Category: CNN Regional

By WTAE Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    BUTLER COUNTY, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — Dramatic video shows the moment a woman ran into a store to evade an ex-boyfriend who was allegedly attempting to kidnap her in Butler County.

Authorities were called to the 100 block of Pillow Street on Valentine’s Day for a reported kidnapping and domestic assault.

When authorities arrived, they spoke with a woman who said she was involved in a fight with Kenneth Clarke on McGeary Street in Butler City.

The woman said Clarke had hit her in the face multiple times, adding her lip ring was torn out.

During the fight, Clarke allegedly placed his hands on her neck and began to strangle her before grabbing her hair and shoving her into a wall.

A news release from Butler City police stated Clarke dragged the woman from a home and threw her into a U-Haul van before driving off while holding a pair of scissors to her.

The victim said she made the decision to try and escape after Clarke allegedly told her he was going to kill her.

When the woman began to run, authorities say Clarke tried to stab her with the scissors and caused a cut in her pants.

The dramatic surveillance footage shows the woman running into a store, where Clarke followed before fleeing into the U-Haul before police could arrive.

Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 spoke with worker, Tori Adams, who was inside the Butler Tobacco and Grocery. She detailed the intense scene.

“There was blood down her face. Her pants were ripped. She didn’t have shoes on. And she kept repeating, screaming like I’ve been kidnapped. Or he tried to kidnap me.”

Adams said Clarke came into the shop and was trying to find the woman.

“He kept yelling at me, and I just, I kept charging towards him. Like, to try to, like, walk him back out the door, like I didn’t know what he was capable of. All I knew was like this girl with battered, bloody and sitting in my back room. My son was behind the counter and I was like, no, we’re not doing this today.”

He was eventually taken into custody by Evans City and Jackson Township police following a short chase.

Police have filed multiple charges including kidnapping, aggravated assault, strangulation and terroristic threats.

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 Ari Hait

Click here for updates on this story

    STUART, Florida (WPBF) — A Martin County woman is recovering after becoming the victim of what the sheriff called a random and unprovoked attack.

Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said the woman was walking on Tiger Shores Beach in Martin County, Florida, around 11 p.m. Thursday.

Her husband called 911 and told the dispatcher his wife had been talking on the phone with her sister when she started screaming.

“Her sister said it sounded like she was fighting with someone. And then the phone went dead,” the husband said. “They’ve been calling her for the past five minutes. She’s not responding.”

The husband said he was racing to her last known location at Stuart Beach.

Budensiek said deputies found the woman on the beach “wet with bruising on the side of her neck, bruising on the side of her face, and they started trying to piece together what had taken place.”

Investigators said the woman was walking alone when she was attacked from behind.

“She was hit first, grabbed around the throat, drug into the ocean, and then held down as she struggled to break free from this individual,” Budensiek said.

The suspect, identified as Said Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez, was arrested Sunday while threatening to kill himself.

Deputies said he could not explain why he attacked the victim.

“For some unknown reason, he went into a rage, went and smacked the phone out of her hand, realized he’d gone too far, pulled her into the ocean, and started trying to drown her,” Budensiek said.

Investigators said Hernandez Gonzalez told them he only stopped the attack once he thought the victim was dead.

Budensiek said deputies told Hernandez Gonzalez the victim was still alive and asked if he felt remorse.

“His response was, ‘No, I don’t feel nothing,'” Budensiek said.

Hernandez Gonzalez is charged with attempted first-degree murder and is being held in the Martin County Jail without bond.

The sheriff said Hernandez Gonzalez is in the country illegally and is also being held for immigration authorities.

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 Remi Murrey

Click here for updates on this story

    CLEVELAND (WEWS) — A local man is now recovering after he recently survived an armed carjacking attempt in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood.

“Definitely scary and traumatizing for sure. I don’t wish this on nobody,” said Christopher.

