Suspect sought in double shooting

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Authorities are asking for the public's assistance in identifying a suspect wanted in the fatal shooting of a male and wounding of a female in northwest Houston earlier this month.

A witness took pictures of the unknown wanted suspect who is described only as a black or Hispanic male with long hair, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 160 to 180 pounds.

The suspect is wanted in the killing of Justin Thompson, 19, and wounding of a 52-year-old female.
The female suffered non life-threatening wounds and was transported to an area hospital.
Police say the unknown suspect and Thompson (the second suspect) went to a residence at 3341 Creekmont about 2:30pm on October 10 to meet with the female to conduct a drug transaction.

When Thompson and the female were inside the residence, the suspect fired shots into the home, striking Thompson and the female. The suspect then fled the scene.
Robbery is believed to be the motive in the shooting.

Anyone with information in this case or the identity of the suspect is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
(Copyright ©2010 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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HPD: Cab driver found dead in burned taxi

by khou.com staff
khou.com
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 9:00 AM
Updated today at 9:48 AM

HOUSTON – Police were investigating after a cab driver’s body was found in a burned taxi in west Houston Thursday morning.
The man was discovered dead in the driver’s seat in the 12100 block of Overbrook around 5 a.m. The cause of death was not known.
It was the second time in a week that a cab driver was found dead in Houston. Police discovered an abandoned cab Tuesday in the same area. A body believed to be that of the cab driver was later discovered dumped in the 5400 block of Wheatley.
Police did not say if the two deaths were connected.
In a statement released late Thursday morning, Yellow Cab addressed the deaths.
"We join the Houston community in being very concerned and saddened by today’s news that a second independent contractor cab driver has been allegedly involved in a homicide. We are cooperating fully with the proper authorities," the statement rea

Breaking: 3 Alarm Fire in NW Houston

HOUSTON – A three-alarm fire displaced at least 37 families Wednesday in northwest Houston.

The fire broke out at about 2:30 p.m. at the Driscoll Place Apartments in the 1300 block of Gears Road at Greensmark Drive.

Air 11 video showed thick black smoke stretched across the sky as firefighters battled the large flames that burned through the units.

At least one person was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, fire officials said.

At least 37 units were affected by the fire, according to a preliminary damage assessment by the Red Cross. Red Cross volunteers were assisting families with emergency-disaster relief.

There was no word on what started the fire. Arson investigators were on scene.

9-11 call - backfires because of open laptop.

by Courtney Zubowski / 11 News
khou.com
Posted on October 12, 2010 at 11:37 PM
Updated today at 9:54 AM

HOUSTON -- A woman who called 911 to anonymously report a crime says she’s in fear for her life after the man she turned in called her just minutes after she placed the call.

According to the woman, who does not want to be identified, on Oct. 1, she was driving near Beltway 8 and Veterans Memorial Drive when she witnessed a man in the car next to her beating his passenger. She did not know either one of them.

“I saw him hitting her and he was taking his fist and he was just hitting her, aside her, just hitting her and I’m like this is crazy,” said the woman.

She placed the 911 call at 1:28 p.m. and thought that would be the end of her involvement, but 30 minutes later she learned it was just the beginning.

“About 1:54 p.m. my phone rang back and it was the suspect,” she said. “He was asking me ‘Who was this, who is this’ and I am like, ‘Who is this, you called my number,’ and then he hung up."

After that call came another, and this time it was a woman’s voice, she said.

“She called me just as he hung up and it was like, ‘Ma’am, are you the concerned lady that called about my welfare,’ and I am like,

‘Excuse me,’ and she said, ‘Well I’m OK,’ and I said, ‘Excuse me,’” said the woman.

She received another call the next morning from the Harris County Jail where the suspect was in custody. He was arrested for outstanding warrants, but never charged with assault.

“My phone rings again and it says, ‘You have a call from Harris County processing jail,’ and I immediately hung up,” she said.
“I will never, ever get involved with anything else again, not when it comes to me being fearful of the surroundings in my life.”

A spokesperson for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office says as far as she knows, this is the first time something like this has happened in their department.

HCSO spokesperson Christina Garza said the suspect was put in the back of a Harris County patrol car while the deputy talked to the woman he was accused of hitting. It was then he was able to read the woman’s phone number off of a laptop computer the deputy had left open in the front seat.

“It’s a very unique situation,” Garza said. “It’s never happened and we certainly don’t want this to discourage her, or anybody, from reporting crime to authorities.”

Garza said it’s common practice to keep laptops closed, but it’s not policy. In some situations, deputies are forced to rush out of cars quickly.

”If anyone is to blame in this situation, it’s the suspect who violated such important information and took it upon himself to do this,” said Garza.

Garza said the department is sending out e-mails to all deputies to remind them to keep their laptops closed.

The suspect is not facing charges for memorizing the information, or calling the woman. Garza said there is no proof that he ever threatened the woman.


