Category: CNN Regional

By Matthew Ablon

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    Texas (KTVT) — As severe storms rolled through North Texas this past weekend, officers with the White Settlement Police Department found themselves rescuing a mother from rushing flood waters.

A video shared by the department to YouTube provides several angles from different dashboard and body-worn cameras. On Saturday, April 25, the department said officers were positioned around the city to respond to storm damage and emergencies. A supervisor, identified as Sergeant John Banner, saw rising flood waters along Western Hills Boulevard around 11 p.m. and also spotted a car that was driving become stranded.

After calling for help, the department said Banner saw the car become high-centered on a curb, with the front part of the car trapped in the flood water of a channel that runs toward a creek. Three children were able to get out of the car, and the department said Banner had them get inside his patrol vehicle to ensure their safety. However, the children’s mother was still inside the driver’s seat and unable to make it to high ground.

White Settlement Police said Banner was able to plan with arriving officers to help secure the woman after developing rapport with her. They had to improvise, getting her a jumper cable to secure herself with until the fire department could arrive. The department said Banner kept her calm until more help was able to get there.

After firefighters arrived, White Settlement Police said crews were able to hook a cable to the car, safely pulling it to the roadway and reuniting the mother with her children. The family was checked out by the fire department and found to be unharmed.

“I am grateful for the proactive response of Sergeant John Banner, his team of officers, our WEST COMM Dispatch Center, partner agencies and Fire Department during this dangerous situation of heavy rainfall that fell within a short period of time that caused rapid flooding in the area,” said Chief of Police Christopher Cook in a statement. “Law enforcement officers put the highest priority on the preservation of life and this was evident based upon getting creative and using a pair of jumper cables to serve as an additional safety tool until the car was pulled from danger.”

“What I saw during this rescue was brave police officers doing what they could to save lives,” added City Manager Jeffrey J. James. “I am equally proud of our entire public safety team who pulled together to provide the highest level of service to this family which led to a positive outcome.”

White Settlement Police said Chief Cook has ordered for each patrol care to be outfitted with a water rescue throw bag after reviewing the incident.

In addition to Banner, the department offered praise to Corporal Gasper Martinez, Officer Christopher Wiseman, Officer Brian Leal, Dispatcher Shyanne Hoffman, Dispatcher Gunnar Tomlinson, the Westworth Village Police Department, the Fort Worth Police Department’s West Division and the White Settlement Fire Department.

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 Tia Maggio

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    SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — Tuesday update: Savannah city officials confirmed to WJCL News Investigates that there is video of the attack, but it is “extremely poor quality and does not provide identifiable details that would assist the public in recognizing any individuals or generating meaningful leads.”

Initial report: New developments in the shocking acid attack at Forsyth Park — as the victim, Ashley Wasielewski, met face-to-face with investigators in what she describes as a “highly charged” conversation.

The meeting took place at Savannah Police Department headquarters and lasted just over an hour.

WJCL 22 News Investigates observed Wasielewski arriving with a family member around 10:55 a.m. and leaving shortly after noon.

While she declined an on-camera interview, Wasielewski spoke briefly with WJCL 22 News after the meeting, calling it “highly charged” but not providing further details.

Four months after the brutal attack, authorities have not announced any arrests, identified a suspect, or released a motive. The case dates back to December 10, when investigators say Wasielewski was walking through Forsyth Park when an unknown person randomly poured acid on her.

Her son, Westley Wasielewski, spoke weeks after the attack about the lack of answers.

“It’s definitely been difficult,” he said. “Savannah’s such a special place to my mother, and I don’t know if it will feel the same if he is not caught.”

A close friend who heard Wasielewski’s screams during the attack described the moment as “horrific.”

Investigators later confirmed the substance used was a sulfuric acid compound, leaving Wasielewski with third- and fourth-degree burns across much of her body. Medical experts say injuries of that scale can take years to treat and may cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

A source tells WJCL 22 News the meeting included multiple Savannah Police officials — including a captain, lieutenant, and detective — along with two FBI agents.

In a statement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed its agents attended, calling the meeting a routine update for the victim. The agency added that the Savannah Police Department remains the lead in the investigation.

Wasielewski did not discuss her recovery but said she is “doing well.” Savannah Police also confirmed the meeting but declined to release additional information.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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 Sara Tenenbaum

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — The family of Sheridan Gorman, the Loyola University freshman killed in a shooting in Rogers Park in March, attended Wednesday’s court hearing for the man charged with her murder.