In a ring camera video Chris showed us, we saw an exchange of gunshots that left him calling for help once he saw he had been shot while trying to save his sister’s vehicle from being stolen.

When News 5 asked Chris what was running through his mind during this moment, he replied and said, “About seven or eight years ago, my brother, he got shot and killed, unfortunately, and I instantly seen the blood squirting, and I just started thinking about that like I’m going to die.”

Thankfully, Chris is still alive. But he said that night’s experience will live with him forever.

“It literally happened within seconds, literally. And like I said, all I was trying to do is come out there and just scare them away. I wasn’t planning on shooting these kids or whoever they were,” said Chris.

News 5 reached out to Cleveland Police, and Sergeant Freddy Diaz said detectives are still trying to piece things together.

“A lot of people said that they would’ve just let them take it, but like I said, that wasn’t running through my head at the time, and I just wanted to scare them away just because of how hard it is for her,” said Chris.

News 5 asked Chris if he would do things differently.

“You can say that you would do this and do that, but until that moment, you never know what you’re going to do,” said Chris.

As Chris continues to heal, he hopes to see more police presence, so he and his neighbors aren’t living on edge.

“Just try to take any precautions to keep your property locked up, just so this doesn’t happen to you,” said Chris.

Since Chris is not able to work right now, his family is planning a fundraiser at Caruso’s at 5006 Clark Avenue in Cleveland.

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 Rachael Perry

Click here for updates on this story

    MARTIN COUNTY, Florida (WPBF) — A Florida man jumped into a canal to save an unconscious mother and her three children after their SUV veered off the road. One week later, the mother finally got to thank him in an emotional hospital reunion.

The crash happened on Feb. 8, 2026, in Indiantown when the mother, Shyeniqua Wilkins, suffered a seizure behind the wheel. Her three young children were in the backseat when the vehicle plunged into a canal.

Casey Curtis just happened to be driving in front of the SUV when he looked into his rearview mirror and saw it veer off the road. Curtis quickly pulled over and dialed 911 before jumping out of his vehicle and rushing to help.

“Once I got up to the fence area, I noticed that there was knocking, banging on the window, and kids screaming,” he told WPBF in an earlier interview.

Wilkins’ oldest daughter, just 8 years old, held her two siblings above water while she screamed for help.

Curtis quickly got the three young children out of the SUV and onto dry land before turning his attention to Wilkins. He held her head above water while first responders rushed to the scene.

Wilkins and her three children were taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, where the mother spent several days in the ICU. Incredibly, her three children were OK.

A week later, Wilkins is recovering and feeling much better. She was able to meet the man she calls her hero on a Zoom call before he surprised her by showing up at the hospital.

Reporter Rachael Perry spoke with Curtis and Wilkins about the day of the crash and what it means to finally meet.

“Everybody kept asking me, did I remember? I kept saying, no. I remember driving from Indiantown. I don’t remember when the seizure started or any of that, because I’ve had a couple, but I never know when it’s going to start or something like that,” Wilkins said.

Wilkins said she remembers waking up and being told what happened. A few days after the crash, she was finally able to see her children.

“It was emotional. Every day it was emotional because I talked to them and they were like, ‘Mommy, I want to see you,’ and I wanted to see them too, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t well enough for them to see and stuff like that. So when we finally did see each other, they were kind of like, I don’t want to go away,” she said.

As the days went by, she said she couldn’t wait to meet the man who saved their lives.

“I’m so thankful and grateful for you. I know it’s because of you and God. You don’t want to be a hero, but hey, I’m sorry you’re the hero of my life. I just thank God for you now,” she told Curtis.

Curtis said seeing Wilkins doing so well was the best surprise.

“It’s a great feeling to see her alive and breathing and doing so well. I really, I was not expecting that. So it’s just, it’s fantastic. I wasn’t expecting it,” he said.

Wilkins said she can only thank God and Curtis for giving her a second chance at life.

