NTTA Suing Toll Violators

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The North Texas Tollway Authority is filing lawsuits against drivers with unpaid toll bills.

As of the end of February, attorneys have filed approximately 75 lawsuits against violators who owe unpaid tolls and fines, the agency said.

The NTTA said it was in the beginning stages and expects to the number of lawsuits to "significantly" increase.

"The decision to file is based on whether filing a lawsuit is in the NTTA's best financial interest," the agency said in a statement.

Many drivers aren't happy that the NTTA is taking people to court.

"Maybe it would be justified if they were on the ball, getting their bills on time," said Eric Domuret of Houston. "The fact that they are taking people to court when they can't stay on the ball upsets me. Probably makes things easier for them; taking us to court seems backhanded to me."

Domuret said he's gotten a second late notice on more than one occasion after never receiving a first bill.

"It's ridiculous," he said.

The move is the agency's latest effort to collect unpaid tolls.

Last year, the NTTA began posting a list of its top toll violators. Since the list's inception in July, the agency has collected $2.8 million from 12,808 people who paid in full or made payment agreements.

As of March 1, the list contains nearly 25,000 names. It can be found on the NTTA's website.

According to the list of top 100 toll violators, the top 100 collectively owe millions in unpaid fines and fees. As of March 1, each person on the list owes more than $78,000.

The top 100 toll violators list names Melissa S. Martinez, of Sachse, as the top violator with $153,000 in unpaid tolls and fees.

The NTTA referred 6,000 randomly chosen offenders from the top toll violators list to six different law firms last fall.

"Firms have been contacting and, in some cases, negotiating with people assigned to them," the NTTA said in a statement.

In a list of the referred names on its website, the NTTA said that all of the violators had accumulated more than 100 unpaid tolls, received more than 16 invoices and had cycled through more than 180 days of requests for payment.

The list of drivers that were referred to attorneys can be found on the NTTA's website.

The agency is encouraging those contacted by law firms to work out a settlement.

Everyone on the list should contact the NTTA to resolve their outstanding tolls, the agency said.

Toll violators are also subject to criminal citations, the NTTA said.

The NTTA said it is currently asking the state Legislature to block the vehicle registration for an owner who has a significant amount of outstanding tolls.

NBC 5's Ray Villeda contributed to this report.

More: Top Toll Violators Referred to Law Firms

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Bees Are Buzzing Problem for Saginaw Family

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A Saginaw couple says aggressive Africanized bees are holding them hostage.

For the last five years, the bees have been swarming their backyard, Annie and Larry Antwine said.

"We can't live like this," Annie Antwine said. "It's like there's no freedom."

On a number of occasions, the bees have forced away contract workers there to do work on electrical equipment in the yard.

Aaron Garcia, a bee expert with Bee Charmer, told NBC 5 that Africanized bees are extremely territorial and very aggressive.

"If you're walking past an Africanized beehive, they're just going to hit you, sting you as hard as they can," said Garcia, who was working in the backyard of a Keller family that has had a bee problem for seven years.

Large Beehive Relocated From Denton Home

A beekeeper carefully removed on Thursday a massive beehive that had formed in the eaves of a home in Denton.

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The Antwines said they initially tried fixes such as setting fire to the bees and pouring Pine Sol on them, but none of their efforts were effective. Three years ago, the couple hired a beekeeper to help get rid of their unwanted guests, but even that didn't solve the problem.

Garcia suggests calling an expert if you have a problem with bees, saying the so-called "quick fix" home remedies are ineffective and often dangerous.

"The bees you see are just a fraction of what's on the inside -- thousands and thousands of bees," he said.

The Antwines said their bees are centered around the shed in the corner of their backyard and seem to come up from under it. They want to burn down the shed, but city ordinances do not allow it.

On Thursday, beekeepers relocated a colony of Africanized bees from a Denton home to private land out in the country. The large beehive had formed in the eaves of the Peggy Norton's home, even protruding into the attic.

"Right now is swarming season," Garcia said. "We're seeing a lot of swarming calls right now -- we've had 20 just today."

If you're unable to afford a professional, the best thing to do is simply leave the bees alone, Garcia said. He also suggests wearing light-colored clothes. Bees have a difficult time seeing lighter colors, which is why you regularly see beekeepers wearing white.

If an Africanized bee or any other of bee stings you, scrape the stinger with your fingernail rather than trying to pinch it out, Garcia said. Pinching makes it much worse, he said.

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NYPD Braces for Possible Easter Sunday Gang Violence

Police are stepping up security near Times Square on Easter Sunday after the eruption of violence in recent years.

NYPD Beefing Up Patrols Near Times Square

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The NYPD is again planning to beef up patrols in Times Square and Midtown the night of Easter Sunday, a day that in recent years has seen violence as part of a yearly gang initation ritual following the Javits Center car show.

Police say the Easter Day "wilding" started years ago but became especially violent in 2010, when hundreds of gang members attended the annual auto show at the Javits Center, then conducted gang initiations in Times Square. 

Two women were shot during the sprawling brawl, two other people were wounded and several police officers injured. More than 50 people were arrested. 

Since then, police have beefed up Easter patrols and monitored activity at the car show. The Daily News reports the NYPD is also monitoring social media to look for gang members who may be planning a "mobbing" through Times Square. 

There have not been any gang incidents on Easter since 2010, and the NYPD is looking to keep it that way. 

"For me, it's a religious holiday and it should be respected," said Michael Hoard in Times Square Friday night. 

The police "are here to protect us, that's the bottom line," said Al Centrella of Hempstead, who was in the area with his wife to see a show.

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Peace Officers Assoc. Pulls $50,000 From Christopher Dorner Reward

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The Peace Officers Research Association of California became the second entity to reject paying its share of the reward pot issued during the manhunt for a murderous ex-police officer, union president Ron Cottingham said Friday.

The 64,000-member union joins the city of Riverside in California, which on Monday pulled its $100,000 from the $1.2 million reward saying conditions were not met. Payout of the reward was contingent on Christopher Dorner's arrest and conviction, a spokeswoman for the city told NBC4.

The Peace Officers Research Association had previously offered $50,000 to the reward.

After killing two law enforcement agents and a newly engaged couple in a revenge-fueled shooting spree, Dorner died in an apparent suicide on Feb. 12 during a standoff with authorities and cabin burning near Big Bear.

With little debate or discussion, the Riverside City Council voted unanimously to post the reward during the frenzied manhunt, even after it was told the fugitive's demise was likely to be announced soon.

Riverside city leaders defended their decision to vote after Dorner didn't emerge from the burning cabin following a gunfight with law enforcement.

There were conflicting reports the night of the vote about whether Dorner's body had been found, said Councilman Mike Gardner.

"There was never an intent to authorize a reward knowing it wouldn't be paid," Gardner said.

After Riverside pulled its slice of the reward, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief Charlie Beck said they want to the see the reward paid.

Cobbled together quickly as the manhunt for Dorner went cold on a snowy mountain where the ex-officer abandoned his truck, the reward was hastily announced over a weekend by multiple police chiefs and mayors.

