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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Half Brothers Arrested in Separate Armed Robberies

Kutztown University

Kali Smith (left), Shahaid Smith (right)

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Two men in Pennsylvania who are former members of the Kutztown University football team have been arrested. Shahaid and Kali Smith, who are half brothers, are facing charges in separate armed robberies that happened on and off campus.

A spokesman for Kutztown University says Shahaid Smith, 19, was arrested Thursday in connection with an armed robbery of an on-campus dorm. Police say in the early morning hours of March 8, students were inside their room at Deatrick Hall when they heard a knock at the door.

When they opened it, police say they were met by three masked men dressed in black. Two of the men were armed, according to investigators. The intruders allegedly struck one of the students, searched the room and then left without taking anything.

Kali Smith was also arrested Thursday and charged in connection with an incident that happened off-campus, according to a Kutztown University spokesman.

The charges were linked to an armed robbery that happened at an off-campus house in March of 2012, according to the Reading Eagle.

Shahaid Smith is a special education major. His brother, Kali, is a business administration major.

Both have been placed on interim suspension from Kutztown University.
 

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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.

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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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Arlington Apartment Fire Rekindles While Residents Inside

Keaton Fox, NBC 5

While residents were inside collecting belongings, an Arlington apartment complex caught fire again.

Arlington Apartment Fire Rekindles...

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An Arlington apartment building caught fire overnight, damaging several units. While residents were back inside collecting belongings, the building caught fire again.

The first fire started around 2:30 a.m. in the Ponde Apartments, 1801 Old Mill Drive. Firefighters had fire coming through the top floor of the building and called for a second alarm.

As firefighters made their way through, they found most of the fire was in the attic. They were able to contain the fire and get the flames out.

Around 5 a.m., residents were allowed back inside. As they collected their belongings inside, several people ran out to the NBC 5 crew on the scene, shouting that the building had caught fire again.

Flames were visible again from the roof and residents scrambled to get anything they could out of the building, in fear it would burn again.

Naphis Mitchell, was inside the building with two friends when the second fire started. He told NBC 5 he moved in two weeks ago and didn't have insurance.

Firefighters returned and put those flames out, but had to put more water on the building, extending the water damage.

Arlington police were called to the scene to call tempers after residents got into an argument with management over the situation.

No one was injured.

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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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Armed Robber Killed by Victim

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One man is dead after a would-be armed robber was shot by the robbery victim as he tried to steal the victim's SUV.

Police said the victim, whose name hasn't been released, had a gun pressed against his head by the armed robber in the parking lot of the Bel Air Place apartments on Dewberry Blvd. in Lancaster.

The robber forced the victim at gunpoint to take him to his upstairs apartment. The victim said the robber said he'd kill him if he didn't give him "everything he had."

While being held in his apartment, the victim grabbed his own gun and started shooting at the robber. The two exchanged gunfire inside the apartment and the shootout continued to the breezeway and down into the parking lot.

Witnesses said the robber and the victim exchanged seven or eight shots during the incident.

Police say  the robber was shot and killed while trying to steal the victim's SUV.

"It is under investigation, but everything leads us to believe that is was a robbery attempt and he was the victim," said Lt. Kelly Hooten with the Lancaster Police Department.

The victim's name hasn't been released by police and he hasn't been charged with a crime.

He returned to his apartment around 7:30 a.m. Thursday after being interviewed by police. He wouldn't give his name, but agreed to talk about what he was thinking during the robbery attempt.

"I was scared for my life," he said. "He pressed a gun against my head and told me to give me everything I had."

"Wouldn't you be scared too, if there was a gun pressed against your head?" he said.

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Warrants Released in Newtown Shooting Investigation

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A long-awaited set of court documents has just been released revealing 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 rampage in a Newtown, Conn., elementary school.