“I’ve always been a believer in God, but I have stopped going to church and stopped talking to him. So this right here has just opened that back up for me. It’s just like, ‘Hey, I gave you another chance.’ Everybody doesn’t get a second chance at life, and he gave that to me and my kids,” she said.

As for her daughter, who held her two young siblings while screaming for help, Wilkins said she couldn’t be prouder of her.

“I’ve always told them, don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared. Run wherever you see. Go get help. Go get help. Go get help. Don’t ever be scared, and always protect your siblings. And she stood on that, and I’m so proud of her,” she said.

During the Zoom call, Wilkins expressed several times how badly she wanted to thank Curtis in person. That moment came when he surprised her just two hours later by showing up at the hospital.

Wilkins said it’s going to take her a while to get back on her feet, between medical bills and providing for her family. She said before the accident, she had been in the process of finding a permanent home for her family to settle down, and she is worried for what’s next.

“I basically lost everything. I have nothing right now, not a car, not a whole lot. All these medical bills that are going to pile up on top of everything else. I just ask for help,” Wilkins said.

For anyone wanting to help Wilkins during this time, the family has set up a way to donate.

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 Eric Hanson

Click here for updates on this story

    SOUTH AFRICA (KCCI) — A group of women in Iowa is changing lives by sewing personal hygiene kits for South African girls, helping them stay in school and pursue their dreams.

Wanda Armstrong, a member of the group from Grimes, said, “We’ve been part of the group since 2016.” These kits are essential for many girls who lack access to basic menstrual supplies, which can lead to missing school. Wanda explained, “The girls would have to stay home and miss valuable education opportunities by being in schools.”

The group produces 200 kits annually, each packed with necessary supplies and instructions, providing not just materials but also confidence and a better chance at attending school.

“It gives you a really warm feeling that makes you feel great that Iowa is a part of something great that’s helping these girls stay in school and get an education,” Wanda said.

Every stitch serves a higher purpose, with kits packed into suitcases traveling halfway across the world. The kits end up in South Africa, where they are accompanied by lessons that change lives and keep girls in school.

In a classroom filled with 128 teenagers eager to learn, Hilda Chongani said, “Each and every one has a goal or a dream to want to be someone else when they grow up.”

When the girls discovered the hand-sewn gifts from Iowa were theirs, relief filled the room, and the Iowa women on a mission trip handed out the bags with hugs.

Mimi Kelly-Meyer from Indianola expressed the impact, saying, “And so to be here and support them in all of the knowledge and share supplies with them is really incredible.”

Jessica Lawson from Urbandale noted the shared experiences, saying, “And just to see the same teenage struggles. It’s the same exactly as we have back home.”

This project, based in love, is one of many ways Iowa is delivering generosity from Iowa to Africa.

KCCI’s Eric Hanson recently traveled to South Africa to cover dozens of efforts to provide clean water, healthy food and basic sanitation to children there. His This is Iowa special, From Iowa to Africa, airs Sunday, Feb. 22nd at 9pm on KCCI.

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 Pamela Comme

Click here for updates on this story

    DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (WESH) — A day meant for family fun during Daytona 500 weekend turned into a close call for a teenager after a random attack left him seriously injured.

“We are so lucky our son’s alive. The doctor said if it would have been one millimeter deeper, we’d probably be having a different conversation,” said Jerod Clarke, the boy’s father.

The teen received 13 stitches after the attack Saturday night. Lori and Jerod Clarke said they were spending time on Ocean Avenue in Daytona Beach when a man approached their son.

“He had sort of a strange look in his eyes. And then he went up to my son, and I saw this motion, this, like motion. And I thought, oh, he’s stealing his phone,” Lori Clarke said.

The Clarkes quickly realized that was not the case. They said 44-year-old Jermaine Long targeted their son and cut his neck.

“It was crazy. I mean, I saw my son’s neck totally gashed open. I could see the meat in his neck. It was crazy,” Jerod Clarke said.