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The 911 caller disagrees.

“I was threatened,” she said. “I was threatened when he received my information. My information should have been protected. I was threatened at that point, so what point of threat do they not understand?

13 Houston schools receive powder letters

by khou.com staff
Posted on October 8, 2010 at 8:09 PM

HOUSTON – At least 13 HISD schools received envelopes Friday containing a white powdery substance, according to an HISD spokesperson.
A Houston Fire Department Hazmat team was sent to each school to collect the envelopes.
Preliminary testing showed the substance appeared to be non-hazardous. The powder was tested for radiation, explosives and volatile chemicals. Further tests are being conducted.

The schools were Alcott Elementary, Almeda Elementary, Anderson Elementary, Ashford Elementary, Attucks Middle School, Barrick Elementary, Bastian Elementary, Black Middle School, Blackshear Elementary and Browning Elementary.
Fonville Middle School, Briar Meadow Elementary School and Bellaire High School were added to the list Friday evening.
HISD said its top priority is making sure all schools are safe before students return on Monday.

"All of our school administrators are going through their mail and are trying to identify any envelopes that may look suspicious," said HISD Police Chief Jimmie Dotson.
The typewritten envelopes were addressed to the schools, not individuals, and contained no notes. Each contained about a teaspoon of white powder.
The FBI, U.S. Postal Service, HPD and HFD are assisting HISD with the investigation.


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No waiting: Houston ship channel back in business

UPDATE 1-Coast Guard says no wait to exit Houston Channel

HOUSTON Oct 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard said no ships were waiting Thursday morning to leave the Houston Ship Channel, and 33 ships were lined up to enter the waterway to the busiest U.S petrochemical port after a three-day outage, which ended on Wednesday.

As many as 67 ships were waiting to enter or exit the waterway by the time early on Wednesday that workers had removed a leaning electrical highline tower that threatened to tumble into the waterway after being struck by a barge on Sunday morning.

Four Houston refineries were unable to receive crude oil by ship during the closure, but none said prodcution was cut during the wait that ended Wednesday when the first ships up the channel were crude tankers.

About 44 ships were waiting to enter the channel when it reopened on Wednesday morning and it might appear only 11 have moved up the channel, but the Coast Guard said several ships were added to the line waiting in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.

"It's a consant flow," said a Coast Guard spokesman.

There are about 12 ships more than on a average day waiting to move into the channel, the spokesman said. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by John Picinich)


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Drug deal goes bad - two shot - one dead.

khou.com
Posted on October 7, 2010 at 7:26 AM
Updated today at 8:45 AM

HOUSTON—A 24-year-old man was killed and his brother injured after the two were shot in what appears to be a drug deal gone bad Wednesday evening, according to HPD Homicide detectives.
Police officers responded to a home on Winter Briar at Winter Seasons in southwest Houston for reports of a drive-by shooting.

They arrived around 9 p.m. to find two brothers had been shot. They said the actual shooting took place at another location about a half-mile away, but the brothers somehow made it back home.
Police believe the brothers drove their Cadillac a few blocks from their home to meet a group of men and purchase drugs. Some sort of altercation occurred and one of the men opened fire on the brothers.

"The exact circumstances are unclear as to what transpired a t the two locations, but we have one dead," said Sgt. Thomas Biggs, HPD Homicide Division. "We believe we have all of the players in custody.

The bullet traveled completely through one of the brothers. Police said he was shot in the chest or the back, but it is unclear which point is the entry and exit.
The other brother was shot in the foot. He was taken to Southwest Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he was treated and released. He returned to the scene to talk to police.
Several suspects were taken in for questioning and police said they definitely know one of them is the shooter.


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Breaking: Houston Ship Channel Closed!

HOUSTON, Texas

—A four-mile stretch of the Houston Ship Channel remained closed to marine traffic Monday after a barge slammed into a tower supporting a high-voltage electric transmission line, threatening to topple it into the channel.

Coast Guard officials said a towing vessel named Safety Quest was pushing three barges loaded with scrap metal about 6 a.m. Sunday when it smashed into a Baytown power line, which remained upright only with the support of one of the barges.
No injuries were reported, but the six-member boat crew moved to another vessel and to safety.
Officials said the section from Crystal Bay to the Blackwell Peninsula would remain closed until at least Tuesday night.

"The situation is a little bit unstable right now," said Capt. Marcus Woodring. "The lines are sagging and we cannot allow any vessels to pass underneath with the unstable situation and chance of those lines falling in the water."
Centerpoint Energy officials said the power had been shut off to the line because crews had previously been working on a nearby tower. They said no customers had lost electricity following the crash.
Eighteen inbound vessels attempted to get into the port early Tuesday afternoon, and many remained anchored off the coast of Galveston. Twelve outbound commercial ships were also stuck.
The 25-mile waterway is lined by the nation’s biggest complex of petrochemical plants. The Port of Houston ranks first in the nation in foreign waterborne tonnage and imports and second in U.S. export tonnage and total tonnage.

