The Latest News Headlines from Across South-Central Texas
A stand-off in Cibolo that ended peacefully tops our list of news headlines from across South-Central Texas. Also today: A former Mayor of Seguin has died, San Antonio has passed a new ‘Safe Passing’ law, and the trial of a man accused of murdering a popular San Antonio restaurant owner begins today in Victoria...
Starting in Cibolo: Guadalupe County Sheriff’s, Cibolo Police, New Braunfels Police, and Schertz Police all responded to the scene of a standoff yesterday afternoon off Cibolo Valley Drive, in the 100 block of Ridge Bluff. KENS-TV in San Antonio reports that the incident began around 4pm when officers responded to reports of shots fired, and found that a man had barricaded himself inside a home, with at least 2 other people still inside. Several nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution, and negotiators worked for the next 6 hours or so, until just before 10pm, when the situation ended with the suspect surrendering to police. No injuries were reported, and police say the incident seemed to have begun as a domestic disturbance that grew out of hand.
In other news: Texas DPS says they’ve added a name to their Top 10 Most Wanted List of felons in the state. 44-year old Manuel Pena is wanted for homicide parole violations. He was last seen in Corpus Christi, where he has previously been convicted of assault, robbery, intoxication manslaughter, and DWI. Texas Crimestoppers are offering a 1-thousand dollar reward for information that leads to his arrest, or tips on any of the Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, including 26-year old Leeroy Suarez, whose last known address was here in New Braunfels. Suarez is wanted for homicide following the 2004 stabbing death of Diego Saenz and aggravated assault for the stabbing injury to his brother, Vicente Saenz, both of which happened outside of a New Braunfels apartment complex. To reach Crimestoppers locally, call 620-TIPS. The statewide hotline is 800-252-TIPS. You can see the list of the state’s Top 10 Most Wanted on the Texas DPS website.
Out of Seguin: The Gazette reports that former Seguin Mayor Ed Gotthardt died this past Saturday at the age of 81. He served as mayor of Seguin from 1990 to 1996. He also served as president of the Guadalupe Shrine Club, he was a member of the Seguin Elks Lodge, the Seguin Masonic Lodge, the Seguin Chamber of Commerce, and he was a member of Faith Lutheran Church. Services for former Seguin Mayor Ed Gotthardt are pending at the Tres Hewell Mortuary.
Out of San Antonio: City Council members there approved a new ordinance last week to protect bicyclists and joggers. What’s now known as the Safe Passing law requires drivers to give bicyclists and people walking or jogging along the side of the road at least 3-feet of clearance for cars and 6-feet for trucks. The law is a direct result of the accident last October on Bandera Road that killed Greg and Alexandra Bruehler, who were riding a tandem bicycle when they were struck and killed by a passing vehicle.
FOX News in San Antonio reports that 2 good Samaritans died near the intersection of I-35 and 410 on the northeast side of San Antonio early yesterday morning. 20-year old Briara-Marie Francis and 22-year old Scott Foss were killed when they stopped and tried to help another driver who had just been in an accident at that intersection. Investigators think that the driver that killed the two may have simply been distracted by the original accident. They say alcohol did not play a part in either wreck, and so far, no charges have been filed.
Also out of San Antonio: The Express News reports that the capital murder trial of the man accused of killing a popular San Antonio restaurant owner begins today in Victoria. The trial was moved to Victoria thanks to a lot of pre-trial publicity in the murder of 76-year old Viola Barrios, who was found shot in the head with an arrow, and her body burned to destroy evidence. 19-year old Joe Estrada Jr. has been accused of capital murder in her death, and now he faces the death penalty if convicted by the 10-woman and 2-man jury that was selected last week in Victoria. Testimony should begin this morning, and last about 2 weeks before the jury gets the case to deliberate.
In state news: Texas Governor Rick Perry used Saturday’s premiere of an HBO film to tout the success of the state Film Incentive Program. Temple Grandin premiered over the weekend on HBO, starring Claire Daines as the title character, an autistic Texas woman who revolutionized the livestock industry. The film was shot in Texas, including New Braunfels, Austin, Driftwood, Georgetown, Luling, Gonzales, and Corpus Christi, with 94% of the cast and crew hired locally, generating 900 jobs and more than 5-million dollars in capital investment. Through the state’s Film Incentive Program, Texas invested over 352-thousand dollars into the project, helping it beat out Arizona and New Mexico for the filming rights.
Out of Seguin: The Gazette reports that Seguin’s City Council has approved one of the final steps before construction of a 180-unit apartment complex east of the State Hwy 123 Bypass. To get the complex underway, the developers had to agree to a cash payment of 64-thousand dollars to the city, plus the addition of 85-hundred square feet of park space on the 10-acre complex. Normally, a developer would have to provide all of the park space required under city laws, but the developer asked Seguin’s Council to consider the cash payment in lieu of adding any more actual park space to the property, beyond the 85-hundred square feet already being planned. Seguin’s Council agreed to that plan, and now construction on the project is now just a month or two away from construction.
And finally: San Antonio is the one of the Top 10 drunkest cities in the country, according to a recent report in Men’s Health Magazine. The Alamo City ranked #7 on the list of the drunkest cities in the country. The magazine’s report rated 100 US cities based on DUI arrests and crashes, binge drinking, and liver disease deaths. Fresno, California earned the top spot on the list. Reno, Nevada; Billings, Montana; Riverside, California; and Austin round out the top five. Boston, Massachusetts came in at #100 on the list, actually making it the least intoxicated city in the country.
