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Tag: Harris County Sheriff’s Office

  • Law Enforcement Agencies Gear Up For Labor Day Weekend Festivities

    Law Enforcement Agencies Gear Up For Labor Day Weekend Festivities

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    Labor Day weekend is a time to celebrate the extra day off by enjoying a staycation, venturing on a road trip or going on a side quest. Those thinking of spending the surplus of time off at a party in or out of town will want to ensure they do so safely.

    With the fun comes the potential for a dangerous situation. Over the next several days, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies will participate in a “No Refusal DWI” initiative to curb the possibility of accidents.

    Harris County has had one of the highest DWI fatality crash rates for several years. Officers will be patrolling and targeting impaired drivers to prevent alcohol or drug-related incidents.

    “If you plan to celebrate Labor Day by drinking, make sure you arrange a sober ride using rideshare, taxi, public transit or a designated driver,” TxDOT executive director Marc Williams wrote in a statement.

    Williams reminded those partaking in holiday-related activities that driving intoxicated or under the influence could not only result in harm to themselves and others but could leave an individual having to pay fines of up to $17,000.

    According to Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams, driving-related danger is not the only problem to look out for over Labor Day weekend. Residents may opt to cook hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, causing a potential fire hazard if they’re not careful.

    Jimmy noted that grilling on balconies is prohibited in most jurisdictions. He said checking for leaks or breaks within grilling equipment was essential, as these have caused many outside gas grill fires.

    Between 2017 and 2021, gas grills were involved in an average of 9,079 home fires and 4,625 outdoor fires yearly.

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    Faith Bugenhagen

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  • ‘It’s a miracle’: Two kids survive being ejected during violent rollover on Houston’s East Freeway

    ‘It’s a miracle’: Two kids survive being ejected during violent rollover on Houston’s East Freeway

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    HOUSTON – Two children, both under the age of five, somehow survived a violent rollover crash in which they both were ejected from the vehicle.

    Video from moments after the crash has since gone viral, collecting millions of views around the nation as the two toddlers, wearing only diapers, pick themselves up from the hot asphalt.

    The video, shared with KPRC 2, started just after all of the vehicles involved came to a stop. You can see a man running towards the children, who appear to be stunned.

    Other videos shared with KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding show the children bloodied and are too graphic to share.

    “And by sheer miracle, they sustained very minor injuries and are expected to survive,” said Harris County Sheriff’s Ed Gonzalez.

    The crash happened around 7 p.m. this past Sunday on the I-10 East Freeway near Freeport Blvd.

    According to Sheriff Gonzalez, a driver in the exit lane entered the main travel lanes, slamming into the Jeep the children were riding in along with their father.

    “Then the Jeep flipped over,” the sheriff said.

    The white Jeep rolled over several times leading to the children to be thrown from the vehicle.

    Neither of the children—ages one and four years old—were in car seat or even buckled in.

    “I’m still shocked that they’re alive,” Sheriff Gonzalez said. “By state law, you’re supposed to have a car seat of your eight years old or younger. Neither, had a seatbelt on, so it’s very reckless and irresponsible.”

    It’s that recklessness that could land the children’s dad charges.

    According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, no one has been officially charged, but investigators are not ruling that out.

    “There could be charges filed,” the sheriff said. “So, we’re not ruling that out. We just want to complete a few loose ends.”

    The good news is that both children are expected to make a full recovery.

    Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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    Gage Goulding, Gil Gredinger

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  • ‘How can somebody do this:’ Just born baby abandoned in Harris Co.

    ‘How can somebody do this:’ Just born baby abandoned in Harris Co.

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    KATY, Texas – Just as the sun was rising in the sky Saturday morning, a baby was born. Before lunch, a man dumped the baby on a walking trail near a bayou in Harris County.

    The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says the baby was found wrapped in a towel around 9 a.m. at the end of a cul-de-sac on Casa Martin Drive.

