Ethan Ralph rolled into the emergency room of Children's Medical Center Dallas on Monday unaware that it had just been designated the state's first Level I Trauma Center for children.
His arrival, just as reporters were interviewing the staff about the designation, allowed an impromptu look at Children's specialized services foran injured child.
The boy was knocked unconscious after fainting and hitting his head on the wall of his doctor's office in Emory, about 80 miles east of Dallas.
The ER staff gave Ethan, who by that point was conscious, a quick physical and CT scan of his head. When they didn't find anything unusual, Ethan was sent home with his father, who initially had taken the boy to a community clinic because he was sick and having trouble breathing.
"You never know if it's going to be more serious than that," said Dr. Todd Maxson, medical director of trauma services at Children's. "We're ready for whatever injury comes through the door."
The verification by the American College of Surgeons makes Children's Medical Center one of 14 pediatric hospitals in the United States to win the Level I Trauma Care designation. Children's emergency room is the nation's busiest pediatric facility.
Dr. Jay W. Meredith, chairman of the College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma, called the new ranking "a high honor."
"It requires a great deal of commitment, of resources, of expertise and preparedness," he said. "There aren't that many pediatric hospitals in the United States capable of doing this. They have to be very good."
The Dallas hospital began providing trauma care to children in 1995 and has spent the last two years perfecting the way it handles life-threatening injuries, Dr. Maxson said. The improvements will cost the medical center about $2 million in additional staffing and supplies, much of which will be covered by insurance payments and a state subsidy for uncompensated trauma care.
The hospital received $88,000 in state funding last year, from traffic citations collected by the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Debbie Brown, a registered nurse and director of the Trauma/Injury Prevention Service at Children's. "We're not certain how much more we'll get this year."
How they did it
To win the designation, Children's had to persuade the Department of State Health Services to set standards for pediatric trauma care, said Dr. Maxson, who was among those pushing for the new rules.
"We wanted to provide the best and the fastest trauma care we could provide, based on scientific research," he said. "We wanted a way to assure we were getting the best possible outcomes for our patients."
Each year, Children's Medical Center treats about 13,000 trauma patients suffering a variety of injuries, from broken toes to severe head injuries. About half of the trauma injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents, 20 percent from abuse and the remainder by bicycle and pedestrian accidents.
The new designation will allow Children's to do more trauma research to determine the best measures for preventing childhood accidents.
For example, Dr. Mason said he was a strong supporter of requiring booster seats for children until they are 8 years old or weigh at least 57 pounds.
"If children were properly restrained inside a car, their chance of severe injury drops to almost zero," he said.
It is not known whether the new designation will lead to more trauma patients at Children's, which handles more than 100,000 patient visits annually in its emergency room. Most of those are medical problems, not traumatic injuries.
"We won't be sending more patients to Children's from our emergency room, because they already get all our cases under age 13," said Jorie Klein, director of trauma and disaster programs at Parkland Memorial Hospital, one of Dallas' two Level I Trauma Centers for adults. (The other is Baylor University Medical Center.)
'Huge reassurance'
"The real difference is that Children's has shown a tremendous commitment to pediatric trauma care," she said. "It's a huge reassurance to the Dallas community that we're getting the best possible care for our kids."
Children's staff was heavily involved in evaluating and improving the handling of trauma cases, Ms. Brown said.
To improve the care, a 16-member trauma team offers a range of fine-tuned procedures including how quickly to diagnose an injury, restore breathing, give blood transfusions and get a patient to surgery. The team includes trauma surgeons and other pediatric emergency medicine specialists. The designation requires that the hospital be staffed with that personnel, along with anesthesiologists and operating room staff, 24 hours a day. Other specialty doctors, such as orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons, are on-call and have 15 minutes to get to the medical center.
"Our goal is to have the team assembled prior to the arrival of the patient," said Dr. Maxson, who also is an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. "Some doctors, including myself, chose to sleep at the hospital when we are on-call. Our best outcomes occur when we're all here."
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TexasStooge
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Man arrested in fatal hit-and-run
MESQUITE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Mesquite police have arrested a Garland man in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident.
Amanda Gore, 15, a North Mesquite High School student, died Monday evening after she was hit by a car in the 4100 block of Gus Thomasson Road.
The girl was crossing Gus Thomasson in the 2900 block of Whitson Way when she was hit by a 1996 Buick Regal around 4:30 p.m.
After an investigation, police said they identified the driver of the Regal as Everett Schmidt, 25, of Garland. Schmidt was arrested for failure to stop and render aid.
Mesquite police said it was the city's first traffic fatality of 2005.
MESQUITE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Mesquite police have arrested a Garland man in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident.
Amanda Gore, 15, a North Mesquite High School student, died Monday evening after she was hit by a car in the 4100 block of Gus Thomasson Road.
The girl was crossing Gus Thomasson in the 2900 block of Whitson Way when she was hit by a 1996 Buick Regal around 4:30 p.m.
