Bianca Moreno-Paz

1 month ago | statesman.com | Bianca Moreno-Paz

A state district judge on Tuesday approved a plea deal in the case of Austin police officer Alejandro Gaitan, who had faced multiple assault charges for excessive use of force during the 2021 arrest of Carvius Jackson. Under the deal, which comes a week before Gaitan was set to go to trial, he pled guilty to one misdemeanor assault charge.

1 month ago | statesman.com | Bianca Moreno-Paz |Tony Plohetski

This story has been updated with new information. The American-Statesman has learned the identities of three of the five victims who died last week in the 19-car crash on Interstate 35 in North Austin. The Travis County Medical Examiner's Office on Tuesday confirmed to the Statesman that Sergieo Daniel Lopez, 32, Natalia Helena Perez, 25, and Ma Concepcion Joaquin De Joaquin, 78, died in the collision. The two other victims "are still unidentified," the office said in a statement.

1 month ago | statesman.com | Bianca Moreno-Paz

A large grass fire, which destroyed some structures and prompted evacuations on the outskirts of Fredericksburg, is showing signs it's slowing down, officials said. High winds, hot temperatures and low humidity levels helped the Crabapple fire, about 10 miles northeast of Fredericksburg, quickly grow to 400 acres on Saturday afternoon. The blaze then jumped east across State Highway 16 within three hours. By Saturday evening it had impacted 8,640 acres.

1 month ago | statesman.com | Bianca Moreno-Paz

A bill that would make the Texas Department of Safety the primary law enforcement agency along Congress Avenue downtown is facing staunch opposition from the Austin Police Department. House Bill 470, filed by Lubbock Republican Rep. Carl Tepper, would give DPS principal jurisdiction over the 18 blocks on each side of Congress between 10th Street, near the Capitol, and Lady Bird Lake.

1 month ago | statesman.com | Bianca Moreno-Paz

McCallum High School has been placed in a "hold" while police investigate a bomb threat on the campus. Parents of McCallum students received a text at 3:27 p.m. saying that students and teachers would stay inside classrooms while police swept the school grounds. About 15 minutes later, parents were again informed via text message, that police were investigating a bomb threat. "We are investigating a bomb threat to campus," the second text message said.