    According to detectives, the baby still had the umbilical cord attached.

    “The baby was a newborn,” said Sgt. Juan Garcia with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. “Still had fresh placenta on the baby. So, it was freshly born this morning.”

    Security camera video captured a man abandoning the baby on a bridge that connects homes off Casa Martin Drive to the walking trail along a bayou.

    “That’s gross negligence,” said Daniel Moran. “The baby could die within an hour or two. It’s incomprehensible really.”

    Thankfully, a family walking the trail was headed home and spotted the baby within a few minutes of her being placed on the ground.

    “We were coming back from our walk this morning, heading home because it was hot,” said Daniela Fedele, who spotted the towel on the bridge. “When I went ahead and looked closer, that’s when I noticed a little baby would like her two feet moving. I think it was like, am I seeing this, right? Like, are my eyes really seeing a baby here?”

    Her husband scooped up the baby while Daniela called 911.

    “I hold it. The baby opens their eyes to me, looked at me,” Luis Marin told KPRC2′s Gage Goulding. “We make eye contact. And I’m like, how can somebody just do this?”

    “It had the umbilical cord. So, it’s like so many questions go through your mind,” added Fedele.

    Paramedics rushed the baby to the hospital.

    The infant is already doing much better, thanks in part to this family who was chosen to be in the right place to save her life.

    “We were just there by chance. I guess by God,” Fedele said. “God put us there, I guess.

    Detectives now need your help tracking down the man who left this child here.

    The suspect is described as young, slim Hispanic or white man with fair complexion and black hair.

    He was wearing a black shirt and possibly gray pants.

    If you have any information, submit an anonymous online tip to Crime Stoppers of Houston or call 713-222-TIPS (8477).

    Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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    Gage Goulding, Michael Lemons

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  • Nearly 200 people rescued from flooded homes, roads in Harris Co.

    Nearly 200 people rescued from flooded homes, roads in Harris Co.

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    HOUSTON – Rescue crews from nearly every emergency response agency in Harris County have collectively rescued nearly 200 people from dangerous flood waters.

    The Harris County Joint Information Center confirms that 196 people and 108 animals have been rescued by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and all other emergency response agencies working throughout the county.

    Many of those rescues occurred after people drove into flood waters or ignored evacuation warnings after some parts of the SE Texas area saw two feet of rain in the last five days.

    On Friday, it was rinse and repeat for the rescue crews, pulling person after person from the murky flooded waters.

    In the Plum Grove area, high water response vehicles drove through flooded roadways to get to those trapped in the rapidly rising water from the East Fork of the San Jacinto River.

    Meanwhile just miles down the road, others were rescued by boat before being handed off to high water vehicles.

    Gage: “What was that like?”

    Adonay: “It’s my first time. We got too much water. But like the 12 o’clock. That’s all crazy.”

    While others who heeded the evacuation warnings and sought higher ground, they too are still in the same boat as those being rescued.

    All they can do is wait and watch as their lives and homes are washed away in front of their own eyes.

    “Man, it’s tough. It’s tough. It’s third time we’ve been through it. So, it sucks losing everything,” said Duane Williams. “Now we’ll probably sell this time and move.”

    A blip of good news though—the East Fork of the San Jacinto River is projected to be reaching its maximum height Thursday evening.

    However, it’s not over yet. The river will remain in major flood stage throughout the weekend.

    Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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    Gage Goulding

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  • Mom, 5-year-old daughter ejected, killed in ‘violent’ East Harris County crash

    Mom, 5-year-old daughter ejected, killed in ‘violent’ East Harris County crash

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    HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A mother and her 5-year-old daughter are dead after being ejected from their car during a violent crash in East Harris County on Easter Sunday.

    The accident happened on US 90 near Uvalde Road around 1:45 p.m. on Sunday.

    A family of five was driving eastbound in their gold Toyota Prius when they lost control while exiting the highway, causing the small car to flip several times in a grassy median.

