Category: CNN Regional

By Adam Bartow

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    AUGUSTA, Maine (WMTW) — The woman who was driving the minivan that hit and killed two Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) workers in Waterville in January has now been arrested.

Samantha Tupper, 34, of Augusta, was indicted by a Kennebec County Grand Jury on Thursday and then arrested at a home in Augusta at about 6:30 a.m. on Friday. She is charged with two counts of manslaughter, two counts of aggravated driving to endanger, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of aggravated assault.

Her bail was set at $50,000 and she was being held at the Kennebec County Jail.

Tupper was not hurt in the crash on an Interstate 95 overpass, a collision that killed MaineDOT employees and Waterville residents James Brown and Dwayne Campbell.

Maine State Police officials said the crash happened at about 9:35 a.m. on Jan. 13 near mile marker 127 on the southbound side of the bridge that carries I-95 over Kennedy Memorial Drive.

Police said MaineDOT had closed the travel lane at the end of the southbound on-ramp from Kennedy Memorial Drive by using cones and a posted sign as part of bridge construction work.

Investigators said a gray Kia minivan driven by Tupper failed to stop at the posted stop sign and tried to enter the left lane of I-95 south, where it was struck by a tractor-trailer that was traveling southbound on the highway.

The collision forced the minivan into the work zone, where three MaineDOT employees who were working at the site were struck.

Police said the impact sent two of the three workers, Brown and Campbell, off the bridge and onto Kennedy Memorial Drive below. Both of those workers were pronounced dead at the scene. The third MaineDOT worker who was struck by the minivan was transported to a local hospital to be treated for injuries that are believed to be non-life-threatening.

The Maine Service Employees Association, Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union, said Brown, 60, worked for MaineDOT for more than 12 years while Campbell, 51, worked for the agency for more than 23 years.

8 Investigates examined Tupper’s driving record and found that she was caught speeding multiple times and has committed other vehicle infractions. At one point, Tupper’s license was suspended and she was later convicted of driving on a suspended license.

In addition, 8 Investigates found Tupper has a criminal history that includes numerous convictions for drug possession, drug trafficking and theft. Tupper has been in jail multiple times dating back to 2017.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Juliana Tornabene and Shaina Nijhawan

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    MADISON, Wisconsin (WMTW) — Two leaders of a fraternity chapter not recognized by UW–Madison were arrested after police said officers broke up an unlawful hazing event Wednesday night.

Madison police responded to the Alpha Epsilon Pi house in the 100 block of Langdon Street around 8:20 p.m. Wednesday after receiving an anonymous tip about a possible hazing event.

“Inside the basement of the residence, officers found around 30 partially clothed males covered in food, condiments and other liquids,” MPD Captain Kipp Hartman said.

Most of the men were 18 years old. Police said several had visible injuries consistent with being physically assaulted.

“Something fresh, potentially like a strike to the body, not an old injury,” Hartman said.

The thermostat was set to 81 degrees, creating what police described as a hot and humid environment.

Fraternity president Brayden Klein and vice president Samuel Vane, both 20, were arrested on suspicion of hazing and disorderly conduct. Both allegations are misdemeanors, according to Hartman.

Klein and Vane were booked into the Dane County Jail. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office will review the case before deciding whether to file formal charges.

Hartman said police collected statements from everyone inside, but some of the accounts conflicted.

“Some statements also did not align with what everybody else’s statements were, so there were some concerns with what was being said,” Hartman said. “I would say we had limited cooperation.”

WMTV asked dozens of students near the house Thursday to talk about what happened. Many declined, and some who would speak only off camera said they were afraid of retaliation.

Police are also monitoring what they believe is misinformation spreading on social media. Hartman encouraged anyone with firsthand information to speak with investigators.

“I think anybody that came forward with additional information may not be prosecuted given the level of cooperation that they could provide,” Hartman said.

The incident happened during rush week at UW–Madison.

“With it being rush week right now, we know that there are various ways that fraternities and sororities conduct these things,” Hartman said. “Our thing is always going to be on student safety.”

Hartman said MPD regularly works with fraternities and sororities to help keep their events safe and legal.

“Our concern is when things are going too far and people’s either life and/or physical harm is at stake,” Hartman said. “That is definitely when we are going to be stepping in.”

UW–Madison terminated Alpha Epsilon Pi’s status with the university in 2015. The chapter is not recognized or accredited by UW–Madison, but Alpha Epsilon Pi’s national organization continues to recognize it.

“Since this chapter continues to be recognized by its national organization, it is legally allowed to operate as a fraternity chapter unaffiliated with the university.”