It was never formally put in writing and was offered before public boards were able to authorize the money or set conditions for payment. Officials are expected to announce the payout by mid-April.

A lawyer for the couple who called police after Dorner tied them up in their Big Bear Lake condominium and fled in their car shortly before his death accused Riverside of reneging on an offer that was never genuinely made.

"The mayor knew full well that he wasn't going to be convicted when he authorized the resolution," attorney Kirk Hallam said.

"It is completely disingenuous for him to stand up there now and say, 'Oh we weren't legally authorized to issue this.' Really? That's not what you said when you offered the ordinance to the City Council after the facts were already known."

Hallam, who represents Karen and Jim Reynolds, said his clients deserve the money because they put police on Dorner's trail. Despite being bound and gagged, and told not to alert police, Karen Reynolds managed to call 911 to report that Dorner had fled in their purple SUV.

During the ensuing pursuit, Dorner crashed their SUV and carjacked a pickup truck from Rick Heltebrake, who also called authorities. He, too, filed a claim for the reward.

Hallam said Riverside should consider reviewing a state law that provides for the governor to pay rewards in police officers' killings even if the arrest or conviction is "rendered impossible by an intervening event, including but not limited to, the death of the person during a pursuit by law enforcement."

Frank Zimring, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said the city of Riverside can legally not pay the reward, but it could hurt the city in the future.

"The problem is going to come the next time Riverside wants to get the public's attention by offering a reward, because the issue is really the community's long-term credibility," Zimring said.

While the city of Riverside has pulled its reward, the county specifically changed its reward language to assure it wasn't only symbolic.

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors met the day after Dorner's death to authorize its $100,000 contribution. After some debate, the board voted unanimously to approve the amount and to change the language from "arrest and conviction" to "apprehension."

"The bottom line is if these individuals were helpful to get law enforcement to put this issue to an end ... then it should be offered," Supervisor John Tavaglione said during the meeting.

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The Boomstick Has Company at the Ballpark

[DFW] Rangers Ballpark Unveils...

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The two-foot long hot dog known as the Boomstick has some new teammates on the menu at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

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Fan Food Challenge: The Boomstick

NBC 5's Matt Barrie challenges a Texas Rangers fan Tim to eat an entire loaded Boomstick, the ballpark's new 2 lbs. hot dog, in 15 minutes.

The Boomstick Challege Begins at Rangers Ballpark

NBC 5 reporter Amanda Guerra and Arlington based reporter Mola Lenghi vow to eat the Boomstick hot dog in about 2 hours.

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In the last three years the Texas Rangers have made more than $35 million in improvements to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

As grand as the changes to center field may be, some may argue the most popular change was last year's addition of The Boomstick, a two-foot long hot dog that became an instantly legendary.

Well, now The Boomstick has some teammates, and they can all be found at Club Texas-Sized 24, a concession stand catering to oversized portions.

"We felt like we could build on that success and feature items that were 24 inches long or 24 ounces," said Shawn Maddox, the general manager for the company that provides food to the ballpark.

Yes, apparently peanuts and Cracker Jacks just aren't going to do for the modern baseball fan.

There's the Murphadilla, which is a two-foot-long quesadilla named for outfielder David Murphy. And there's the Rossome Nacho, which is a Boomstick topped with totally Rossome nacho ingredients. It's named for pitcher Robbie Ross.

There's also a two-foot long pretzel and the Beltre Buster, which Maddox called "a large gourmet hamburger."

Large really doesn't do it justice -- it's enormous.

Just keep in mind, you don't have to eat it all by yourself.

"We like to see fans sharing these items, sharing the experience," Maddox said.

But when he was pressed for a calorie count just in case, he said with a laugh, "We don't count calories."

Heading to the home opener on April 5? Here is what you need to know about tailgating in 2013. Send us your Opening Day pictures by emailing them to iSee@nbcdfw.com.

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Arlington PD Ready to Start Flying Small Helicopters

Mola Lenghi, NBC 5 Arlington Reporter

The Arlington Police Department demonstrated its unmanned aircraft Thursday. The FAA-approved Leptron Avenger is more helicopter than drone.

Arlington Police Demonstrate...

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The Arlington Police Department's unmanned aircraft program is taking off.

The Leptron Avenger is a 58 inches long, 11 pound, aluminum and carbon fiber, battery-powered, GPS-equipped, video and still image camera aircraft. And it takes a team to fly it.

"The minimum we can operate the aircraft with is three people. It is our preference to operate with four people," said Brook Rollins, APD's unmanned aircraft mission commander.

The team includes a pilot, a safety pilot who observes the pilot, a camera operator and a ground station operator who can also control the small helicopter from a different set of controls.

"The pilot has to be able to see the equipment at the exact time he's flying the equipment," said Sgt. Christopher Cook.

But before flying, there will be times when a search warrant is required. The same laws that apply to manned aircraft apply to these.

Sgt. Cook stressed that it's more helicopter than drone.

"They will only be flown usually for less than an hour just based upon the batter limitations, they'll never carry weapons, they won't be used of general surveillance of our citizens," he said, adding that they will be for limited and specialized situations not routine police operations.

"[The aircraft] are not going to be in the trunks of police cars going down the road," said Sgt. Cook.

FAA regulations limit the aircraft from exceeding 400 feet in the air or from flying over crowds of people like at a stadium event.

Police say they will be used when searching for a missing person or capturing images of fatal traffic accidents to allow scenes to be cleared much quicker or for storm and fire damage assessment.

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Dallas Police Set to Tackle Apt. Complex Crime

Ken Kalthoff, NBC 5 News

Dallas police are implementing a new crime prevention program aimed at troubled apartment complexes.

Dallas Police Crack Down on Apt. Crime

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Dallas police are implementing a new crime prevention program aimed at troubled apartment complexes.

The 10/70/20 program is aimed at reducing crime in certain areas. Its name   developed from police considering that 10 percent of residents refuse to tolerate crime, 70 percent tolerate crime and do nothing, while 20 percent are responsible for the crime.

On Saturday, 40 officers from the North Central substation will launch the program at The Village on Timberglen Apartment Homes located on the 3000 block of Timberglen Road.  

Police records show officers have responded to the complex 39 times in the past year for crimes ranging from robbery, burglary and assault to theft and vandalism.

The officers plan to go door-to-door, recruiting tenants who may be in the 70 percent group to join the fight against crime and report problems in their neighborhood.

Some residents said they are pleased with the plan.

"I think it's good, I really do," resident Thedrick Oglesby said. "People work too hard for their stuff to be broken into."

Residents said people are reluctant to report problems for fear criminals will retaliate.

"That's how really they do get away with it," said resident Demetrius Mills.

Resident Sondra Tywater said she has lived in the complex for 10 years and crime has increased in that time.

"If the people know the police are present, I think they'll be more supportive," Tywater said. "But if it's going to be a one time visit, it's not going to go very far because we've done this before."

Apartment management and police officials say they want to build a better long-term relationship with residents to reduce crime.

Three complexes will be included in the first stage of 10/70/20 with more to be added, police officials said.

