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Breaking News

Latest breaking news and developing stories from Houston Stringer, covering major incidents and local stories across the U.S. and worldwide.

Off-road motorcyclist dies after colliding with riding partner, hitting pole in Apple Valley
21Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
California

Off-road motorcyclist dies after colliding with riding partner, hitting pole in Apple Valley

APPLE VALLEY, CA – A 31-year-old man was killed in an off-road motorcycle crash Sunday afternoon after colliding with another rider and crashing into a utility pole. The incident occurred around 4:48 p.m. on October 19, 2025, near Kiowa Road north of Mayan Road. Deputies from the Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station, along with Apple Valley Fire Protection District personnel and American Medical Response, responded to the scene. According to investigators, Victor Godinez of Victorville was riding a Yamaha off-road motorcycle northbound through the desert area east of Kiowa Road when he collided with one of his riding partners. The impact caused him to lose control and veer into an Edison pole. Godinez was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The...
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Pedestrian killed, motorcyclist injured in Santa Maria collision; alcohol may be factor
21Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
California

Pedestrian killed, motorcyclist injured in Santa Maria collision; alcohol may be factor

SANTA MARIA, CA – A 25-year-old pedestrian was killed and a 32-year-old motorcyclist was seriously injured following a crash at the intersection of Broadway and Williams Street Saturday evening. The Santa Maria Police Department, Santa Maria Fire Department, and American Medical Response (AMR) responded to the scene around 8:35 p.m. on October 18, 2025. Upon arrival, both the pedestrian and the motorcyclist were found in the roadway with major injuries. According to preliminary findings, the pedestrian was crossing eastbound in the north crosswalk of Williams Street when he was struck by a motorcycle traveling north on Broadway in the number one lane. The collision caused the pedestrian to be thrown onto the roadway and ejected the motorcyclist from his vehicle. Both men were ...
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Paxton leads 14-state coalition backing federal rule change to require proof of citizenship for voter registration
21Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
Texas

Paxton leads 14-state coalition backing federal rule change to require proof of citizenship for voter registration

AUSTIN, TX – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a formal comment to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) on behalf of a 14-state coalition in support of a rulemaking petition from the America First Legal Foundation (AFL) that seeks to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. File Photo (2024) The AFL petition urges the EAC to amend federal regulations to ensure that only U.S. citizens are eligible to register using the federal voter registration form. Currently, the form allows registrants to self-attest to citizenship without providing documentary proof. Attorney General Paxton stated that requiring proof of citizenship would protect the integrity of elections and uphold the voices of law-abiding Americans. He empha...
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Texas lawmaker seeks AG opinion on whether constables are entitled to same pay raise as sheriff under HB 4205
21Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
Texas

Texas lawmaker seeks AG opinion on whether constables are entitled to same pay raise as sheriff under HB 4205

AUSTIN, TX – State Rep. Sam Harless (HD 126) has formally requested an opinion from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding whether elected constables in Harris County are entitled to the same compensation increases as the county sheriff under a new state law. File Photo (October 2025) The request centers on House Bill 4205, which was passed during the 89th Legislative Session and took effect on September 1, 2025. The law requires the Harris County Commissioners Court to apply any compensation or employment benefit increases uniformly across all police officers within the same class. It also prohibits budget reductions to any affected agency as a result of enforcing this parity. In the request dated October 9, 2025, Harless argues that the current 2025-2026 Harris County budge...
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Victim dies after vehicle-to-vehicle shooting in Hollister; police investigating as homicide
21Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
California

Victim dies after vehicle-to-vehicle shooting in Hollister; police investigating as homicide

HOLLISTER, CA – A shooting between two vehicles on Sunnyslope Road has left one person dead, and Hollister Police have launched a homicide investigation. The incident occurred on Saturday, October 18, 2025, around 7:22 p.m. in the 1100 block of Sunnyslope Road. Officers responded to reports of a shooting involving two vehicles. As police began their investigation, they received information that a victim connected to the incident had arrived at a local hospital. The San Benito County Sheriff’s Department assisted at the hospital, where the victim was located and later life-flighted to a nearby trauma center. Despite emergency efforts, the victim succumbed to their injuries. The Hollister Police Department is continuing to investigate the case as a homicide and extended thanks t...
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Abbott appoints Kelly Rowe as chair of Commission on Jail Standards, adds four members
21Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
Texas