University of Wisconsin-Madison Hartman said the fraternity continues to control the Langdon Street house.

UW–Madison said its Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards will investigate any students implicated in the incident. Students found to have violated the law, university regulations or university policy could face a written reprimand, probation, suspension, expulsion or educational sanctions.

University officials met with national Alpha Epsilon Pi leaders Thursday to review the incident and discuss possible next steps. UW–Madison said the national organization is cooperating.

UW–Madison said it shares information about unrecognized and terminated student organizations with students, parents and families at the start of each academic year.

The university said its Office of Student Assistance and Support and University Health Services are providing support as needed.

Anyone with information about this hazing investigation was asked to call Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or submit a tip online.

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By Mike Darnay

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    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A large amount of cash and nearly two dozen guns were seized during a drug bust in Fayette County on Thursday.

Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said that search warrants were executed on three locations in German Township and Masontown Borough on Thursday morning by members of the Pennsylvania State Police and other law enforcement partners.

The warrants were served as part of what Aubele called “an extensive narcotics trafficking investigation.”

Aubele said that the searches resulted in the seizure of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine, 20 guns, approximately $425,000 cash and other drug-related evidence.

Mendo Love, 52, was arrested in connection with the searches and has been charged with multiple drug-related offenses.

Court records show that Love is facing 31 charges, including 23 felonies. His charges include possession with intent to deliver, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and possession of firearms.

Love was denied bail and is being held in the Fayette County Prison. He’s scheduled to appear before a judge for a preliminary hearing early next month.

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By Naveen Dhaliwal

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    New York (WCBS) — A Brooklyn rabbi was brutally attacked and left bleeding outside of his home in Borough Park on Wednesday night.

His wife spoke out Thursday, describing the pain of seeing her husband bruised and suffering after the assault on the steps of their home, which was caught on surveillance video.

The footage shows the moments police say a man walked up to the 66-year-old victim at around 9 p.m. on Dahill Road and began hitting and choking him, leaving him battered and bleeding.

The NYPD said officers rushed to the scene and a suspect was quickly taken into custody, charged with assault and harassment.

Blood spots were still visible at the scene on Thursday.

“Terrible, terrible, we are not safe,” said the rabbi’s wife, who asked that she and her husband not be identified. “It’s traumatizing. The picture keeps repeating in my mind continuously.”

The victim’s wife said her husband was rushed to the hospital, suffering from severe pain.

“He is very badly bruised. He had bad back pain and he’s traumatized,” she said.

Police said it was a random attack and not a hate crime, but members of the Jewish community were rattled, with some saying an attack on a rabbi hits especially hard.

“There are a lot of antisemitic events that are occurring in Brooklyn and around the world. Obviously, it’s very hard to hear these things. I work here and it makes me nervous for sure,” Borough Park resident Daniel Alter said.

For the rabbi’s family, the focus is on his recovery. His wife said she is hoping the physical and emotional wounds from the attack will heal, but added she wants justice for her husband.

“I have no problems with my neighbors. Everyone is nice here, but this [assailant], he belongs behind bars,” she said.

In a statement, Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the attack “horrifying and reprehensible” and thanked the NYPD for apprehending the suspect.

“Every New Yorker deserves to live free from harassment and violence. Our administration will continue to deploy a broad range of interventions to protect Jewish New Yorkers and root out antisemitism and hate in all its forms,” he said in a statement, in part.

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By Cheryl Fiandaca

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    BOSTON (WBZ) — A Boston mom tells the WBZ-TV I-Team she was stunned to learn her 5-year-old son, who has special needs, was being investigated for sexual harassment by Boston Public Schools after a parent alleged he pulled another child’s pants down at school.

Alanis, whose son attended Winship Elementary School, said she was never notified about the complaint when it was made shortly before classes ended in June. She said she learned about it about a month later, when she received a formal letter from Boston Public Schools Office of Civil Rights.

“He just turned 5 in February. He’s not a big boy. He’s a baby still,” Alanis said. “When I spoke to them on the phone, I’m like, ‘You’re saying s-e-x to me? A 5-year-old?’ I was like, jaw drop. I just couldn’t believe it.”

The school says another student’s parents filed a complaint that Alanis’ son pulled her child’s pants down, which prompted a Title IX investigation.

Ellen Braaten, a child psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, said this type of behavior in a young child is not about sex at all.

“This was not a sexual act,” Braaten said. “A child does not do that because it’s sex. They’re doing it because they know they are going to get attention for it.”

“It makes me feel awful,” Alanis told the I-Team. “Since when are we criminalizing 5-year-olds or sexualizing 5-year-old’s age behavior? It doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s very disturbing. It’s disgusting.”

Attorney Collins Fay-Martin specializes in cases involving school districts. “It’s wild,” she told the I-Team.

Fay-Martin says the district appeared intent on conducting a full investigation despite the child’s age and developmental challenges. “He doesn’t have the cognitive capacity to be able to discern what is appropriate conduct and what is not,” Fay-Martin said. “You can tell him 500,000 times, but he’s still going to be 5 and he’s still going to do what 5-year-olds do, which is why it’s incumbent upon adults in the room to have eyes on kids at all times.”

School staff emails obtained by the I-Team appear to raise questions about whether the alleged incident occurred at all. In one email a staff member wrote, “I did not witness any incident.” Another said, “No, this did not occur … in my classroom.”

Alanis told the I-Team her son has an individualized education program, or IEP, and struggles with impulse control.

“If a child has an IEP and one of the issues is impulse control, there should be adequate supervision within the classroom,” Braaten told the I-Team. “When we’re talking about a 5-year-old, the person who’s really responsible or the system that’s responsible is the school system.”

After the I-Team contacted Boston Public Schools, the district said the matter was now an informal investigation and that it was working toward a resolution.

In a statement, BPS said:

“In this case, there is no punitive investigation. That would not be productive. Both children are in school. BPS is working to resolve the matter through an informal process, without any discipline, focused on delivering supports to help the children succeed in school this year. We are also taking this as an opportunity to improve communication with families.

While BPS is required by law to investigate all complaints, as a school system both the review and any resolution should be age and developmentally appropriate and focused on supporting families and helping all children learn and thrive in school. That’s particularly true with young children who are still learning about behavior.”

Fay-Martin says, “Dumb things happen in schools all the time, right? This is probably one of the most wild just because you would think the logic would prevail. Logic has not prevailed.”

Alanis has refused to allow her son to return to Winship Elementary School this fall, saying she had lost confidence in the administration and its ability to support her child.

“He’s still a baby. He doesn’t know any better. We should be redirecting these kids. A kid who has impulsivity issues, come on now,” Alanis said. “That’s so much redirection, so much redirection. But it’s like, you chose that career. You’ve got to be patient. You’ve got to be patient with these kids.”

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By Darrielle Fair

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    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KPIX) — A California bill that would expand organized sports programs in state prisons is now on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk after receiving unanimous support from lawmakers.

Assembly Bill 2204, known as the Second Chance Sports Act, would require the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to develop a statewide policy for organized sports in state prisons.

The legislation passed the Senate 39-0, with one senator not voting, and the Assembly later voted 79-0 to concur with Senate amendments.

The bill was authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) and Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), with Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) listed as a coauthor.

Gabriel said he was inspired by existing sports programs inside California prisons, including the San Quentin Giants baseball program.

“It just became clear to me that this was something that could be tremendously powerful, both for rehabilitation and for public safety,” Gabriel said.

What the bill would do Under AB 2204, the CDCR would be required to formalize a policy on organized sports programming by Jan. 1, 2028.

The policy would be developed in consultation with researchers, sports and rehabilitation experts, criminal justice organizations, athletic organizations, correctional staff and organizations representing incarcerated people and their families.

The legislation would establish the Second Chance Sports Fund within the state Treasury.

The bill would remain in effect until Jan. 1, 2036.

Supporters say organized sports can provide structure, teamwork, accountability and opportunities for people in prison to develop skills that can help with rehabilitation and re-entry.

“Many of the things that people look for in gangs, they get out of sports,” said Jacob Brevard, chief of programs for the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. “The camaraderie, the family atmosphere, the feeling of belonging to something.”

Brevard said sports also helped him learn to interact with people from different cultures and handle “heated situations without losing my cool.”

San Quentin Giants inspire legislation The San Quentin Giants have become one example of how organized sports can operate inside a California prison.

The baseball program has received support from the San Francisco Giants and allows incarcerated participants to play against one another as well as outside teams and organizations.

Gabriel said learning about the program convinced him that similar opportunities could be expanded to other correctional facilities.

“I was just really moved by what I read,” Gabriel said.

He said sports can teach discipline and give participants a sense of responsibility to their teammates.

“I think for anybody who has had any exposure to sports, participated in sports, been a coach, been an athlete, sports teaches you discipline,” Gabriel said. “It teaches you the opportunity to work with teammates and have people that you’re accountable to and that can rely on you.”

Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto legislation that reached his desk this session.

Gabriel said he has spoken with Newsom about the bill but has not received a definitive answer about whether the governor plans to sign it.

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