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Family Survives High-Speed Crash Caused by Hogs

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A North Texas family wants everyone to know about the real dangers of driving along one of Texas' newest toll roads — and it has nothing to do with the 85-mph speed limit.

Jackie Anderson, of Mount Vernon, says her family was driving on Texas Highway 130 near Austin at about midnight last Friday when they hit 25 to 30 feral hogs crossing the highway.

"All of a sudden, it seems like I was 100 feet when I noticed them — a pack of wild feral hogs," said her husband, David Anderson.

Their SUV rolled 10 times.

"We must have rolled and flipped for 300 feet before the car landed on [the] driver's side," David Anderson said.

Family Survives Crash With Feral Hogs

Jackie Anderson's family was involved in a rollover crash on Texas Highway 130 after crashing into 25 to 30 feral hogs.

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The family, including their 5-week-old granddaughter survived the crash, but one of the family's dogs died. Another was lost but found four days later with a broken leg.

Jackie Anderson, who was in the front passenger seat, said she remembers thinking she wouldn't live through the crash. She sustained serious injuries — a concussion, seat belt burn and soft-tissue injuries all over her body.

Jackie Anderson said she wants Texas drivers to know about the very real feral-hog problem and questions why the state hasn't done more to warn drivers of the danger or try to keep them from entering the roadway.

The Andersons said they only saw one sign on the road, near Lockhart. More lighting and signage could have helped, they said.

"Knowing that I could have seen one light bar that said, 'Careful, feral hogs,' I would've taken a different route," Jackie Anderson said. "It just makes me sick."

There have been several reports of drivers hitting hogs and deer on the Texas toll road, which has the nation's fastest speed limit, since it opened in October.

The Lockhart Police Department released video in October that showed a pack of feral hogs roaming near the highway. 

NBC 5 DFW reported on the danger when the hogs cross the road at night and a program that pays hunters to kill feral hogs.

In October, SH 130 Concession Co., the private company that runs the 41-mile portion of Texas Highway 130, said it would put up temporary electronic message boards warning of wildlife in the area until permanent signs could be installed.

The Texas Department of Transportation said the safety of drivers is its top priority.

"Wildlife roadway crossings are a global problem. But we have already taken some measures to protect drivers on this highway. We currently have 'Wildlife Crossing' signs posted along the ROW of this highway," agency spokeswoman Veronica Beyer said in a statement Thursday. " We continue to work with the Concession company to identify what additional measures may be appropriate to improve driver safety. It's also important that drivers pay close attention and focus 100 percent of their attention on driving."

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Extended Warranty: Waste of Money or Peace of Mind?

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While millions of consumers purchase extended warranties for peace of mind, some experts advise shoppers to think twice before buying them.

Extended warranties were introduced in the late 1980's and have been marketed to consumers ever since. While manufacturer's warranties for many products typically cover the first year, extended warranties usually cover two or three years.

"Through our analysis of hundreds of thousands of responses to our Annual Questionnaire, we have determined that a repair during that limited time frame is unlikely," said Mark Kotkin, Director of Survey Research at the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

Kotkin also said the cost of the repair is generally not much more than the cost of the warranty and expensive repairs for recent purchases are "exceedingly rare."

Still, consumers look at these service contracts as insurance policies.

Richardson resident Betty Pratt said she has bought an extended warranty for every appliance in her home, from the refrigerator to the dishwasher.

She said she'd never thought twice about the protection these service contracts offer until she called to get her stainless-steel GE Profile dishwasher serviced.

"It isn't heating as well as I would like it.  Even with the extended heating on there, it isn't as hot as it should be," said Pratt.

She said she bought the appliance three years ago for more than $1,500 from The Great Indoors, a Sears-owned store that, until 2012, had a location in North Dallas that is now closed.  She said she picked that model because to her it seems easy to use.

"It's very simple. It washes china and crystal, pots and pans, a normal cycle, extra heat, delayed time and that's it," Pratt said.

At the same time she spent an extra $299.99 for a five-year extended warranty offered by Sears, buying into the sales person's pitch.

"It was the manufacturer warranty isn't very extensive," Pratt said the salesman told her. "We offer a warranty that will add to that; cover you for three to five years.  It will cover everything."

But when she called Sears to make good on the contract and service the dishwasher, she was told by a customer service representative her appliance was "too high end" and Sears' technicians were not trained to service it. 

After spending hours on the phone and writing emails, the Sears Corporate Office left her the following two options: Find her own technician, provided that Sears may or may not pay for, or accept a refund for a prorated portion of what's left on her warranty.  She said these options are not what she bought into when she purchased the warranty. 

That's when Pratt called NBC 5 Investigates Consumer Unit.  We contacted Sears.

"Sears services most brands, but there are products on which we sell warranties that Sears employees do not service. However, in those cases we contract with providers who are trained, and who go through a rigorous authorization process," explained Larry Costello, Sears Holdings Public Relations Director, via email.

"Regarding customer Pratt's situation with her GE Profile dishwasher, we're confident this was a very isolated incident, caused in part by a technical glitch in our routing software and in part by associate error which prevented us from locating a provider who could service their product," Costello said.

Question of Price

"It comes down to a question of price.  If the five-year extended warranty were free, I dare say even Consumer Reports would find it valuable.  If it were twice the price of the washing machine, nobody would find it to be valuable," said Eric Arnum the editor of Warranty Week, an online newsletter and web site for warranty professionals.

"The goal should be to balance the risk and the reward properly so that it is a value to the consumer, and is financially viable to the seller and to the insurance company that backs it.  I think there is a price where that can be achieved," Arnum said.

The Service Contract Industry Council, a trade association representing the extended warranty industry, said service contracts can help consumers save money because the cost of repairs can be greater than the cost of the extended warranty. 

However, it tells consumers to avoid purchasing a contract if they feel overly pressured by sales personnel.  And for consumers who opt in, the association recommends that consumers read the provisions carefully.  Keep paperwork, and use the contract for even small covered repairs to maximize its value.

In Texas, consumers have what's called a free-look period of 30 days.  If you buy a service contract, you have 30 days to change your mind and get a full refund for the price of the contract, unless you have made a claim on that contract. 

Days after NBC 5 called Sears, the company scheduled a local technician to service Pratt's dishwasher and even offered her a brand new one.  But Pratt said Sears is missing the mark.

"I want Sears to change this policy for people.  You're saying you can fix it. Then you'd better hire the people and train them to service what you are selling.  You're selling a warranty; stand behind that warranty.  Do what you say you can do," she said.

That, according to Pratt, means standing behind the warranties it sells. 

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Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Stroller Recalled

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Bugaboo Americas is issuing a recall for their Cameleon 3 strollers sold nationwide from Sept. 2012 through March of 2013.

More than 16 reports of handles breaking or detaching have been filed. When the handle is removed, it poses a fall hazard for infants and toddlers.

No injuries have been reported.

About 9,200 strollers are being recalled in the United States and 960 in Canada.

For a free replacement handle, contact Bugaboo at 800-460-2922.