"Anytime you see something like this, you hate it, because it’s affecting people and how they make their money," said Richard Zeno, a tugboat captain who was not involved in the crash but watched the teetering tower as he was fishing with his family Sunday.

Coast Guard officials said the ship channel handles more than $320 million in cargo and crude daily, meaning the Port of Houston would lose about $1 billion if the waterway stayed closed until Tuesday night.

"Commerce, of course, is very, very important," said Chief Warrant Officer Lionel Bryant. "But we don’t want to put lives in jeopardy doing so."

"This is actually very difficult because the tower is actually sitting on the barge," Bryant said.
The Coast Guard said the boat’s owner is St. Louis-based AEP River Operations.

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Mayor shutting down fueling stations due to LUST

Mayor to shut most of city's fuel stations

Mayor Annise Parker plans to shut down two-thirds of the city's 99 fueling stations, a cost-cutting measure intended to reduce the city's potential liability for leaking contaminants.
While the closures will save the city in the long run, the process of removing underground fuel storage tanks can be expensive. The price skyrockets if underground tanks are found to be leaking fuel or oil, requiring expensive remediation to dispose of contaminated soil to safeguard surrounding neighborhoods. In some cases, monitoring wells have to be drilled to make sure the leaking fuel products have not contaminated the groundwater under the sites.

In the last three years, the city has paid private contractors $5.8 million to replace underground storage tanks at city fire and police stations, public works facilities and parks. A number of the sites where tanks had leaked had to undergo extensive soil removal and other remediation efforts, according to records obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

For example, in February the city had to increase a $323,375 tank replacement contract to haul off 200 tons of soil and dispose of thousands of gallons of contaminated fuel at its Northwest Vehicle Maintenance Facility, in the 1200 block of Judiway.

Last December, the city paid $840,000 to replace six older fuel tanks at Wheeler Park and install three new ones. The cost grew when a larger amount of contaminated soil and fuel than expected was discovered in the bottom of one tank pit, records show.
$1.1 million tab

Similarly, the city ended up with a $1.1 million tab in January 2008, after paying more money to contractors who had to remove buried electrical conduits and 284 cubic yards of contaminated soil as they replaced two leaking fuel storage tanks at the old Houston police station at 61 Riesner.
"We have dozens and dozens of fuel storage facilities," Parker said recently. "We want to have a certain number of them for strategic purposes — for emergency vehicles and post-hurricane, for example - but, for the most part, they are a liability issue and we end up with fuel inventory that just sits there. And in Houston, you're not very far from a gas station."

Parker has identified 55 city fueling stations she intends to shut down immediately. Eventually, the number of stations may be trimmed to as few as 30, aides confirmed. The city plans to retain fueling stations in locations that are distributed around the city to make it convenient for city vehicles to gas up.

Councilman Steve Costello, a civil engineer, backs Parker's plan and envisions some of the fueling sites being sold to bolster city finances.
"Anytime we can consolidate resources and make better use of our fueling stations, I think that's a great idea," Costello said. "If that means closing down some of these stations and having excess property we can sell, that's even better to help us bridge some of the budget gaps we have."

Reducing the number of fuel stations is one part of an ambitious effort under way by Parker to balance the budget by shaving $22 million from fleet operation costs this year and next, including a cut in the number of municipal employees with take-home vehicles and consolidation of city vehicle garages. Parker is searching for a director to head a new city fleet management office, and is planning to ask the City Council to approve the hiring of CST Fleet Services, a North Carolina consulting firm known for reducing fleet operation costs.

A LUST problem
Houston is not alone in contending with a serious environmental problem known as LUST - Leaking Underground Storage Tanks - that has festered quietly across the state and nation for decades. Texas environmental officials say their database of leaking fuel tanks dates back to 1972.
Texas currently has more than 55,600 underground storage tanks in use, including 7,536 in Harris County. Leaks have been discovered at 26,048 sites, including 3,411 in Harris County. To date, the majority across the state have been cleaned up, but there are 2,363 underground tank sites where cleanup operations are still going on, state officials say.

"Monitoring tanks that are being used is very important, because, if you have fuel in those tanks, we want to make sure it doesn't get out into the environment because it can definitely cause problems for people," said Victoria Modak, a specialist with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's leaking tank program in Austin. "As great as our technology is ... there still are releases, despite all of our efforts. So, it's good to keep a handle on that, make sure we're tracking when they have a release and things are getting cleaned up."

Modak said the TCEQ estimates the average cost for environmental cleanup of the site of an underground tank is $84,705, although she noted there is a procedure for sealing the tanks and leaving them in place. That practice can lead to problems in future land sales, however.
It makes sense, Modak said, for cities such as Houston to replace aging tanks, even if they are not leaking, and invest in storage tanks with updated technology to prevent and detect leak