The documents reveal:

• Adam Lanza was found dead wearing a bulletproof vest
• Investigators found a smashed hard drive on top of a desk in what was believed to be Adam Lanza's room. There was also a gaming console and gun safe. A witness, whose name was redacted, told authorities that the gun safe usually contained at least four guns.
• Investigators found at Adam and Nancy Lanza's home: the paperback "Train Your Brain to Get Happy" with pages tabbed off; 3 photos with images of what appears to be a deceased human covered with plastic and what appears to be blood; seven journals and miscellaneous drawings authored by Adam Lanza; One New York Times article from Feb. 18, 2008 of a school shooting at Northern Illinois University
• Electronic items seized from Adam Lanza's house included: Three hard drives: A damaged 500GB hard drive, an 80GB internal hard drive and a 160GB external hard drive
  Two computers: A custom-build desktop computer with no hard drive, and a Dell laptop, Inspiron 6000
  Three gaming systems: A Sony Playstation 2, an Xbox and an Xbox 360
  Two cell phones: an iPhone and a Verizon phone
  A shoe box containing video game parts and memory cards
  A white plastic bag containing CD-Rs, handwritten notes regarding the addresses of local gun shops, and a GPS system
• Seized from a Honda Civic at Newtown Elementary School: A Saiga 12 Shotgun, serial H08402282, with two magazines containing 70 rounds of Winchester 12 gauge shotgun rounds

The applications, affidavits and returns related to the search warrants had 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.

Investigators Find "Very Good Evidence" at Conn. Shooting Crime Scenes

State Police Lt. J. Paul Vance told reporters Saturday that investigators have uncovered "very good evidence" at the two crime scenes "as to how, and more importantly why, this occurred."

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Prosecutors were expected to supplement the release with a statement that could offer more context.

Refresh for updates on what the documents reveal.

State police and local officials privately briefed victims' 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.

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 had 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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"White Student Union" Leader's Patrols Spark Racism Charges

Jim Rosenfield

News4's Jim Rosenfield reports on a planned safety patrol by Towson University's White Student Union that is prompting charges of racism.

Towson White Student Union Patrols...

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A plan to have unarmed students patrolling the campus of Towson University in Maryland on foot has sparked accusations of racism. 

The planned patrols are the brainchild of senior Mathew Heimbach, who also happens to head a group called the White Student Union.

Heimbach has written on his blog that Towson is experiencing a "black crime wave" with "black predators" preying on the "white majority student body."

"Just like I wouldn't be offended if -- when you talk about serial killers, the average serial killer is a blue-collar, educated white male," Heimbach told News4's Jim Rosenfield.

"It doesn't offend me to be able to talk about the facts," Heimbachsaid.

Other students disagree. One black student told Rosenfield, "I thought [Heimbach's statements were] racist, but they have their freedom of speech."

"Certain things are just ingrained in you by your cultural values and what you were taught as a kid," a white student said.

Heimbach's group is not university-sanctioned, but it has attracted the attention of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which lists the White Student Union on a so-called "hate map" of white supremacist groups.

"I'm not a future leader of hate," Heimbach says. "What I want to do in my entire life is enter seminary and become an Orthodox priest."

Heimbach hopes to begin the patrols early next week.

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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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Conn. Town to Place Armed Guards in Schools

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Lawmakers Debating Gun Bill Wait for Warrants

State lawmakers delayed a decision gun talks because the state's attorney's office plans on unsealing the warrants in Sandy Hook School Shooting investigation.

Sandy Hook Advisory Commission Meets

The Commission members heard from first responders and mental health professionals

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The school board in Enfield, Conn. voted Tuesday night, 5-4, in favor of placing an armed guard in every school.

Many board members said that it wasn't worth taking a risk after the school shooting about an hour's drive away at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown last year, where 26 people were killed.

Enfield's new plan will take effect by the start of next school year.

"I think it would be overboard to have an armed guard here," Jeffery Haddock, a parent, said. "I don't think they need them here. We've never had problems here."

Enfield Police Chief Carl Sferrazza disagreed.

"I want to make sure Enfield does everything humanly possible to protect our kids," Sferrazza said.

The police chief believes that after the shootings in Newtown, Enfield needs to be prepared for the possibility of an active shooter.

"For those people who say it couldn't happen here, we're about 50 miles from Sandy Hook," he said.

Middle and high schools in Enfield currently have armed school resource officers and they will keep their positions.

The police chief said he would hire 11 extra armed guards, but they would not be sworn policeman.

They would have qualifications and training to carry weapons and Sferrazza said law enforcement could be the best candidates.

"Either we take a stance and do all we can to protect the most precious children or we just sit back and wait for something to happen," he said.

Sferrazza said the new hires would cost taxpayers more than $600,000 for the first year and the money would come from the town budget.

Some thought the spending was too much.

"I think the town could probably use the money on something else besides that," Haddock said.

School leaders said they couldn't put a cost on keeping students safe.