Abbott appoints Kelly Rowe as chair of Commission on Jail Standards, adds four members

AUSTIN, TX – Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Lubbock County Sheriff Kelly Rowe as chair of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, which oversees the care and treatment of county prisoners and the construction and operation of county jails. File Photo (September 2025) In addition to Rowe's appointment, Abbott also named Joe Fauth of Plantersville and Richard Kirkpatrick of Kingsville to the commission for terms ending January 31, 2031, and January 31, 2027, respectively. Patricia M. Anthony of Garland and Monica McBride of Alpine were reappointed for terms expiring January 31, 2031. Rowe, with over three decades in law enforcement, previously served as president of both the Sheriff’s Association of Texas and the Texas Jail Association. He also serves on multiple public safety b...
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Driver officially identified in deadly Tesla crash on Katy Freeway
20Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
Michigan, Texas

Driver officially identified in deadly Tesla crash on Katy Freeway

HOUSTON, TX – Police have officially identified the driver charged in connection with a fiery crash on the Katy Freeway that left two people dead as 21-year-old Ariel Perry Stewart. The crash occurred around 1:14 a.m. on October 19, 2025, in the inbound lanes of the Katy Freeway near the Taylor Street Bridge. According to police, Stewart was behind the wheel of a Tesla when it rear-ended a Nissan at high speed, causing the Nissan to catch fire. Both occupants of the Nissan were trapped and pronounced deceased at the scene. Court documents and family members have identified the victims as 22-year-old Bianca Romero and her boyfriend, Christian Rangel. After the initial impact, the Tesla struck barriers on both sides of the freeway before coming to a stop. A passenger in the Tesl...
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Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo criticizes removal of iconic Montrose rainbow crosswalks
20Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
Texas

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo criticizes removal of iconic Montrose rainbow crosswalks

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued a statement Monday condemning the overnight removal of the rainbow crosswalk in Montrose, calling it a crackdown on “beloved community art” and questioning the decision-making process behind its removal. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkWM-tkzjRG_oUyg1gfwSX2JHBzk1ACxQ “The state’s crackdown on beloved community art shows that they are willing to go further and further in limiting free speech and free expression,” Judge Hidalgo said. She emphasized that the rainbow crosswalk was originally painted as a memorial and did not symbolize harm or discrimination toward any group. Hidalgo also criticized METRO’s swift compliance with the state directive, noting the agency was given 30 days to act and could have pursued o...
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Several detained overnight during protests against removal of iconic Montrose rainbow crosswalks
20Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
Houston, Texas

Several detained overnight during protests against removal of iconic Montrose rainbow crosswalks

HOUSTON, TX – Crews removed the iconic rainbow crosswalks in Montrose overnight under orders tied to a directive from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, prompting protests and several detentions. https://youtu.be/kU09U0uzs2o Protesters began gathering before 2 a.m. in anticipation of the removal. As construction crews arrived, the group marched around the crosswalk and eventually positioned themselves within it. Several individuals were detained after HPD provided verbal warnings, and crews were then allowed to begin their work. https://youtu.be/VD_SqE3DyDA Some residents at the scene voiced deep frustration over the removal, describing the crosswalk as a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride, visibility, and inclusion. They also said the crosswalk served as a critical pedestrian safety measure,...
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Driver not wearing seatbelt ejected and killed in rollover crash on Airport Boulevard
20Oct By Houston StringerNo Comments
Houston

Driver not wearing seatbelt ejected and killed in rollover crash on Airport Boulevard

HOUSTON, TX – A man was ejected and killed in a single-vehicle rollover crash early Sunday morning in the 4000 block of Airport Boulevard, just west of Cullen in southeast Houston. https://youtu.be/QNagG4JJI6E According to the Houston Police Department's Vehicular Crimes Division, a red Ford pickup truck was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control. The vehicle spun sideways across the median, struck a concrete manhole, and flipped side-over-side two times before coming to rest against a guardrail on the opposite side of the road. The driver, described only as an adult Hispanic male, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected during the rollover. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by responding Houston Fire Department personnel. “I do beli...
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