Here's a daily list of recent activities drawing the attention of North Texas law enforcement. List compiled on June 17, 2009.
Robbery Suspects Arrested After Chase, Rollover
A police chase ended Wednesday with a rollover crash and the arrest of two men suspected of robbing a Dallas 7-Eleven. It started after a cab driver reported seeing two men fleeing the 7-Eleven located at Park and Greenville Avenue in northeast Dallas at about 3:30 a.m. The cab driver followed the men until police arrived. After a short chase, the suspects lost control and ended up flipping their Nissan Frontier at Colonial and South Boulevard. There were no injuries reported.
Former Major Leaguer Slugger Sentenced to 45 Years
Former New York Yankees outfielder Mel Hall was sentenced to 45 years in prison Wednesday after being convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl he coached on an elite basketball team. Hall was convicted on three counts of aggravated sexual assault and two counts of indecency with a child. A Tarrant County jury reached the verdict on the punishment after about an hour of deliberating. He must serve about 22½ years in prison before becoming eligible for parole. Hall's 13-year major league career ended in 1996.
Irving Police Attempt To Thwart Vehicle Thieves
Nearly 25 percent of vehicles stolen in Irving are taken solely for their tires and wheels, so the city is offering free wheel marking and car stickers. A unique identifying number will be listed on the national crime information computer, which can help track the vehicle down if it is stolen. The free program will take place at the city's auto impound starting on Saturday.
Dallas Cracks Down on Unpaid Citations
The city of Dallas is promising a crack down on unpaid fines. A recent audit shows more than a million unpaid citations, which total $424 million. One problem is a shortage of courtrooms. Cases are so backed up it takes up to nine months now to get a trial date, which increases the chance cases are dismissed and fines unpaid. Dallas officials are talking about evening hours, among other things, to make settling city court cases more convenient.
Customers Buy Cars, But Lose Identities
A former finance manager for a Lewisville car dealership is accused of stealing customers’ identities, signing up for credit cards in their names and charging thousands of dollars. Curtis Hegeman, 30, of Lewisville, was arrested in Wisconsin last week on identity-theft charges. He worked at Huffines Chevrolet until he was fired in late March, police said. Investigators said he pocketed a dozen customers' down payments and set up bogus credit cards to cover his tracks. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Police Investigate Death of Woman Found Near Pool Where Kids Drowned
Coppell police are investigating the death of a 35-year-old woman was found unresponsive near her family pool Wednesday afternoon. Officers found Van Ha Stocco lying in the back yard of a home in the 100 block of Trinity Court just after 4 p.m. Her 3-year-old and 18-month-old children were found at the bottom of the pool nearly one year ago. The cause of Stocco's death has not been determined, but police said they do not suspect foul play in either case.