    “One witness stated that they estimated they were possibly going around 80-85 mph as they were exiting the freeway,” said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. “At some point, maybe, as they began losing control of the vehicle, perhaps they overcorrected causing them to leave the roadway, leaving a long trail into the grassy area.”

    Inside the vehicle was a young couple, according to Sheriff Gonzalez. A 26-year-old man and 25-year-old woman were in the front, but not wearing a seatbelt.

    In the backseat were three kids; a 5-year-old girl, a 2-and-a-half-year-old boy, and a 2-month-old girl. All of the children were wearing seatbelts.

    The mother, later identified by the Sheriff on social media as Tiffany Rodriguez, and 5-year-old, Ariella, were both ejected from the vehicle, flown to the hospital, and pronounced dead.

    “The remaining three, including the adult male, were transported by ambulance,” Gonzalez said. “It’s our understanding that while they were all injured, they are expected to survive their injuries.”

    According to preliminary information from investigators, it appears the family may have been going to celebrate Easter.

    “It appears that there was some new clothes that they were perhaps going to be wearing today at some point and even some eggs that they were going to be enjoying the day,” the sheriff said.

    This is the latest accident in what’s been a violent and deadly weekend across Harris County.

    “It’s really tragic when we think of what a deadly weekend it’s been around our county, and not only in terms of murders, but also roadway deaths as well,” Sheriff Gonzalez said. “It’s very tragic, especially on such a special day. It breaks my heart coming to some of these scenes and and seeing the small shoes of a toddler especially being a parent. that always hits home.”

    Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez providing an update on a fatal rollover crash that left a mother and six-year-old girl dead on East Sunday in East Harris County. (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)

    According to Sheriff Gonzalez, this crash marks the 45th fatal accident on unincorporated Harris County roads.

    “I want to be very clear that these crashes are all preventable. They really are,” Sheriff Gonzalez said. “We’re talking about speed. At times, we talk about impairment. We’ve got to be paying closer attention to what we’re doing because if not we’re going to continue to see more carnage on our roadways.”

    While the investigation is early, it appears speed is a factor in the crash. It’s unclear who was driving at the time of the accident.

    The investigation remains ongoing.

    Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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    Christian Terry, Gage Goulding

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  • ‘I’m sorry:’ Mother of 12-year-old boy accused of stabbing woman in NW Harris County shares apology to victim

    ‘I’m sorry:’ Mother of 12-year-old boy accused of stabbing woman in NW Harris County shares apology to victim

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    HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A day after a 12-year-old boy was arrested for stabbing a woman in northwest Harris County, his mother is apologizing to the victim and her family.

    The 12-year-old boy is accused of stabbing a 59-year-old woman outside of her April Valley Court home on Saturday afternoon. He is charged with aggravated assault.

    According to investigators with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the woman, who suffers from a mental illness, got into a verbal argument with the 12-year-old and his younger brother, 7, around 2:00 p.m.

    The boys rode off on their bikes but were then caught on camera returning approximately 12 minutes later. It’s in that video you see the boys rush up to the woman standing in her garage. The 12-year-old boy is accused of stabbing the woman several times in the abdomen.

    “I’m sorry to the family. I’m very sorry that my son’s committed the incident. And I’m praying for your health, for your wellness,” the mother said.

    The boy remains in police custody, but is doing okay according to his mother.

    She also provided some insight as to what might have been a factor in her son’s decision.

    “He have some mental issues,” the mother said. “My son, he struggles from his mental problems.”

    The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has not yet released a motive in the stabbing.

    According to deputies, the younger brother was not charged in connection to the crime because he was not “culpable,” or deserving blame for the crime.

    “I am very remorseful because I wouldn’t want that to happen to nobody,” the mother said. “We just gotta keep our prayers up for both my family and their family.”