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Amber Alert Canceled, Teen Found Safe

Ray Villeda, NBC 5 News

Investigators believe 16-year-old Aron Jones was taken by 24-year-old Tarvarus Stuckey.

Amber Alert: Teen May Be in "Imminent...

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Amber Alert Issued for 16-Year-Old

Dallas police issued an Amber Alert for 16-year-old Aron Jones (left) they believe he was kidnapped by 24-year-old Tavarus Stuckey (right). Police say he's being held against his will.

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An Amber Alert has been canceled for a 16-year-old boy police feared was in imminent danger overnight.

Aron Lavon Jones was last seen at about 5 p.m. Tuesday walking away from his home along the 7900 block of Lost Mirage Drive. Jones was with two other males at the time.

Mitchell Warren with the Dallas Police Department sent the following statement on the end of the Amber Alert:

"Aron Lavon Jones returned home earlier this morning uninjured. He is currently on his way to police headquarters to be interviewed by detectives. There were no arrest made thus far. The Amber Alert has been cancelled."

Police said they had reason to believe Jones was a kidnapping victim and was in imminent danger overnight, though they didn't disclose what led them to that conclusion.

Jones is black and stands about 5 feet 7 inches tall.  He weighs approximately 160 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.  He was last seen wearing khaki pants, a black Polo shirt and blue and white sneakers.

Investigators believe Jones was taken by 24-year-old Tarvarus Stuckey (pictured below). They may have been traveling in a 2005 gold Land Rover with Texas license plate DN2B787.

 Photo provided by DPD

Stuckey does have a criminal record that includes aggravated robbery.

NBC 5's Frank Heinz contributed to an earlier version of this report.

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State Fair of Texas Fires Bill Brag, Voice of Big Tex

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Big Tex, the towering statue and an iconic symbol of the State Fair of Texas, is getting a new voice.

The State Fair of Texas said that it decided Tuesday to not renew the contract of Bill Bragg, who has been the voice of the of the cowboy figure for 11 years.

"I'm not bitter but, boy, am I brokenhearted," Bragg said.

Bragg says there there had been signs of trouble in the past, but nothing that would have led to this. The primary concern had been over his title, Bragg said.

Fair spokeswoman Sue Gooding said the State Fair intended to bring Bragg back at the end of last year's fair. She declined to discuss the reasons why the contract was not renewed.

Bragg said the end was spelled out long ago.

"You know, today ain't Christmas, but Santa Claus is still around up at the North Pole, and it seems that did not apply at the State Fair," he said.

Bragg said he believes that his decision to do interviews about the electrical fire that destroyed Big Tex in the fall may have been the final straw.

"And everybody lost in this situation," he said. "I lost; the State Fair lost. And the biggest loss is to the people who come to the State Fair, especially the children. For 11 years, they've been used to one voice, and I was prepared to do it until I couldn't do it any long. But, apparently that's not the case."

Big Tex will not switch to prerecorded greetings, Gooding said.

The voicing contract is for a paid position for the 24 days of the fair, Gooding said. A new voice has not yet been selected, she said.

The voice won't be the only change coming for Big Tex after the the official fair greeter burned down last fall. The redesigned version will stand 55 feet tall, three feet taller than the original.

NBC 5's Ben Russell contributed to this report.

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Docs Could Reveal New Insights into Newtown Killer's Rampage

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A long-awaited set of court documents to be released Wednesday morning will reveal what authorities found when they searched the home and car of Adam Lanza, the gunman who killed 20 children and six adults in a December 2012 rampage in a Newtown, Conn., elementary school.

The applications, affidavits and returns related to the search warrants have been sealed under court order since the investigation began. Their contents could help lift some of the mystery surrounding Lanza and what drove him to carry out the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.

State police and local officials privately briefed the Newtown families at the Newtown Municipal Center Wednesday night on how to handle the release of the documents.

"I think it reopens...it causes them to revisit the pain they felt three months ago," said Newtown Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson. "It's really too bad when we go on this path of healing to have these things that come back to us and remind us and take us back to the events again. It's hard."

Before leaving for Sandy Hook Elementary School on the morning of Dec. 14, Lanza, 20, killed his mother at the Yoganada Street home they shared. Later, as cops closed in on him at Sandy Hook, Lanza killed himself. Investigators have offered no insight into his motivation. A comprehensive State Police investigative report isn't expected to be completed until June.

Authorities have said that Lanza opened fire on his schoolhouse victims with a .223 caliber Bushmaster rifle outfitted with a 30-round clip. He was also armed with two pistols, a 10mm Glock and a 9mm Sig Sauer, one of which he used on himself.

After the shooting, investigators found Lanza's car, a black 2010 four-door Honda Civic sedan, in the Sandy Hook Elementary School parking lot. Inside, they found a 12-gauge Izhmash Canta shotgun.

All four guns were legally owned by Lanza's 52-year-old mother, Nancy, authorities have said.

The search warrant documents are scheduled to be released at 9:01 a.m. Wednesday. Prosecutors are expected to supplement the release with a statement that could offer more context.

A law enforcement official told NBC News last month that Lanza had collected materials on previous  shootings.

Last week, the New York Daily News, citing an unnamed source, reported that Connecticut State Police Col. Daniel Stebbins revealed at a law enforcement conference in New Orleans that Lanza had gone to great lengths in planning the attack, including research on past massacres. Among the evidence, the report said, was a giant spreadsheet listing the body counts of past mass murders.

Connecticut Police Lt. Paul Vance has in the past dismissed reports that Lanza had felt himself in competition with other mass murderers as "mere speculation."

The leaks upset victims' families, as well as state lawmakers, who've been waiting for details so they can complete negotiations on a wide-ranging gun-control bill.

The judge overseeing the case granted a prosecutor's request to redact certain details in the documents, including a witness' name, a telephone number and a credit card number.

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AA Merger Focus of Bankruptcy Hearing

Scott Gordon, NBC 5 News

The proposed merger between American Airlines and US Airways is set to cross a major hurdle on Wednesday when a bankruptcy judge holds a hearing on the plan, which would create the world's largest airline.

AA Merger Focus of Bankruptcy Hearing

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The proposed merger between American Airlines and US Airways is set to cross a major hurdle on Wednesday when a bankruptcy judge holds a hearing on the plan, which would create the world's largest airline.

Judge Sean Lane will also hear a request from American Airlines to extend the deadline to present a final business plan before emerging from bankruptcy as a profitable company.

American now wants until May 29 to submit its exit proposal, which would put the airline on track to exit bankruptcy in late summer. The new airline would be based in Fort Worth.

One matter that likely will come up at Wednesday's hearing is American CEO Tom Horton's $20 million severance package.

The U.S. trustee, which represents the interests of taxpayers, objects to the payment, arguing it's too much under bankruptcy rules.

American Airlines has said the payment is in line with severances given to outgoing executives in other bankruptcies and that the money will come from the new airline -- after the bankruptcy proceedings are over.

The hearing begins at 9 a.m. Texas time.

Follow Scott Gordon's tweets on the hearing: @ScottGordonNBC5

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Police Identify Chase Suspect

A sexual assault suspect is dead after a police pursuit Tuesday night that started in Balch Springs.