The town council and Board of Education will be holding a security meeting at town hall at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.  The agenda includes an executive session about matters concerning security strategy or deployment of security personnel or devices affecting public security. 

Security strategies will be discussed after the executive session.

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Fla. Gov. Demands Explanation Over University's Jesus "Stomping"

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott Gives $15 Million to Broward Schools

Florida Gov. Rick Scott presented a $15 million check to Broward Schools Monday as part of the state's School Recognition program. Piper Principal Enid Valdez, student Blaire Hirt and Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie comment.

Florida Atlantic University Lockdown Is Lifted

The lockdown at FAU's Boca Raton campus was lifted about three hours after an armed suspect allegedly robbed a student at gunpoint on Thursday. Students Alessia Pizzoccheri and Adrian Luque spoke about the incident.

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott waded into a religious-infused campus controversy Tuesday, asking the state university system chancellor to look into a classroom lesson at Florida Atlantic University in which students were instructed to stomp on sheets of paper that had "Jesus" written on them.

Scott said in a letter to State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan that he was "deeply disappointed" by the recent incident in an intercultural communications class and said it raised questions about "the lessons being taught in our classrooms." He said he wanted a report on the incident and how it was handled, as well as a statement of the university's policies to ensure such "lessons" don't occur again.

"As we enter the week memorializing the events of Christ's passion, this incident gave me great concern over the lessons we are teaching our students," Scott wrote in the letter.

A FAU spokeswoman told NBC 6 that the university received Scott's letter and appreciated his perspective.

"Florida Atlantic University is deeply sorry for any hurt that this incident may have caused the community and beyond," wrote Lisa Metcalf, the school's director of media relations, in an email. "As an institution of higher learning, we embrace open discourse in our classrooms, but with that comes a level of responsibility. The exercise was insensitive and hurtful; it will not be used again."

She added that lessons learned from the incident "will help us ensure our educational opportunities always reflect the university's core values."

Youngest Bachelor's Graduate at FAU Gets Master's

Scott cited news reports indicating students were told by the class instructor to write "Jesus" in large letters on a sheet of paper and to place the paper on the floor in front of them. The students were given a brief time of reflection and then were told to step on the paper and tell the class how they felt.

The exercise has outraged religious leaders such as the Rev. Mark Boykin, who plans to lead a march from his Boca Raton church to FAU to condemn the assignment next week.

"We find this to be unconscionable, completely unprofessional and unacceptable," he said.

At least one student found it so unacceptable that he refused to participate. Ryan Rotela, a devout Mormon and a junior at FAU's Davie campus, claims he was punished for doing so.

His lawyer Hiram Sasser shared the notice of charges that Rotela received from FAU for violating the student code of conduct.

"You are requested to attend a Student Conduct Conference," the notice read.

"In the interim, you may not attend class (SPC 3710) or contact any of the students involved in this matter – verbally or electronically – or by any other means," the notice stated.

Dr. Charles Brown, FAU's senior vice president of student affairs, said that Rotela was never up for punishment for refusing to participate in the exercise, however.

"We apologize to all of our students and the community and people beyond the community who felt it was too sensitive," Brown said.

Scott applauded Rotela, whom he spoke with on Tuesday, "for having the courage to stand up for his faith."

"I told him that it took great conviction and bravery to stand up and say what he was asked to do was wrong, and went against what he believed in," Scott said in a statement.

Sasser said that Rotela is again in good standing with the university. He has re-enrolled in the class, but one that is being taught by a different professor.

Florida Gov. Scott to Universities: No More Tuition Hikes

State University System spokeswoman Kim Wilmath said officials would work closely with FAU in preparing a response to Gov. Scott's concerns.

"The State University System prides itself not only on its commitment to academic freedom, but at the same time, its awesome responsibility to the people it serves," she said in a written statement. "We are gratified to know that FAU has apologized for any offense the exercise has caused and has pledged never to use this exercise again. Clearly, there were things the university could have done differently by its own acknowledgement."

The governor didn't seem satisfied with the apology, saying it was "in many ways inconsequential to the larger issue of a professor's poor judgment."

"The professor's lesson was offensive, and even intolerant, to Christians and those of all faiths who deserve to be respected as Americans entitled to religious freedom," Scott said in his letter. "Our public higher educational institutions are designed to shape the minds of Florida's future leaders. We should provide educational leadership that is respectful of religious freedom of all people."