After an investigation, police said they identified the driver of the Regal as Everett Schmidt, 25, of Garland. Schmidt was arrested for failure to stop and render aid.
Mesquite police said it was the city's first traffic fatality of 2005.
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TexasStooge
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Players told coach of rival steroid use
Exclusive: Grapevine, Carroll athletes named by Heritage students
By GARY JACOBSON and GREGG JONES / The Dallas Morning News
COLLEYVILLE, Texas - Colleyville Heritage High School football players who admitted using anabolic steroids gave their coach the names of football players at Southlake Carroll and Grapevine high schools who they said also took the banned drugs, according to documents obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Heritage football coach Chris Cunningham described the allegations of steroid use at Carroll – home of the nation's top-ranked football program – and Grapevine in a meeting early this month with top Grapevine-Colleyville school district officials.
The players from the three schools had a common steroid dealer, an adult called "Big Mike," according to notes taken at the meeting by some officials.
One participant in the Feb. 3 meeting made the following notation about the steroid use admitted by nine Heritage athletes: "Got to 'Big Mike' through other kids at GHS & CHS," references to Grapevine and Carroll high schools.
Later, the official wrote in reference to Mr. Cunningham: "Coach: Have names of students at Grapevine and Carroll that were shared with Coach by CHHS students."
Another participant in the meeting noted that the Heritage athletes had identified fewer players at the rival schools who were using steroids: "GHS, Carroll, {lt} players," followed by: "It was not passed on to police."
Grapevine-Colleyville spokeswoman Robin McClure initially said Monday that the names had been provided to Carroll and Grapevine officials.
Later in the evening, after checking with Mr. Cunningham about whom he had contacted, she said he had not passed the players' names on to either high school because the district considered the information "unsubstantiated finger pointing." She said Mr. Cunningham is the only person in the district who knows those players' names.
Julie Thannum, communications director for the Carroll district, said Monday night: "We will definitely do our due diligence and see what we can find out tomorrow."
The notes only referred to "players" at Carroll and Grapevine high schools. Ms. McClure said Monday evening that they were football players.
She said that Mr. Cunningham, who declined to be interviewed, told her Monday night that one of his players who confessed to using steroids had named one player from Carroll and one from Grapevine.
Ms. McClure said she was confident that the investigation in the Grapevine-Colleyville district would discover any steroid use at Grapevine High.
District officials called the Feb. 3 meeting to draft answers to questions submitted by The News about steroid use at Heritage. They released notes of the session and other documents in response to a request filed by The News under the Texas Public Information Act.
Carroll has one of the state's most storied high school football programs, with a state-of-the art stadium and indoor practice facility. It has won two state championships in the three years since it moved up to Class 5A, the state's largest classification. The school previously won three state championships in Class 3A.
Last season, Carroll also won the mythical national championship, finishing No. 1 in the National Prep Poll.
In October, Carroll showcased Texas high school football to the nation when it hosted Denton Ryan in a game televised nationally on ESPN2 from sold-out Dragon Stadium.
Exclusive: Grapevine, Carroll athletes named by Heritage students
By GARY JACOBSON and GREGG JONES / The Dallas Morning News
COLLEYVILLE, Texas - Colleyville Heritage High School football players who admitted using anabolic steroids gave their coach the names of football players at Southlake Carroll and Grapevine high schools who they said also took the banned drugs, according to documents obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Heritage football coach Chris Cunningham described the allegations of steroid use at Carroll – home of the nation's top-ranked football program – and Grapevine in a meeting early this month with top Grapevine-Colleyville school district officials.
The players from the three schools had a common steroid dealer, an adult called "Big Mike," according to notes taken at the meeting by some officials.
One participant in the Feb. 3 meeting made the following notation about the steroid use admitted by nine Heritage athletes: "Got to 'Big Mike' through other kids at GHS & CHS," references to Grapevine and Carroll high schools.
Later, the official wrote in reference to Mr. Cunningham: "Coach: Have names of students at Grapevine and Carroll that were shared with Coach by CHHS students."
Another participant in the meeting noted that the Heritage athletes had identified fewer players at the rival schools who were using steroids: "GHS, Carroll, {lt} players," followed by: "It was not passed on to police."
Grapevine-Colleyville spokeswoman Robin McClure initially said Monday that the names had been provided to Carroll and Grapevine officials.
Later in the evening, after checking with Mr. Cunningham about whom he had contacted, she said he had not passed the players' names on to either high school because the district considered the information "unsubstantiated finger pointing." She said Mr. Cunningham is the only person in the district who knows those players' names.
Julie Thannum, communications director for the Carroll district, said Monday night: "We will definitely do our due diligence and see what we can find out tomorrow."
The notes only referred to "players" at Carroll and Grapevine high schools. Ms. McClure said Monday evening that they were football players.