Police Pursuit Ends on I-30, Suspect Dead

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A sexual assault suspect is dead after a police pursuit that started in Balch Springs. 

The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office identified the suspect in Tuesday night's dramatic, high-speed chase as 26-year-old Noah Timmons.

The pursuit started at about 8:30 p.m. near a house on Rodney Lane in Balch Springs when officers say they were trying to arrest Timmons for alleged sexual assault to a child.

Police say when they attempted to serve the warrants the suspect fired shots at officers and took off along Interstate 635.

The suspect was seen in Chopper 5 video in a white truck carrying a trailer.

Multiple departments assisted in the pursuit including Balch Springs PD, Dallas PD, Garland PD and Mesquite PD.

The truck finally stopped after a nearly 2 hour chase when it hit a guardrail along I-30 near Rockwall, sending a shower of sparks and debris onto the roadway.

Authorities say the suspect shot himself. The Dallas County Medical Examiner did not immediately confirm the cause of death and said an autopsy is still pending.

No officers were injured during the pursuit.

Court documents show that Timmons was on probation for aggravated robbery from a 2010 case. Garland Police said Timmons stole a woman's purse at an apartment complex parking lot, and then fired a shot at her head.

Balch Springs Police will have a press conference at 9am to provide new information about this incident.

NBC 5's Jeff Smith contributed to this report.

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Last Human Toll for the Golden Gate Bridge

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As the end of her afternoon shift collecting tolls on the Golden Gate Bridge ended, Dawnette Reed felt the tears begin to come.

She stepped out of her booth at lane three and made the walk back to the office for the last time. After 18 years collecting tolls at the bridge, her job was done.

"I always say I know customers from the car seat to the driver's seat," Reed said of her regular customers.

With the bridge switching to fully electronic toll collecting early Wednesday morning, the humans no longer had a place on the bridge for the first time in its more than 75 year history.

The Bridge District offered the toll takers other jobs, but Reed wasn't interested in any of them. Driving a bus? Not for her.

"I'm going to miss the customers," Reed said.

The drivers knew it was the toll takers last day. Some gave Reed flowers, cards - someone she'd never met gave her a bag of cookies.

She'd gotten to know her customers, even in the brief time it took hand over the six dollar fare. They'd invited her to birthday parties and weddings.

Sometimes she saw strange things collecting tolls. "We've had naked people come through with painted on bikinis," she laughed. "Sometimes we get naked people without paint on them."

Toll collector Jacquie Dean had eighteen years on the job herself. She was angry she was being replaced by electronic gizmos and cameras that would soon photograph license plates and send drivers a bill for the toll.

Those things couldn't give directions to lost drivers, or watch out for trouble on the bridge. "We're not obsolete, they chose to do this to us," Dean said. "They chose to have us here. They could've kept a couple lanes open."

The Bridge District said it would save $16 million over the next few years by replacing the toll workers.

It was only a matter of time before humans weren't needed. "For the economic health of our organization I think it makes sense," said Kary Witt, manager of the Golden Gate Bridge. "Obviously the savings of doing this automatically, electronically as opposed to employing people, it's not avoidable."

Still, as some of the workers finished their last shifts on Tuesday and walked toward the office, some in tears clutching bouquets,

Witt seemed to be choking back his own tears.

"We do lose a bit of the human touch," Witt said. "I think that's one of the things, you know, is a bit ironic."

Dean said the severance package offered to employees was disappointing. She wasn't sure what she would do next. But knew there would be another job somewhere.

She said she'd miss her co-workers the most.

"We've all gone through it together," she said, choking back sobs. "And I can say through all those tragedies in my life, this has been my normal, this is what kept me grounded."

When the big clock on the Golden Gate Bridge will reach 12:01 a.m. Wednesday morning, the last shift of toll collectors would grab their trays of cash, and step gingerly across the lanes, back to the office one last time. They would turn in their cash, change into civilian clothes and drive away one last time. The gizmos had everything covered.

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Former Trooper Indicted in Roadside Cavity Search

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The female Texas trooper who performed a roadside cavity search on two Irving women has been indicted by a Dallas County grand jury.

The two women from Irving are suing Trooper David Farrell, Trooper Kelley Helleson and the director of the Department of Public Safety for what they call an unconstitutional search without probable cause.

The Department of Public Safety terminated Trooper Kelly Helleson. Dallas County District Attorney spokeswoman Debbie Denmon confirmed on Monday that a grand jury indicted Helleson on two counts of sexual assault and two counts of official oppression.

NBC 5 contacted Helleson's attorney for comment. "The charged against my client are untrue," said Bob Baskett. Helleson is currently appealing her DPS termination.

Denmon said Farrell was indicted on a theft charge. The DPS put Farrell on paid suspension after the incident.

July Incident Makes National Headlines

On July 13, while driving along State Highway 161, Angel Dobbs and her niece Ashley Dobbs were stopped for littering by Farrell. In the dashcam video released by the women and their attorney, Farrell can be heard telling the women they would both be cited for littering for throwing cigarette butts out of the car.

Farrell then returned to his cruiser and, in the video, can be heard calling female Trooper Helleson to the scene to search both women whom he said were acting weird.

While waiting for Helleson to arrive, Farrell asked Angel Dobbs to step out of the vehicle and began questioning her about marijuana use. In the video, the trooper is heard telling Dobbs he smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle while asking her several times how much pot was in the car.

After Helleson arrived, she can be seen in the dashcam video putting on blue latex gloves to conduct a search of both women. According to the lawsuit, when Angel Dobbs asked about the gloves, Helleson "told her not to worry about that."

In the lawsuit, Dobbs said the trooper conducted the cavity search on the roadside, illuminated by the police car's headlights, in full view of any passing motorists.

"This has been an eye-opening experience for me. I've never been pulled over, never searched like this. I was totally violated over there a few minutes ago... this is so embarrassing to me," Angel Dobbs said on the video.

"I've never been so humiliated or so violated or felt so molested in my entire life," Angel Dobbs told NBC 5.

Dobbs said she never gave consent for the trooper to "frisk, pat-down, search or otherwise touch her" and that she never gave consent for Farrell to search her vehicle -- which he can be seen doing in the dashcam video while the cavity search was under way.

Dobbs said she was powerless to stop it. "What are you going to say? What's going to happen to you if you challenge that authority?" she said.

With the cavity search concluded, Farrell then asked Dobbs about prescription medications found in the car.  Dobbs said they were for her thyroid and for migraines. According to the lawsuit, Dobbs also suffers from a medical condition that was irritated by the search.

Meanwhile, Helleson can then be seen performing the same cavity search on Dobbs' niece, Ashley.

"It's because somebody is a daily smoker in that car. OK, you can attribute it to that," Farrell can be heard saying on the recording.

The lawsuit further alleges that Helleson performed searches on both women, touching both their anus and vaginas, without changing the latex gloves between searches.

"I don't think anybody needs to have to feel, or go through what we went through," Ashley Dobbs said. "It crosses my mind every day. It's humiliating," she said.