“It was absolutely horrifying. I was terrified. I couldn’t believe that could happen so quickly. And that anyone would do that,” Lori Clarke added.

When police arrived, they found Long and arrested him. He is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

After his arrest, the family said they learned Long is a registered sex offender with a criminal history involving drugs and battery.

The teen’s parents said he belongs behind bars.

“I want him locked up. And there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll do it again if he gets out,” Jerod Clarke said.

Despite the trauma, the teen still wanted to attend the race the following day. The family has since returned home to Delray Beach and is focused on his recovery while hoping for justice.

Long is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail on a $50,000 bond.

WESH 2 recently reported that police plan to have a 24-hour patrol unit in the boardwalk area by April to increase safety.

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 Sarah Mankowitz

Click here for updates on this story

    CAPE CORAL, Florida (WBBH) — The Cape Coral Fire Department’s team of rescue divers is rigorously trained to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies involving vehicles in canals.

William Wood, a fire lieutenant and field training officer for the water rescue program, highlighted the prevalence of such incidents, saying, “There’s a lot of cars that end up in canals here in Cape Coral, more than probably people know.”

Wood explained the requirements for joining the dive team: “To be on the dive team, before you even apply, you have to have your open water and your rescue diver certifications through an outside agency.”

Wood described the initial steps in a rescue operation: “The first thing we want to do is search the driver’s side of the vehicle. The car got in there somehow.”

Once a victim is located, the team works to safely extricate them. Wood detailed the procedure, saying, “Once the window’s broken and the glass is cleared, the diver is going to go ahead and do a search without entering the car. For safety reasons, we don’t want our diver actually entering the vehicle. That way, in case they get entrapped, we don’t want to run into any situation where they need to be rescued.”

Preparation begins before arriving on the scene, with equipment prepackaged for quick deployment. The fire truck is designed specifically for rescue divers, featuring a specialty compartment for dive gear. Wood described, “We have a specialty compartment in the back that specific to holding our dive gear, whether it’s our communications, our spare bottles, any other type of dive equipment that we might carry.”

The training is ongoing. Wood explained, “Our divers are required to do two training dives a year, and we alternate between night dives and boat days.”

The importance of training was shown by a tragic incident in April 2024 in Riviera Beach, where a man died after crews attempted to rescue him from a car in a canal.

An independent review found the firefighters lacked training and made several mistakes, including breaking a window before the car was secured, which caused the car to sink.

Wood warned, “Without the proper training, you know, we might put ourselves in a situation where we become a victim as well.”

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 Meghan Mosley

Click here for updates on this story

    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — A woman is grieving the loss of her fiancé after he was shot and killed earlier this month at a southwest Oklahoma City apartment complex.

Police said Brentley Joseph Mueller, 42, was shot on Feb. 6 at an apartment complex on South Pennsylvania Avenue near Southwest 36th Street. He was taken to an area hospital, where he later died.

“He helped me do everything. He was my best friend, my partner, my soul mate, and we just did everything together,” Mueller’s fiancé, Thelisa Sparks, said. “I just remember holding him in my arms, crying and telling him, ‘You gotta breathe. Look at me.’ And he locked eyes with me and he’s trying to take his last breath, and it was so freaking hard.”

The two were set to get married in April after years together through ups and downs. Sparks told KOCO 5 that the last six months marked a new chapter.

“He got a job. He really was giving his all to change his life around, and I think that’s the hardest part. You change your life around, and then your life is just taken out of nowhere,” she said.

Instead of planning a wedding, Sparks is planning Mueller’s funeral.

“He helped me do everything. He was my best friend, my partner, my soul mate. And we just did everything together,” she said.

With all their money going toward the wedding, Sparks finds herself in a bind and created a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses. Anyone who would like to donate can do so here.

“I just want him to come home, and I know he’s not. I know he’s not gonna come home,” Sparks 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.