She said that Mr. Cunningham, who declined to be interviewed, told her Monday night that one of his players who confessed to using steroids had named one player from Carroll and one from Grapevine.
Ms. McClure said she was confident that the investigation in the Grapevine-Colleyville district would discover any steroid use at Grapevine High.
District officials called the Feb. 3 meeting to draft answers to questions submitted by The News about steroid use at Heritage. They released notes of the session and other documents in response to a request filed by The News under the Texas Public Information Act.
Carroll has one of the state's most storied high school football programs, with a state-of-the art stadium and indoor practice facility. It has won two state championships in the three years since it moved up to Class 5A, the state's largest classification. The school previously won three state championships in Class 3A.
Last season, Carroll also won the mythical national championship, finishing No. 1 in the National Prep Poll.
In October, Carroll showcased Texas high school football to the nation when it hosted Denton Ryan in a game televised nationally on ESPN2 from sold-out Dragon Stadium.
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TexasStooge
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Plano ISD picks steroid specialist
By KIM BREEN / The Dallas Morning News
PLANO, Texas – The Plano school district has assigned an employee to oversee efforts to combat steroid abuse, administrators announced Tuesday.
Bart Rosebure, who oversees police and security services in the district's central cluster, has also been named the district's steroid specialist.
Administrators had been discussing the idea since the summer but formalized the position in November, said Mark Hinshaw, director of security police services for Plano schools. He said the district wanted to "get a solid base" on what the position would entail before publicizing it.
The new position was announced during a school board work session in which results of a student drug survey were discussed. Fewer Plano students actually reported taking steroids in a 2004 survey than the last survey in 2002, and Superintendent Doug Otto commented that far more district students abuse drugs other than steroids.
Steroids have garnered significant attention in the district. Taylor Hooton, a Plano West Senior High School student, committed suicide before his senior year while suffering from steroid withdrawal, according to his family.
Mr. Hinshaw said the position is a response to national stories about professional athletes' steroid use as well as "poignant local" examples.
Mr. Rosebure is a former football player and coach, power lifter and police officer.
By KIM BREEN / The Dallas Morning News
PLANO, Texas – The Plano school district has assigned an employee to oversee efforts to combat steroid abuse, administrators announced Tuesday.
Bart Rosebure, who oversees police and security services in the district's central cluster, has also been named the district's steroid specialist.
Administrators had been discussing the idea since the summer but formalized the position in November, said Mark Hinshaw, director of security police services for Plano schools. He said the district wanted to "get a solid base" on what the position would entail before publicizing it.
The new position was announced during a school board work session in which results of a student drug survey were discussed. Fewer Plano students actually reported taking steroids in a 2004 survey than the last survey in 2002, and Superintendent Doug Otto commented that far more district students abuse drugs other than steroids.
Steroids have garnered significant attention in the district. Taylor Hooton, a Plano West Senior High School student, committed suicide before his senior year while suffering from steroid withdrawal, according to his family.
Mr. Hinshaw said the position is a response to national stories about professional athletes' steroid use as well as "poignant local" examples.
Mr. Rosebure is a former football player and coach, power lifter and police officer.
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TexasStooge
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Police: Off-Duty Officer Shoots Erratic Driver
Driver Hospitalized With Non-Life Threatening Injuries
DALLAS, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Dallas police are investigating the decision of some off-duty officers from another city opening fire on a driver.
The shooting took place Monday night at the intersection of Ferguson and Riek where four reserve officers from Garrett were working traffic patrol at a baseball game at Lakehill Preparatory School.
The officers said an erratic driver repeatedly tried to run them over and injured one officer.
"While they were directing traffic there was a vehicle that came through driving erratically and refused to comply with their directions and actually struck one of the officers," said Assistant Chief Ron Waldrop with the Dallas Police Department.
Police said that is when one officer opened fire.
"The vehicle turned around and came back. It has been reported to us that he attempted to run over the officers again and one of the other officers on the scene fired several times into the truck," Waldrop said.
The driver was shot in the neck and transported to Baylor Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
So far, Dallas police have not charged anyone in the case.
Driver Hospitalized With Non-Life Threatening Injuries
DALLAS, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Dallas police are investigating the decision of some off-duty officers from another city opening fire on a driver.
The shooting took place Monday night at the intersection of Ferguson and Riek where four reserve officers from Garrett were working traffic patrol at a baseball game at Lakehill Preparatory School.
The officers said an erratic driver repeatedly tried to run them over and injured one officer.
"While they were directing traffic there was a vehicle that came through driving erratically and refused to comply with their directions and actually struck one of the officers," said Assistant Chief Ron Waldrop with the Dallas Police Department.
Police said that is when one officer opened fire.
"The vehicle turned around and came back. It has been reported to us that he attempted to run over the officers again and one of the other officers on the scene fired several times into the truck," Waldrop said.
The driver was shot in the neck and transported to Baylor Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
So far, Dallas police have not charged anyone in the case.
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