After searching the entire car and finding no narcotics, Farrell then administered a DWI test that Dobbs passed, the lawsuit said. The women were then issued warnings for littering and released at the scene.

The lawsuit goes on to say that a bottle of prescribed hydrocodone was missing from Dobbs' car and purse after the search. The women returned to the scene of the traffic stop the next day to search for the medication, but it was nowhere to be found.

Their lawyers say the search was illegal and a complaint about it was filed in August but that DPS Texas Rangers who investigated the incident took no action.

"This is outside the constitutional grounds by a mile. It's not even close," attorney Scott Palmer said. "This has to stop. These two need to be stopped. There's no telling how many other people they've done this to and we hope that others come forward."

Attorney Charles Soechting Jr. said his father was a DPS trooper and he has great respect for the agency. "But in this instance they have completely failed the citizens of Texas," Soechting said.

Soechting said a records request to DPS produced no policy that allows for cavity  search of any suspect in public.

"What we're dealing with is a Class C misdemeanor. It does not justify any type of pat-down, let alone an invasive search of cavities of women,"" he said.

DPS has not commented on the case.

The women are requesting a trial by jury and are asking for unspecified, compensatory and exemplary damages and interest as well as recovery of attorney's fees and court costs.

NBC 5's Frank Heinz and Ken Kalthoff contributed to this article.

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Dallas Police Chief Faces Rising Crime Rate

NBC 5

Dallas Police Chief David Brown warned the council members that reducing crime for a 10th straight year would not be easy.

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Dallas Police Chief David Brown is facing a problem that has not confronted him in recent years -- a rising crime rate.

For the past nine years, one way or another, Dallas police have almost always posted lower crime figures after the city added hundreds of additional officers to the force.

As of March 20, Dallas police recorded an overall 1.4 percent increase in crime but a 5.9 percent increase in violent crime, led by a 57.9 percent increase in homicides, compared with the same time last year,

Brown told the Dallas City Council Public Safety Committee on Monday that the homicide rate in February 2012 was remarkably low and very hard to beat again.

Brown warned the council members that reducing crime for a 10th straight year would not be easy.

"There will be many ebbs and flows this year with crime," he said. "At the end of the year, I'm confident that we will have another reduction, but it will take officers doing -- as they have done in the past -- a very phenomenal job."

Dallas police have already formed special task forces of officers to fight domestic violence and focus on habitual criminals.

Brown said he is forming another task force to focus on drug houses.

Brown said drug-related homicides are a greater Dallas problem because of past success police have had in arresting drug dealers.

"It's an unintended consequence, but as you shut down mid-level and upper-level drug dealers, there's competition that's created at the street level, and that competition results in drug murders," he said.

The 50-officer unit is training now and should be working by early summer when drug dealers are busiest.

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3 Teens Charged in Arlington Truck Driver's Death

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Three 17-year-olds were charged Monday in the shooting death of a truck driver from Arlington who was delivering ingredients to a Papa John's restaurant in Oklahoma.

Robert Horton, 53, had worked for Papa John's as a truck driver for UPS for about eight years, his family said. UPS contracts with Papa John's.

Horton was delivering dough and other items to a restaurant in Tulsa on Saturday morning when police say he was shot twice in the chest.

"We just love my dad so much," said his daughter Angela Mansfield. "He was a good person, and he loved everybody."

The apparent motive was robbery, even though the suspects didn't get a penny, police said.

Damian Anderson, Jermaine Savory and Frankie Jackson, all 17, face first-degree murder charges. They are suspected of other recent robberies, police said.

Anderson's mother told NBC station KJRH-TV in Tulsa on Monday that her son, a high school junior, was arrested as he left for the bus stop Monday morning.

"I don't care what they say, my baby didn't do this," Lashon Anderson said.

Mansfield said she and her family have strong faith and hold no grudges against the young suspects.

"I just can't come to be angry," she said. "I am not angry."

But she said she does wonder why.

"I don't know what they were thinking, why they did it, what their motive was," she said. "I know that God allowed it to happen for whatever reason. But I will never understand that reason."

Horton served in the U.S. Army when he was younger, and his family said he worked hard to give them a good life.

"He is a good man, a very good man," Mansfield said. "I mean, there are no words that can describe my father. He was quirky. He was sweet-spirited."

Horton was married to his wife, Lisa, for 30 years and had two children and six grandchildren.

"I do miss him," his daughter said. "I just -- I want to see him so bad."

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AA, DFW Airport Terminal A Renovations Complete

Inside the newly renovated Terminal A at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

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After much ado and a very long wait, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and American Airlines are unveiling renovations to Terminal A and the attached Terminal A parking facility.

The renovations are a joint effort between both the airport and the Fort Worth-based airline and include improvements to not only the terminal, but the parking structure as well. 

The overall goal is to enhance the customer experience and includes updated facilities for parking, ticketing, security and concessions.

The terminal and parking improvements are key components of the Terminal Renewal and Improvement Program, which is a seven year, $2.3 billion program to renew DFW's four original terminals which were built in 1974 when the airport opened.

Eventually, all of the other terminals will get the same extreme makeover as Terminal A. 

The new parking structure includes new technologies to easily guide drivers to available spaces through the installation of lights above each parking spot that change from green to red to indicate whether the spot is available.

In the terminal, American Airlines is also unveiling its prototype for future airport terminals that incorporates the airline's fresh new look with technology designed to improve the traveling experience.

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Fort Worth to Vote on New Police Contract Tuesday

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The Fort Worth City Council will vote on a new police contract that will prevent cuts to the department Tuesday morning.

The new contract with the Fort Worth Police Officer's Association would last four years, through the 2016 fiscal year. It would cost Fort Worth $34.5 million.

Over the course of the contract, all police officers would get a 6 percent pay increase, in addition to any step raises the officer may receive.

There are more than 1,500 police officers in Fort Worth. More than 80 percent of them have voted in favor of the contract.

The discussion is expected to be heated, because city leaders will have to reconcile their desire to avoid police cuts with the fact that Fort Worth faces a $50 million budget shortfall next year.

The City Council will meet at 10 a.m. in downtown Fort Worth.
 

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Pilar Sanders Speaks Out

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About two weeks after losing a bitter custody battle in a Collin County courtroom, Pilar Sanders is speaking out – only to NBC 5.

"You have to understand, I was a stay at home mom, 24/7, that was my life," she said.

"The courts took that ability from my children…until I can get my babies back, how I've had them, 24/7, mama 100% and papa 100%, they've stolen that from me."

Sanders says it will be months before her divorce is finalized, adding that she and her legal team are seeking an annulment of the marriage.

Following the more than one-week-long trial, a jury awarded Deion Sanders the sole conservatorship of the couple's two sons. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders now share a joint conservatorship of their daughter, though Deion Sanders will determine where all three children make their primary residence.

Pilar Sanders says she will appeal the jury's decision.

"The whole process of going through this divorce and going through this court system has opened my eyes so much to a world I never even knew existed," she said.

"I'll have to say my trust in the legal system has greatly diminished."

Mrs. Sanders also refuted claims she says were made in and outside of the courtroom about her financial motives.