Jose Medina, 25, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon and a federal gun possession charge for the shooting that killed Gorman on Rogers Park pier on March 19.

In the brief arraignment hearing, Medina pled not guilty to all charges. His formal arraignment has been delayed multiple times as he was treated in custody for tuberculosis and other medical problems.

Medina has been detained in the Department of Corrections since his first court hearing on March 27, at the request of both the defense and prosecution. Medina’s attorney said he was one of the Venezuelan migrants bused to Chicago from Texas by Gov. Greg Abbot starting in 2022. He had been in the U.S. with his mother on asylum, his attorney said.

Gorman’s parents arrived with a large group of supporters to attend the hearing, then spoke briefly afterwards.

“Today is a step forward,” her father, Thomas Gorman, said. “But let’s not pretend it’s anything more than that. An arraignment is not justice, it’s the beginning of a long process and our family will be here every step of the way until there is accountability for what was done to our daughter Sheridan.”

Thomas Gorman thanked prosecutors and law enforcement, but said “gratitude does not erase what happened.”

“She is gone because systems that are supposed to protect the public did not do their job,” he said.

He denounced the use of his daughter’s death by politicians and for political purposes, declaring, “This is not about politics for us, this is about responsibility.”

“We are not interested in slogans, we are not interested in political spin, we are interested in one thing: that this does not happen to another family,” Thomas Gorman said.

He described the void left in their lives after his daughter’s death – “it’s an empty seat the table, it’s silence instead of laughter” – and said they want accountability both in the courtroom and “from those responsible for enforcing the laws that already exist.”

He also said the family wants “real, meaningful change that puts policy over politics.”

Sheridan Gorman’s mother Jessica spoke very briefly, thanking the entire country for their thoughts and prayers and telling the gathered media in a shaking voice, “Our daughter was beautiful on the inside and out. She really mattered. We’re going to get justice for her.”

Medina was returned to state custody after the hearing. His next court date was not immediately known.

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 Adam Harrington

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — Attorneys for a woman convicted of killing her 69-year-old landlord in Chicago’s Arcadia Terrace community have filed an appeal.

The attorneys for Sandra Kolalou claim that prosecutors did not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Kolalou was convicted in April 2024 on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, for the death of 69-year-old Frances Walker in October 2022 at a home in Chicago’s Arcadia Terrace neighborhood. In July 2024, Kolalou was sentenced to 58 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Kolalou was upset that she was being evicted by Walker from a rooming house at 5919 N. Washtenaw Ave. The murder happened two days after Walker received complaints from other tenants about Kolalou.

Police at the time said Kolalou conveyed the impression that Walker was still alive in her replies to text messages.

Prosecutors said Kolalou called a tow truck to take her to Foster Avenue Beach, where her broken-down car was parked. At one point, she pulled out a knife on the driver in the area of Western and Estes avenues after they refused to take her elsewhere.

The tow truck driver watched her dump a black garbage bag into a garbage bin. At the beach, pooled blood and blood-soaked rags were found inside. Investigators also found portions of Walker’s body in the home’s freezer.

Kolalou’s attorneys are now asking for a new trial, on the grounds that the investigation was flawed and the defense was not allowed to present key evidence.

In an unrelated case, Kolalou won a verdict of nearly $3 million in a lawsuit she filed against the Chicago Transit Authority after she was hit by a bus while walking in a Chicago crosswalk on March 1, 2018. In January, the Illinois Appellate Court ruled that the CTA must pay the verdict, as it had nothing to do with the murder case.

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 Alyssa Roberts

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    Arizona (KTNV) — Investigators are probing for new leads in a Mohave County cold case, with the hope that a new rendering of the victim could help solve a 36-year-old mystery.

The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday shared new details in the case, which has been under investigation since Nov. 24, 1989, when human remains were recovered off Interstate 40, approximately 1.5 miles south of mile marker 66.5, near the Hualapai Mountains.

Little is known about the victim, including her name. She’s described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, approximately 115 pounds, and between 25 to 30 years old at the time of her death.

She was found unclothed, but deputies later located a handmade white blouse with a blue/purple flower pattern in an additional search of the scene. Investigators also noted the victim’s finger and toenails were painted red.

Throughout the years since, attempts to identify the victim have been unsuccessful, the sheriff’s office stated.

In 2021, the case was assigned to the Special Investigations Unit, which contacted Texas forensic laboratory Gene by Gene to try to identify her through a DNA match.

Entering the victim’s DNA into GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA revealed she was “96% Ashkenazi Jew, which made it extremely difficult to trace her ancestry and locate family members,” sheriff’s officials stated.