    KPRC2 made an editorial decision to withhold the identity of the mother in order to protect the identity of both children, regardless of legal proceedings.

    Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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    Gage Goulding

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  • Toddler killed after being hit by rideshare driver in N. Harris County: HCSO

    Toddler killed after being hit by rideshare driver in N. Harris County: HCSO

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    HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A baby girl is dead after being hit by a rideshare driver in north Harris County on Sunday, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

    According to deputies, it happened at the 15500 block of Waverly Drive as the driver dropped off a family with a toddler.

    Deputies said the driver struck the toddler without knowing she was in front of the car.

    Immediately after the accident, family members pulled the driver out and began to assault him.

    Authorities say the driver was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

    The toddler was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where she was later pronounced dead.

    For news updates, follow Jiovanni Lieggi on Facebook, X and Instagram.

    Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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    Jiovanni Lieggi

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  • ‘Terrible accident:’ Uber driver runs over, kills one-year-old girl, family beats driver up

    ‘Terrible accident:’ Uber driver runs over, kills one-year-old girl, family beats driver up

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    ALDINE, Texas – A one-year-old girl is dead after an Uber driver ran over the child after dropping her off with family members.

    The accident happened around 12:40 p.m. on Sunday in the parking lot of an apartment complex along Waverly Drive in Aldine.

    The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says the Uber driver dropped off the passengers, including three adults and a one-year-old girl.

    As the adults walked towards the apartment complex and out of the vehicle’s pathway, the toddler was walking in front of the gray Volkswagen SUV.

    “When the Uber driver saw the female adult clear at a couple of feet, he began driving forward to turn around, accidentally rolling over the child,” said Lt. K Benoit of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

    The family tried rescuing the girl and driving her to the hospital. They flagged down an emergency vehicle nearby, which then took the girl to the hospital where she later died.

    In the moments after the child was run over, family members opened the SUV’s doors and assaulted the driver.

    “He’s in serious condition. You know, non-life threatening, but serious,” Benoit said.

    Hearing the commotion outside, neighbors started walking out on their porches to see what was happening. This includes Simya Washington, who’s security camera captured the entire incident unfold.

    “I just heard a lot of commotion outside, and I just came outside, and I just seen, like, blood and a baby laying on the ground,” Washington said. “It was just so traumatic, because I was just thinking about my baby, you know, my son or anybody else kids it was just so, I couldn’t do, I couldn’t even.”

    The driver is being treated for his injuries.

    Meanwhile, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office has not filed any charges against either the driver or those who assaulted him.

    “At this time, no charges have been filed,” Benoit said. “But however, it is still under investigation. There could be charges a couple of different ways.”

    The driver has been identified as Muhammad Khan. The identity of the girl has not yet been released.

    Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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    Gage Goulding

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  • VIDEOS: Sheriff’s office releases body cam videos of when deputies shot woman in her east Harris County apartment

    VIDEOS: Sheriff’s office releases body cam videos of when deputies shot woman in her east Harris County apartment

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    HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – The Harris County Sheriff’s Office released body camera videos Saturday of their deputies who shot a woman multiple times in her apartment in east Harris County, as they responded to a burglary call.

    The incident happened at the Pines of Woodforest Apartments on Uvalde Road around 2:06 a.m. on Feb. 3.

    Deputies responded to a burglary call, and they later cleared the scene.

    They were then told about a second burglary at the apartment complex.

    Authorities made it to the second apartment and said they saw a broken window.

    Deputies said they looked through the window and saw someone approaching the door with a gun.

    “Someone’s coming,” said one of the deputies in the body cam video. “Gun!”

    Deputies then fired their weapons, and the 28-year-old woman, who lived in the apartment, was shot multiple times. A second woman was inside the apartment visiting the other woman, and she was not injured.

    See the full body cam video here. This video may be disturbing.

    The body cam video showed two deputies walking up to the apartment.

    They went to the second floor, knocked on the door, and announced they were with the sheriff’s office.