"I've been married to him for 15 years, with him for 18," she said.

"When did being a housewife and a mother turn into being a gold digger? What gold was there to dig? If a gold digger digs gold, do they hang around for more than a decade?"

"For him, it was exactly what he said it would be – it is all about the money for him."

Sanders added that she is exploring future professional options, considering opportunities in music and fitness.

She is also discussing a potential book deal.

"This is just the beginning," she said. You are going to see so much more of me."

"I am a survivor and for my children, I will remain that – I'm a fighter for my children."

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Lake Highlands Neighbors Demand Justice

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Neighbors are still on edge after a series of sexual assaults in the Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas, but police and residents say the attacker can be caught.

Neighbors in the Lake Highlands neighborhood of Dallas held five walks Sunday to march for justice.

Families prayed for arrests in three sexual assault cases.  An intruder attacked a woman in her home on Ferndale Road on Feb. 22. Another woman was assaulted in her home, also on Ferndale Road, on March 15. A third woman was attacked in her home on Aldwick Drive on March 19.

Before one of the marches, more than 100 people gathered at the intersection of Ferndale and Church. They received fliers with suggested prayers shortly before walking.

Dallas Police Searching for Serial Rapist

Dallas police are searching for a serial rapist who has sexually assaulted three women in Lake Highlands in less than a month.

Lake Highlands on Edge After Sex Assaults

Residents of a Lake Highlands neighborhood where three women have been sexually assaults by intruders in less than a month are on edge.

More Photos and Videos

"We believe that prayer is powerful," said organizer Jessica Haas. "And we can dispel the spirit of fear that has fallen over us in the last weeks. We believe that with the presence of God's people in this place that there will be power, and that our prayers will be effective and that people will be encouraged. And that through this, we trust this criminal will be caught."

DNA Evidence Points to Single Attacker

Dallas police now say they are looking for only one person in connection with three sexual assaults in Lake Highlands that occurred over the last month.

Maj. Jeff Cotner said Friday that DNA evidence obtained from the cases all point to one attacker.

"[Friday], Southwest Institute Forensics Sciences (SWIFS) released their findings into forensic evidence collected from the March 15 and 19 sexual assaults in the Lake Highlands community of Dallas. The DNA profile from these offenses matched the DNA profile obtained from the Feb. 22 offense. We have one suspect," Cotner said. "The DNA profile has been entered into statewide and national databases. No match was identified. He is unknown."

Cotner said they believe the man sustained injuries in the most recent attack and may have scratches on his face, cheeks and neck as well as bite marks on his hands and fingers. Police said the man may also have a deep laceration on one finger.

During a news conference Friday, police revealed two sketches of the attacker from the first two assaults. Victim descriptions of the attacker have varied and included references to the man being black or Latino, between 5 feet 6 inches tall and 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing between 140 and 200 pounds.

"Our victims provided this information to us," Cotner said. "They encountered a very violent attack. This information is through their trauma. Based upon the individual dynamics of their attack, this is what they can give us. Our suspect can be black; he can be dark-complected. He can be Hispanic. We don't know."

Despite the different descriptions, Cotner said DNA evidence indicates all three attacks were committed by the same person.

"The DNA profile tells us it is one guy for all three," Cotner said.

Timeline of Attacks

Feb. 22 attack on Ferndale Road: A woman was assaulted in her home after a man broke in at about 12:45 a.m. and assaulted her in her bed at knife point. Police said the attacker entered the home through a window and was described as 35-years-old, black with bald or short hair and that he spoke with an African accent. He is estimated to be about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs about 180 lbs.

March 15 attack on Ferndale Road: A woman was assaulted at about 10 p.m. inside her home on Ferndale Road after a man entered the home through a window. The man was described as Latino and in his 20s with a round, chubby face and a buzz cut. He was clean-shaven and spoke English with a Spanish accent. He is estimated to be about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 200 lbs.

March 19 attack on Aldwick Drive: A woman was assaulted at about 6:45 a.m. inside her home on Aldwick Drive after a man kicked in the front door. The man is described as Latino, in his early 20s with light skin, a thin build and a thin mustache. He is estimated to be 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. The man spoke English with a Spanish accent and wore a gray hoodie and black leather gloves. Police said the man may have a scratch on his body.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the cases. Anyone with information is asked to call the police tip line at 214-670-4415.

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Hurst Police Investigating Death of 3-Year-Old

Chris Van Horne, NBC 5 News

Hurst police looking into the killing of a 3-year-old Anastasia Williams.

Police Investigate 3-Year-Old Girl's Death

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Police in Hurst are investigating the death of a three-year-old found dead in her bedroom on Friday.

Anastasia Williams, who turned three on Feb. 25, was found at an apartment unit in the 800 block of Cullum Drive in Hurst, according to police.

Hurst's assistant police chief said Williams' father found the little girl around 3:30 p.m. Friday and called 911.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office is classifying the death as a homicide. The report, issued by the office, states her death was the result of blunt trauma to abdomen. The report said another person or persons caused a cut to her liver.

Officers stress that the investigation is still in its early stages and did not have additional details as of Monday morning. There have been no arrests in this case.

No one answered the door when NBC DFW stopped by the home late Saturday afternoon.

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Cowboys Stadium Painted with Light

Andres Gutierrez, NBC 5 News

NBC 5's Andres Gutierrez reports on RIT's Big Shot project to shoot a picture of Cowboys Stadium with thousands of volunteers.

Thousands Light Up Cowboys Stadium...

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Saturday's dreary weather cooperated for organizers of a large scale photo shoot and for the first time ever, every single light at Cowboys stadium was shut off.

2,430 people from across north Texas, the nation and the world participated for Saturday's shoot.

With different lights sources, participants used a technique called painting with light. The technique requires volunteers to shine a light source at Cowboy stadium as a 30 second exposure at F16 at ISO 400 photograph was taken.

A series of four photographs were taken Saturday night. 

"[Watching the teams come] to help us light is really--very heartening for me to see that and to have it come to life," said Bill DuBois, one of the project's organizers and professor emeritus at R.I.T.

In years past they've lit the Alamo, however Cowboys Stadium is the project's 28th shoot and their biggest ever.

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Buckner Closed After Fatal Accident

Eric King, NBC 5

The aftermath of a fatal crash on Buckner Blvd. in Dallas on March 25, 2013.

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Dallas police are investigating a fatal accident Monday morning in the 2200 block of Buckner Blvd.

Two cars were involved in the collision -- one is BMW with temporary tags, while the second car is an older model Volkswagen.

NBC 5 is waiting for a briefing from Dallas police with the exact details.

As of 7:20 a.m. the 2200 block of Buckner southbound was blocked to traffic

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DNA Links 3 Lake Highlands Rapes to One Attacker

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Dallas police now say they are looking for only one person in connection with three sexual assaults in Lake Highlands that occurred over the last month.

The series of attacks took place Feb. 22, March 15 and March 19 at homes along Ferndale Road and Aldwick Drive.

Maj. Jeff Cotner said Friday that DNA evidence obtained from the cases all point to one attacker.

