Category: Crime and Incidents

Crack in North Carolina Roller Coaster May Have Formed 6–10 Days Before Closure, Commissioner Says

RALEIGH, N.C.—An ongoing investigation by North Carolina’s Department of Labor found that a large crack in the support column of a towering roller coaster had been visible for at least a week before the amusement park shut it down for repairs. “It looks like maybe six to 10 days prior, some pictures had been taken…


DNA Testing Leads to Former US Army Soldier in 1978 Killing of Woman in Germany

DNA testing has led to the arrest of a Nebraska man who was repeatedly questioned over decades in the 1978 stabbing death of a woman while he was stationed with the U.S. Army in Germany, authorities said. Tommy Molina, 69, was arrested in the western Nebraska city of Gering on June 21, the U.S. Marshals…


Leslie Van Houten, Follower of Cult Leader Charles Manson, Is One Big Step Closer to Freedom

LOS ANGELES—California’s governor announced Friday that he won’t ask the state Supreme Court to block parole for Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, paving the way for her release after serving 53 years in prison for two infamous murders. In a brief statement, the governor’s office said it was unlikely that the state’s high court…


Florida Parents Charged in Death of Toddler Left in Car Overnight After Fourth of July Party

LAKELAND, Fla.—A toddler died after her parents left her in a hot car overnight following a Fourth of July party in Florida, authorities said Thursday. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Lakeland couple Joel and Jazmine Rondon have been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child. Authorities said the Rondons accidentally left the 18-month-old girl…


Suspect Killed, Officer Wounded as Robbery Spree Ends With Pursuit, Shootout on Ohio Interstate

COLUMBUS, Ohio—An armed robbery spree in Ohio ended with a police chase and shootout that left one suspect dead and an officer critically wounded, authorities said. Two other suspects who fled on foot from the shootout were later captured. The spree began around 2:15 p.m. Thursday, when a man stole the keys to an SUV…


Baltimore Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Suspect in Block Party Shooting

BALTIMORE—Authorities have arrested and charged a teen who detectives believe was involved in a shooting at a Baltimore block party over the holiday weekend that left two people dead and 28 others wounded, officials announced Friday. Members of the homicide and SWAT teams arrested the 17-year-old boy around 7 a.m. Friday after a search warrant…


Father of the Bride and Teen Who Tried to Save Friend Among 5 Killed in Philadelphia Shooting

PHILADELPHIA—A father who was preparing to walk his eldest daughter down the aisle. An aspiring actor who appeared as an extra in the “Creed” movie franchise. A teenager who tried to help a wounded friend. These are the stories of those killed in the all-too-familiar thrum of another mass shooting. Five people in a working-class…


Life in Prison for Man Involved in Street Feud That Led to Woman’s Death and Shooting of 6-Year-Old

DOVER, Del.—A Delaware man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for his role in a street feud involving a drug kingpin that resulted in the kidnapping and slaying of a woman and the shooting of a 6-year-old boy. Dion Oliver, 43, was sentenced to the mandatory life term after he was convicted in federal…


Texas Officials Name Suspect Arrested and Charged in Arson That Killed 5 in San Marcos in 2018

SAN MARCOS, Texas—Officials in San Marcos, Texas, have named the man charged with intentionally starting a fire five years ago which killed five people and displaced 200 others. Jacobe De Leon O Shea Ferguson, of Austin, was arrested early Wednesday, Jonathan Henderson, Fire Marshal for the San Marcos Fire Department announced in a news conference…


Fire That Killed 2 Aboard a Cargo Ship in New Jersey Is Expected to Burn for Days

NEWARK, N.J.—A cargo ship docked at the East Coast’s biggest port smoldered for a third day and will likely burn for several more after the fire claimed the lives of two New Jersey firefighters, officials said Friday, acknowledging that they’ll be discussing how first responders are trained. What caused the fire aboard the Grande Costa…