Crist Leads Scott in 2014 Florida Governor's Matchup: Poll

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Gun Seller Cancels Mark Kelly's AR-15 Purchase

AP

Mark Kelly tried to purchase a gun to demonstrate how easy it is.

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The owner of an Arizona gun store canceled Mark Kelly's purchase of an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle after Kelly made comments to the media that he purchased the gun to demonstrate how easy it is to obtain a firearm.

Douglas MacKinlay, owner of Diamondback Police Supply Co. in Tuscon said a full refund was sent to Kelly last Thursday.

"While I support and respect Mark Kelly's 2nd Amendment rights to purchase, possess, and use firearms in a safe and responsible manner, his recent statements to the media made it clear that his intent in purchasing the Sig Sauer M400 5.56mm rifle from us was for reasons other then for his personal use," MacKinlay said in a statement on their Facebook page obtained by NBC News.

For full U.S. news coverage, visit NBCNews.com.
 

Kelly, husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, is a gun control advocate who recently said in an interview that he wanted to demonstrate how easy it is to purchase a gun. Kelly and Giffords, who was injured in a mass shooting in Tuscon have been lobbying for background checks and restrictions on the sale of high-capacity magazines.

"It's important for me to have firsthand knowledge about how easy it is or difficult it is, you know, to buy a weapon like that," he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an interview earlier this month.

MacKinlay said the rifle will be donated the Arizona Tactical Officers Association and raffled off to raise funds for the organizations equipment needs.

Kelly made news on Monday when he stepped in to pull a dog off of a sea lion that it attacked it killed on a beach in California. The dog belonged to Kelly's daughter.

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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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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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Police Warn of Facebook Child Porn Virus Video

Some Congress members are asking Facebook to take down pages that appear to be in tribute to victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

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Police have issued a warning about a computer virus linked to a pornographic video on Facebook.

The FBI is getting involved in the investigation and several school districts in Connecticut have issued alerts to students and parents to warn them about the virus.

"I'm very concerned that something like this would be circulating," said Farmington School District Supt. Kathleen Greider.  

According to Simsbury Police Department in Connecticut, the video is shared through Facebook and appears to be from a friend, though it is actually child pornography. 

Several Farmington High School students have received the video on their Facebook accounts, police said.

Once opened, the video virus automatically attaches to the user's Facebook account and shares the video with all of his or her Facebook friends.

NBC Connecticut viewers who have received the video say it doesn't appear to be child pornography before opening and contains the phrase "watch this if you're curious."

New Britain police and the New Britain school district posted warnings on their Facebook pages. According to New Britain police, authorities in Farmington, Cromwell and Hartford have contacted the FBI about the video.

Avon schools also sent an email to parents and staff members about the Facebook virus threat.

"Although your child may not attend FHS (Farmington High School), other students or siblings in the area may have Facebook accounts that could be affected and we wanted to alert you of this situation immediately,"  Gary Mala, Avon superintendent, said in the email.  "The video is quite graphic and it will be very disturbing."

Greider emailed every parent and at least three other districts sent out alerts as well.

"We wanted to get a communication out to them immediately," Greider said.

Facebook has released a statement, saying it has a zero tolerance for child pornography and is aggressively trying to remove it.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is trying to determine how the images got onto the Internet.

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Fort Worth to Vote on New Police Contract Tuesday

Jeff Smith, NBC 5 News

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

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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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AA, DFW Airport Reveal Terminal A Renovations

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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.  Blue lights indicate spaces available for handicapped drivers.

"We believe this new parking facility will be an instant hit with passengers while giving us much needed new capacity to accommodate our parking customers," said Jeff Fegan, CEO of DFW Airport, in a statement released to the media Tuesday. "The structure will have great improvements, while solving the age-old problem of finding a space quickly and easily."

The airport said that, when complete, the new parking structure will add 7,793 parking spaces to the airport -- bringing the total number available to 42,000.  The structure also includes enhanced terminal entries with covered walkways, better lighting, higher clearances, improved ADA compliance, improved traffic flow and a pedestrian bridge from infield parking to the parking structure.

Additionally, those who use the airport's smartphone app can access up-to-the-minute information on space availability.  

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.

Work to Terminal A will be completed in 2014, while work to all four terminals are scheduled to be completed by 2017.

NBC 5's Frank Heinz contributed to this report. The original headline to this ariticle said the renovations to Terminal A are complete and that was not accurate.  They are scheduled for completion in 2014.

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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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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.

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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.

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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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