    One deputy then said someone is coming. In the video you can hear deputies fire their guns collectively a total of more than two dozen times. One deputy even reloads before shooting more.

    The video also showed some movement on the left side of the window.

    “Drop the gun!” One of the deputies yelled.

    Before the shots were fired, it appeared that part of the left side of the window was already open.

    “I told Eboni to break the window. That would have been the third time. The window would have been broken since I stayed here,” said Laronda Berry on Friday, who rents the apartment.

    The video also showed several bullets shattered the window more.

    After the shooting, a deputy said “go down, go down,” to the other deputy.

    They then retreated from the apartment.

    It appears that a deputy then called for help and said, “We need people, shots fired.”

    Now, local civil rights activists are demanding an independent investigation into the shooting. Civil and Human Rights activist Dr. Candice Matthews, Black Panther Chairman Quanell X, and Attorney Allie Booker held a news conference Friday morning to discuss the investigation.

    The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting remains under investigation. In the meantime, both deputies remain on paid administrative leave, which is the protocol for officers involved shootings.

    Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be presented to the sheriff’s office for review and any disciplinary action, if any is deemed warranted.

    Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

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    Cynthia Miranda, Gage Goulding

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  • Grandfather Sues For Rape & False Imprisonment, Says Facial Recognition Software Falsely Identified Him As Robbery Suspect – Perez Hilton

    Grandfather Sues For Rape & False Imprisonment, Says Facial Recognition Software Falsely Identified Him As Robbery Suspect – Perez Hilton

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    [Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

    We’ve already been seeing the upsetting and harmful consequences that can come from the use of artificial intelligence — but this grandfather’s claims make it all the more scary.

    Earlier this week, Harvey Eugene Murphy Jr., a 61-year-old Houston resident, filed a lawsuit against Sunglass Hut, its parent company EssilorLuxottica, and Macy’s with claims their facial recognition software led to his false imprisonment and eventual rape.

    In January of 2022, there was an armed robbery at a Sunglass Hut in Houston, which led to the theft of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise and cash. According to Murphy’s filings, which have been reported on by multiple outlets, EssilorLuxottica teamed up with Macy’s to use facial recognition software to figure out who their suspect was. The victim also says he didn’t know anything was out of the ordinary until he went and tried to renew his license, which brought up his warrant. How awful!

    Related: Google Software Engineer Charged With Beating Wife To Death

    Per a police lineup, which the elderly man’s lawyers Rusty Hardin & Associates claim was tainted, and what he believes was “faulty” AI on the companies’ parts, Murphy was arrested and put in jail. While speaking to The Guardian about how it all went down, Murphy said:

    “I almost thought it was a joke.”

    But the alleged false imprisonment wasn’t the only horror he had to deal with. He claims that while behind bars, he was sexually assaulted by three men in the prison bathroom, which left him with permanent injuries. Sadly, he also says he didn’t report the incident at the time for fear of retaliation from his abusers:

    “That was kind of terrifying. Your anxiety is up so high, you’re still shaking the entire time. And I just got up on my bunk and just faced the wall and was just praying that something would come through and get me out of that tank.”

    Heartbreaking…

    According to reports, the Harris County District Attorney’s office has since determined he was NOT involved with the crime per his lawyer.

    Murphy is seeking $10 million in damages for the alleged negligence, while his lawyers are not only fighting for him, but trying to put out a BIG warning to everyone else. His attorney Daniel Dutko told CBS:

    “Mr. Murphy’s story is troubling for every citizen in this country. Any person could be improperly charged with a crime based on error-prone facial recognition software just as he was.”

    And to make matters worse, studies conducted by ACLU highly suggest that minorities are more at risk for false positives with facial recognition software.

    Such a scary situation, we truly can’t imagine…

    What do U think, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below).

    If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.

    [Image via FOX 26 Houston/YouTube]

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    Perez Hilton

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