Author: Houston Stringer

According to a opinion issued earlier today by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals - two years after a tragic single-boat accident, one of the boat's occupants, John Andrew Newbold, succumbed to his injuries. The boat had struck a submerged warning sign during the accident, and the estate and survivors of the deceased sued the companies responsible for the sign. The district court granted summary judgment to the defendants, Kinder Morgan, a Houston Company and Southern Natural Gas Company, on the grounds that the incident occurred on water governed by Louisiana law rather than federal law. The crux of the appeal in case No. 22-30416 was whether the allision occurred in "navigable" waters, which would make federal law applicable. However, the court upheld the district court's decision, ru...

Harris County, Texas - A local man has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing another man to death. The Assistant District Attorney of Harris County stated that Austin Jacob Whittenburg, the defendant, is believed to have intentionally and knowingly caused the death of Nicholas Meyers on March 22, 2023. According to the complaint, Whittenburg allegedly used a deadly weapon, a knife, to stab Meyers. The document also asserts that Whittenburg not only intended to cause serious bodily harm to Meyers but also committed an act that was clearly dangerous to human life. The Assistant District Attorney is pursuing charges based on the belief that Whittenburg's actions led to the death of the complainant, Nicholas Meyers.

March 22, 2023 - A tragic incident unfolded at the Harris County Jail on Tuesday when a man was found dead in an apparent suicide. Fabian Cortez, 41, was discovered unconscious in a restroom at the Joint Processing Center at 2:32 p.m., having seemingly hanged himself with a drawstring from his clothing. Cortez had been brought to the facility earlier in the day after being arrested by the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office on felony charges, including continuous sexual assault of a child and child pornography. Upon discovering Cortez, detention officers promptly initiated life-saving measures, including CPR, before transferring him to the jail's clinic. As medical personnel attended to Cortez, an ambulance from the Houston Fire Department was summoned. He was then transporte...

Houston, TX - The Houston Police Department (HPD) has released surveillance images of two persons of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of three men in a parking lot at 10815 Beechnut Street. The incident occurred at approximately 5:40 a.m. on Sunday, March 19. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sfn-_1JgxT0&feature=youtu.be The surveillance footage and photographs, attached to this news release, show an unknown male, believed to be in his 20s or 30s, wearing a white jacket and blue jeans. An unknown female is also sought for questioning in relation to the case. Authorities are waiting to notify the victims' families before releasing their identities. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences is currently handling this process. Investigators have learned that...

HOUSTON - The City of Houston has decided to terminate its contract with Inframark, responsible for managing the Greater North East Houston Service Area system, including the Kingwood Central Wastewater Treatment Facility. This decision comes after a two-month investigation revealed Inframark's breach of contract with the City. To better serve Kingwood residents, Houston Public Works will assume control of water treatment facilities in the area, in line with their successful management of facilities throughout the city. The termination of the contract with Inframark will take effect on Friday, March 31, 2023. Houston Public Works and Inframark will collaborate to ensure a seamless transition to city-led management of the Greater North East Houston Service Area system. Carol Haddoc...

On March 12, a shooting occurred at 3938 Caplin Street around 11:50 a.m., leaving a 64-year-old man injured. The suspect, Erick Andrew Cortez, 27, has now been apprehended and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, deadly conduct, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges have been filed in the 337th State District Court. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital and remains in stable condition. Detectives from the HPD Major Assaults & Family Violence Division reported that HPD patrol officers responded to the shooting and learned that Cortez had arrived at the location and shot the victim multiple times. Cortez then attempted to shoot a juvenile male, but his weapon malfunctioned, and no shots were fired. The suspect fled the scene ...

On March 17, 2023, Houston police began investigating a drive-by shooting involving a male victim in his 20s. The suspects, who are still at large, were likely driving a black Nissan. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive.