Category: CNN Regional

By Renee Anderson

Click here for updates on this story

    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — More than a dozen people are being treated for injuries following an MTA bus crash involving a stolen vehicle in East Baltimore, according to authorities on the scene.

The crash was reported around 12:45 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of East Oliver and N. Wolfe streets. Photos from the scene, which is located in a school zone near Collington Square Park, showed the MTA Gold Route bus off the roadway in a grassy area and a red Hyundai Elentra with extensive damage.

Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said 16 people were hurt, including 12 people on board the bus. He said the majority of the injuries were minor, but several people suffered critical and serious injuries.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley confirmed the other vehicle involved had been reported stolen, and there were four juveniles inside.

“Officers received an alert for a stolen vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle fled from officers. Officers called for Foxtrot to assist,” Worley told reporters on the scene. “Shortly afterward, officers observed the vehicle collide with an MTA bus at this intersection.”

The fire chief said they believe 12 people were on board the bus at the time, including the driver who was alert and talking.

“All but one self-extricated from the bus, and they were actually sitting outside when we arrived here,” said Wallace.

The four juveniles were also among the 16 victims taken to area hospitals, including two in critical condition, Worley said.

Asked whether he was concerned the crash involved juveniles, the commissioner responded, “I’m always concerned when everything involves juveniles, but we keep locking them up, and they keep ending up getting out.”

Investigators are now working to review video from the scene, including from on board the bus.

Tara Lynch contributed to this report.

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 Tiara Leflore

Click here for updates on this story

    FLORENCE, Miss. (WAPT) — A fire broke out around midnight Thursday at Jungle Exotic Pets on Highway 49 South.

The store described itself as the largest pet store in Mississippi. It offers freshwater fish, reptiles, small animals, birds and other exotic animals.

It was not immediately known whether any animals were inside the building when the fire started, or whether anyone was hurt.

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 Jonathan Ayestas, Peyton Headlee

Click here for updates on this story

    STOCKTON, Calif. (KCRA) — A Stockton high school culinary arts teacher is accused of having more than 65,000 images of child sexual abuse material, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Nickolas Turpen-Arends, 40, was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on charges related to possession of child sexual abuse material, CHP said. He has since been released on $20,000 bail with a promise to appear in court.

“Our computer crimes investigators are essential to protecting innocent victims and ensuring offenders are held accountable,” CHP Capt. Melissa Kittell said in a news release. “I am proud of the tireless effort and dedication invested in this investigation, which ultimately resulted in the suspect’s identification and arrest.”

The agency said it had been investigating an IP address for months before arresting Turpen-Arends at his Stockton home. A photo shared by CHP shows part of the response in taking Turpen-Arends into custody involved CHP’s Special Weapons and Tactics team.

CHP said a preliminary forensic examination of a desktop computer led investigators to find child sexual abuse material.

Turpen-Arends was a culinary arts teacher for Lincoln High School, CHP said. School administrators are aware and cooperating with the investigation.

The Lincoln Unified School District confirmed Turpen-Arends is on leave and was in his second year of employment at the high school.

“To date, the District is not aware of any allegation and has no information suggesting that any District student is involved,” Lincoln Unified said. “Since this is a confidential personnel matter and the investigation is ongoing, the District is unable to comment further at this time.”

KCRA 3 spoke with a Lincoln High School graduate who said she used to go to Turpen-Arends’ classroom every day for lunch with her girlfriend and other students. She said everyone referred to him as ‘Chef T.’

She said she was shocked to hear about the arrest.

“He was always really friendly. I feel like this just kind of came out of left field,” Ava Koster said. “A lot of students were very drawn to him, I feel, and he was very open to talking with them. I don’t know how much that tells you about him or what it doesn’t, but it’s really alarming that he was able to get into the school, you know?”

CHP said investigators are now conducting a more thorough search through the computer. The agency is asking anyone with information related to this case to call 1-800-835-5247.

KCRA 3 also confirmed that Turpen-Arends served in the U.S. Navy from 2005 through his retirement on Jan. 3, 2022. He was a chief culinary specialist, records showed.

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 Taylor Lang, Maddie Augustine

Click here for updates on this story

    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Residents of two apartment buildings in Milwaukee are being forced to leave after city officials determined their interiors were in disrepair.

Residents told 12 News they were given 30 minutes to vacate the buildings at 2319 W. Michigan St. and 2327 W. Michigan St. because of fire hazards.

On Wednesday, Milwaukee’s Department of Neighborhood Services said the buildings have “life safety issues” and a placard had been issued for both, meaning both are now temporarily shut down.