In early 2026, detectives partnered with Ramapo College in New Jersey, which houses a “first of its kind” Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center. They hope the new partnership will finally solve the mystery of this Jane Doe’s identity.

“…one of the first things that the college did was partner with a forensic artist to create a rendering of what she may have looked like,” sheriff’s officials stated. “The rendering was created based on photos of her skeletal remains, the shirt found at the scene, and the earrings she was wearing when she was found.”

After 36 years, investigators believe the new rendering may inject new life into a case that has long since gone cold.

Investigators ask anyone with information about this case to contact the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Unit at 928-753-0753 and reference DR# 89-4531.

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By KTNV Staff

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    LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nearly three months after the guilty verdict was first read, Nathan Chasing Horse returned to court to face sentencing on Monday.

Judge Jessica Peterson ordered Chasing Horse to serve 37 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 25 years. He will receive credit for 1,184 days served in jail since his arrest.

In January, a Clark County jury deliberated for nearly nine hours before finding Chasing Horse guilty of more than a dozen sex crimes. Several delays in the case had pushed back his sentencing over the past few months.

Throughout the case, Chasing Horse has maintained his innocence. He spoke briefly at the sentencing hearing on Monday, telling the court, “I did not do these things, and this is a miscarriage of justice.”

Six people delivered emotional testimony in court, describing the impact Chasing Horse has had on their lives. Judge Peterson addressed them directly before she passed her sentence.

“The message I am going to send today, I hope will bring you peace, I hope will bring you some healing, and I hope will allow you to move forward,” she said. “I hope that you all, when you leave here, can take back your life. You can take back your power. You can take back your shame. Because none of you should feel ashamed for anything that was done to you.”

The “Dances with Wolves” actor was arrested in early 2023 on charges of sex trafficking, sexual assault of a child, and child abuse.

Police described Chasing Horse as the leader of a cult known as “The Circle” whose followers believed he could commune with spirits. He built a reputation for himself among Native tribes across the U.S. and Canada as a “Medicine Man” who could perform healing ceremonies.

Police say he abused that position to physically and sexually assault Indigenous girls over the span of approximately two decades.

The crimes, police said, span multiple states, including South Dakota, Montana and Nevada, where he has lived for about a decade.

During the trial, jurors heard from nearly 20 prosecution witnesses, including women Chasing Horse is accused of abusing.

“For almost 20 years, this man spun a web of abuse — and these victims were caught in it,” a prosecutor 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.

By Adam Sexton

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    CONCORD, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A committee at the State House is considering whether to discipline or expel a state representative from Weare over a social media post targeting a fellow lawmaker and invoking a Nazi term for the systemic extermination of Jewish people.

Some who spoke at the hearing Monday said it doesn’t matter if state Rep. Travis Corcoran, R-Weare, was joking. They believe he should face consequences.

“Mr. Corcoran’s words are an affront not only to Jewish people, but to all people who are committed to the free exchange of ideas without threat of violence or murder,” said Rabbi Daniel Aronson, of Keene.

Jewish religious and community leaders went to Concord on Monday to call for Corcoran to face consequences for his recent social media post. Corcoran was responding to an invitation from state Rep. Jessica Grill, D-Manchester, to join the “karaoke caucus” when he posed on X: “We need a final solution for theater kids in politics.”

Grill is Jewish.

“I did not know Representative Grill was Jewish when I made the comment,” Corcoran said. “There are nearly 400 members of this House. I do not keep track of my colleagues’ religious backgrounds. The claim that this targeted her because of her background is false.”

Corcoran blasted the hearing as a “full-blown piece of political theater.”

“A joke is now being treated as though it were an act of malice, and sarcasm is being recast as hate speech,” he said. “This is absurd.”

After speaking, Corcoran stood up, left the hearing room, and did not return.

Grill also testified, calling for the committee to recommend that Corcoran be expelled.

“As a Jewish lawmaker, the use of this phase ‘final solution’ is especially disturbing,” she said. “It is not vague or thoughtless. It is not a poorly worded joke. It is targeted language with a specific historical meaning.”

Corcoran had one fellow lawmaker speak in his defense. Several others asked for accountability within the recommendations available to the committee, saying no matter the intent, the House must stand against such language.

“You have the power to reprimand, censure and expel,” said Mark Murray, of Bedford. “So, I’m going to assume there is behavior that would warrant that happening. If this isn’t it, what is? What’s going to be acceptable next?”

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