"Today, Southwest Institute Forensics Sciences (SWIFS) released their findings into forensic evidence collected from the March 15 and 19 sexual assaults in the Lake Highlands community of Dallas. The DNA profile from these offenses matched the DNA profile obtained from the Feb. 22 offense. We have one suspect," Cotner said. "The DNA profile has been entered into statewide and national databases. No match was identified. He is unknown."

DPD: Looking for One Attacker in Lake Highlands

Dallas police say they are looking for only one person in connection with three sexual assaults in Lake Highlands that occurred over the last month. The sketches, police say, are from the first two offenses on Feb. 22 and March 15.

More Photos and Videos

Cotner said they believe the man sustained injuries in the most recent attack and may have scratches on his face, cheeks and neck as well as bite marks on his hands and fingers. Police said the man may also have a deep laceration on one finger.

During a news conference Friday, police revealed two sketches of the attacker from the first two assaults. Victim descriptions of the attacker have varied and included references to the man being black or Latino, between 5 feet 6 inches tall and 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing between 140 and 200 pounds.

"Our victims provided this information to us," Cotner said. "They encountered a very violent attack. This information is through their trauma. Based upon the individual dynamics of their attack, this is what they can give us. Our suspect can be black; he can be dark-complected. He can be Hispanic. We don't know."

Despite the different descriptions, Cotner said DNA evidence indicates all three attacks were committed by the same person.

"The DNA profile tells us it is one guy for all three," Cotner said.

Dallas police said an anonymous donor has increased the reward from $5,000 to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case. To be eligible for the reward, the tip must be received through Crime Stoppers by calling 877-373-8477.

Officials said more than 100 tips have been received in the case, and they urge the public to continue reporting anything suspicious. They urge citizens to call 911 if the situation requires an immediate response. An additional tip line is available at 214-670-4415, though tipsters using that number will not be eligible for the reward.

Timeline of Attacks

Feb. 22 attack on Ferndale Road: A woman was assaulted in her home after a man broke in at about 12:45 a.m. and assaulted her in her bed at knife-point. Police said the attacker entered the home through a window and was described as 35-years-old, black with bald or short hair and that he spoke with an African accent. He is estimated to be about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs about 180 lbs.

March 15 attack on Ferndale Road: A woman was assaulted at about 10 p.m. inside her home on Ferndale Road after a man entered the home through a window. The man was described as Latino and in his 20s with a round, chubby face and a buzz cut. He was clean-shaven and spoke English with a Spanish accent. He is estimated to be about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 200 lbs.

March 19 attack on Aldwick Drive: A woman was assaulted at about 6:45 a.m. inside her home on Aldwick Drive after a man kicked in the front door. The man is described as Latino, in his early 20s with light skin, a thin build and a thin mustache. He is estimated to be 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. The man spoke English with a Spanish accent and wore a gray hoodie and black leather gloves. Police said the man may have a scratch on his body.

Residents on Edge

Despite the heavy police presence in the area, Lake Highlands residents say they are not letting their guard down.

Kristi Manning said she has armed herself in case the worst happens.

"Every time I get out of my car, I look both ways," she said. I have my keys out -- they say that's one of the best ways to defend yourself."

She said she also has started carrying mace for the first time.

One of the assaults happened a few blocks from Seth Harrington's home. He updated his alarm once the rapes started in the neighborhood.

"My alarm was working before; that didn't mean I set it every day," he said. "But now, I make sure every time I leave, I set my alarm. And I actually made sure the window-break system was working, as well."

NBC 5's Omar Villafranca contributed to this report.

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2 Arrested in Slaying of 79-Year-Old Woman

Eric King, NBC 5 News

Dallas police have arrested two men in the slaying of a 79-year-old woman who was killed in her East Dallas home. David Herron, 29, and Daniel Brooks, 28, will be charged with capital murder.

2 Arrested in East Dallas Slaying

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Dallas police say they have made two arrests in the slaying of a 79-year-old woman who was killed in her East Dallas home two weeks ago.

Police found the body of Avanell Cowgill in home home in the 11300 block of Earlywood Drive on March 9 after her daughter asked officers to check on her.

Dallas police said late Friday night that David Herron, 29, and Daniel Brooks, 28, will be charged with capital murder in Cowgill's death.

"It was a brutal murder," Maj. Jeff Cottner said. "It was a clearly irresponsible and just dasterdly deed. We don't know why. They took a life of a grandmother, needlessly."

Police said Brooks was in custody at DPD headquarters, while Herron was at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Officials did not elaborate on his injuries or what caused them.

Investigators said Herron and Brooks took Cowgill's purse and used her credit cards to buy an electronic device at Wal-Mart, a purchase that was captured on surveillance video.

Dallas police last week released surveillance photos and video of two men at a Wal-Mart who used Cowgill's credit cards.

Surveillance video also recorded Herron and Brooks attempting to withdraw money from Cowgill's account at an ATM, police said.

Police learned where Herron and Brooks sold the electronic device they had purchased with Cowgill's credit card and then learned the identity of Brooks. Investigators then determined that the two had been arrested Wednesday and were being held in the Richardson jail on an unrelated theft charge.

Investigators have said that Cowgill left church at approximately 3:30 p.m. on March 7 before going to a store and then home. Police have said she may have been killed that night.

NBC 5's Eric King contributed to this report.

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Police Rescue Boy Trapped in Mud

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A 9-year-old boy is alive thanks to the heroic efforts of several police officers. 

On Saturday, around 3:45 p.m., police were dispatched to a home on Billows Drive in East Greenwich, New Jersey. When they arrived, they learned that a 9-year-old boy with autism had wandered from the home in an unknown direction around 3:30 p.m. East Greenwich Police, along with the police departments, fire departments and emergency crews from neighboring towns began to search for the boy.

After searching for about an hour and a half, police and K9 units found the boy several hundred yards behind his home stuck in the Mantua Creek during low tide. The boy was about a quarter mile away from the shoreline and was submerged up to his neck in mud in extremely cold temperatures. Police say the boy was within several minutes of drowning due to the tide coming in.

Police officers quickly took action and ran into the creek. At one point, investigators say the officers became submerged in the mud and water as well but managed to free themselves and get to the child. The boy was eventually freed and carried safely to land. The child was not seriously hurt and was reunited with his father after being treated at the hospital.

"The officers did an excellent job and are credited with saving the child's life," said Lieutenant Charles Barone of the East Greenwich Township Police Department. "The only casualties were several destroyed police uniforms."
 

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Out-of-Control Car Lands on Neighbor's Roof in L.A. Suburb

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A man in a suburb of Los Angeles lost control of his vehicle Saturday, sending the car down an embankment and landing on a neighbor's roof.

After the vehicle in Glendale, California came to a stop on the roof, a neighbor rushed over with a ladder, helping the driver and a female passenger off the home.

"There was a gentleman that was in the house that was home at the time, but he was not hurt," Glendale Fire Department spokesman Carlos Guerrero said.

Authorities used a crane to remove the vehicle.

A preliminary report indicated there was a mechanical issue with the car, according to the Glendale Police Department.

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