DNS told 12 News on Wednesday the electrical system in both buildings had been tampered with, both buildings’ fire systems are defective and fire doors were blocked inside the building.

“In situations where there is a placard, there will be an emergency order, but with the severity of this issue and a clear and present danger it presents to life safety, we had to escalate,” Jeremy McGovern, with DNS, said. “In a situation like this, it could ignite, there could be a fire. And also with the way this building is structured, the way they blocked some of the fire doors, you know, what we want to prevent are fatalities or people being injured.”

City records also describe the issue as “Interior of Building in Disrepair.”

The open residential enforcement case states that water enters the building when it rains and that the floors are rotting. The complaint also alleges problems with roaches and rats.

A resident sent a message they received from Smart Asset Management to 12 News.

“Attention Tenants, the DNS is currently at the property investigating and collecting information; it appears that they have made the decision to shut down the building. We do not have any further information at the moment, however we will be reaching out this afternoon hopefully on when you can return to gather belongings. We understand the difficulty of the situation, please utilize community resources and family members for placement. We will be in touch.”

The buildings are owned by Sam Stair, according to information provided by city officials. Smart Assett Realty, a third party property manager, is overseeing the property.

DNS told 12 News the property owner is responsible for fixing the issues, so there is no exact timeline for when residents could potentially be back in their homes.

DNS said 40 units were occupied and evacuated. Community advocates were on site Wednesday to help displaced residents, but many told 12 News they are still unsure where they will be able to go.

“It’s in a rough area, but this was my home. My house where I paid the bills. I could come home, relax. Wind down now. Just nowhere to go. Have to find somewhere in such a short notice. Might have to stay at a shelter hotel tonight,” Zakira, a displaced resident said.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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 Zoe Blair

Click here for updates on this story

    BROOKWOOD, Ala. (WVTM) — Brookwood residents came together to honor the 13 lives lost in a deadly mining explosion on September 23, 2001, while continuing to advocate for improved safety regulations in the mining industry.

Larry Spencer, president of the Alabama Miners Memorial Foundation, was working in Mine Number Seven when the neighboring mine collapsed, triggering two explosions.

“We heard the rumble and we looked at each other, wasn’t sure what it was. I was a fire boss and I started my route out and made a phone call out and was told that I needed to get out,” Spencer said. “When I came outside, we were told there was an explosion and there were people missing.”

Since the tragedy, Spencer and his fellow miners have gathered annually to honor the victims and work toward preventing similar incidents.

“From the day of the explosion, we’ve been looking at trying to do things differently,” Spencer said. “Everybody worked toward MSHA. There were new regulations and stuff. Some of that stuff has started taking a little bit of a backwards turn since the new administration.”

Spencer also expressed concern about changes under the mine’s new ownership, including the removal of a longstanding memorial.

“There used to be a memorial fence,” Spencer said. “For 24 years, that memorial fence has been in front of Number Five Mine, where widows and other employees could go by and drop flowers and pay their respects. Warrior Met Coal took that fence down this year.”

The ceremony also paid tribute to Justin Calloway, who was killed in July at the Blue Creek Mine.

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 John Rupolo

Click here for updates on this story

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KOAT) — Albuquerque officials are testing a new alert system designed to track flooding conditions and warn homeless individuals living in arroyos about dangerous flash flooding after multiple rescue incidents.

In August, one person died and another was rescued near the arroyo system in the Four Hills area, also known as “The Box.” Albuquerque Fire Rescue said they were homeless individuals living in the arroyo.

On Tuesday, AFR responded to several reports of people in arroyos, including one person who fell in but managed to get out and a truck stuck in a dirt arroyo. All individuals were safely rescued by AFR.

Marcia Simmons, who lives near “The Box,” shared her concerns about the recurring emergencies.

“And I am terrified. I see the emergency vehicles come, and I know there’s somebody down there. And it’s happened repeatedly, and there doesn’t seem to be anything happening to stop this,” Simmons said.

The city, along with Albuquerque Fire Rescue, the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority, and the National Weather Service, has completed testing a “proof of concept system for early detection and alert during potentially dangerous situations in arroyos.”

Paula Dodge, operations director for AMAFCA, said the system is still in progress.

“Some kind of a warning system that is not operational yet, but is something that the city of Albuquerque is working on with AMAFCA to install some sensors and some alarms into the system for homeless people,” Dodge said.

While the city has not released full details, officials said they have set up an alert system at one of the arroyos to test sensors designed to warn about flash flooding.

Simmons believes the system could save lives.

“Alert system is exactly what we need, because those people don’t have any other way to get information that the flood is coming at them,” Simmons said.

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.