Category: kvia-local-news

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — The New Mexico Department of Justice filed a motion Friday requesting motions for depositions for former NMSU men’s basketball players Kim Aiken Jr. and Doctor Bradley after Deshawndre Washington missed court Aug. 3.

A deposition is sworn oral testimony given out of a court. It carries the same legal weight as testifying in a courtroom.

The New Mexico Attorney General’s Office previously charged Washington, Bradley and Aiken with a combined 37 felony sex crimes tied to a hazing scandal.

Washington delayed his trial by failing to appear in court. He was later seen playing in a basketball tournament in Lebanon. His agency told ABC-7 he had issues returning to the U.S. for court due to conflict in the Middle East.

According to documents, Aiken entered a plea agreement in December 2024 and agreed to testify against his former teammates “in exchange for a guilty plea to lesser charges.”

Bradley entered a plea agreement in October 2024 under the same conditions, documents said.

According to documents ABC-7 obtained, the deposition said.

Documents and Aiken and Bradley were ready to testify Aug. 3, but couldn’t due to Washington’s absence.

The deposition requests cited a rule that said depositions may be taken by agreement of the parties or by the order of the court upon showing it’s necessary to take the person’s deposition to prevent injustice.

Instead of asking to admit the content of the deposition at trial, NM DOJ is asking to preserve testimony in case the matter proceeds to trial in the future, and the witnesses aren’t available for trial.

In the final point, the documents said the counsel for the defendants opposes the relief request.

ABC-7 has reached out to the attorney general’s office, the attorneys representing Aiken and Bradley and victims’ families for comment.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained a San Diego Padres’ staffer at the El Paso International Airport Sunday, the DHS confirmed.

DHS alleged 34-year-old Oswaldo Jose Pirela Dominguez, the team’s minor league catching coordinator, was staying in the U.S. illegally.

According to Dominguez’ brother’s Instagram post, the minor league coach was traveling on a work assignment with the Padres.

A post shared by Jorge Heli Pirela (@webjp1)

Below is a statement a DHS spokesperson sent to ABC News:

“On August 16, 2026, Border Patrol arrested Oswaldo Jose Pirela Dominguez, an illegal alien from Venezuela, at the El Paso International Airport. He entered the country legally on September 10, 2014, and was granted permission by the Obama administration to remain in the country until February 10, 2018. In violation of our nation’s laws, he overstayed his welcome. When approached by law enforcement officers, he was not in possession of legal documentation granting him status in the country. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and will receive due process.

To be clear, work authorization or a pending application do NOT confer legal status in the United States.

Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”

The San Diego Padres said it’s aware of Pirela’s detainment and is “working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time.”

UPDATE (1:51 p.m.): The Crime Stoppers of El Paso said it identified the suspect, but did not publicly share his name.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso police are looking for a man who allegedly walked around a Lower Valley El Paso middle school.

According to the Crime Stoppers of El Paso, on July 31 and Aug. 1, the suspect allegedly entered Bel Air Middle School.

Crime Stoppers said the suspect went at 1:46 a.m. on July 31 and 1:11 a.m. on Aug. 1.

On Aug. 1, the man was allegedly seen on security cameras getting naked and walking around the campus.

Crime Stoppers shared pictures of the suspect. It said he has a thin build, beard, long hair and glasses. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, shorts and shoes.

Those with information about the case can call Crime Stoppers at 915-566-8477 or submit an online tip using this website. The organization said if an anonymous tip leads to an arrest, the reporter may qualify for a cash reward.

CANUTILLO, Texas (KVIA) — The Canutillo Independent School District announced the candidates running for four open seats on its board of trustees.

Canutillo ISD said the following candidates applied for one of three at-large positions:

One candidate, Patsy Mendoza, applied for an unexpired two-year term, the district said.

The unexpired term comes from the 2024 election of Blanca Trout, who withdrew after the El Paso County Elections Department printed ballots, but voters still elected her. She dropped from the race after the deadline to take her name off the ballot.

Canutillo ISD’s board appointed current Board President Sergio Martinez to fill the seat. The district said he had the most votes after Trout.

Martinez chose a four-year term instead of filling the remaining time on his unexpired term.

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Tuesday, U.S. Senator John Cornyn said the Department of Justice awarded $189,848 in federal grant funding to El Paso County to support local law enforcement.

Sen. Cornyn said the money will go into:

“Access to proper equipment and modernized training is essential to ensuring our law enforcement officers are best able to protect Texans,” said Sen. Cornyn in a statement. “This funding will equip law enforcement with the tools and resources needed to improve operational readiness and public safety outcomes.”

According to the senator, the funding came from the DOJ’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program.

EL PASO, Texas — Two weeks after tons of pollutants emitted from the Marathon Petroleum Refinery in South-Central El Paso, impacted residents still seek answers. Tawney, Acosta & Chaparro P.C. announced it’s representing several families affected by the reported incidents.

The firm is also looking into whether the surrounding community was impacted.

According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the refinery released thousands of pounds of pollutants during two incidents between Aug. 4-5.

According to the TCEQ reports, a process upset and shutdown at the refinery resulted in emissions of 8,897.9 pounds of propylene, 862 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 19.1 pounds of 1,3-butadiene.

TAC said the emissions totaled “well above the refinery’s permitted emission limits.”

However, in a statement to ABC-7 from the Marathon Petroleum Corporation immediately following the leak on the 4th, they contradicted this report by stating the following:

Trained professionals at Marathon Petroleum’s El Paso refinery responded to reports of odors in the surrounding area last night. The source of the odor was identified and teams addressed the situation. Air monitoring was deployed in the community as a precaution, and did not detect any readings that indicate health risks.

Clients of TAC reported a strong gas or petroleum-like smell in the nearby neighborhoods — some even leaving their homes to avoid the smell. Some said they felt lightheaded and sick.

“We’re hearing from families who were there that night and were affected by what happened,” said Daisy Chaparro, a partner at TAC. “Now that the TCEQ reports are available, people have legitimate questions about what was released into their neighborhood and what it means for the families who were exposed.”

The law firm is still asking anyone who believes they were affected by the Aug. 4 incident to contact them. You can contact the partners at 915-308-1000.

UPDATE (Aug. 18, 2026) — According to Gallegos’ arrest affidavit, he allegedly admitted to drinking 13 to 14 beers before the crash.

Right before the crash, Gallegos allegedly cut off another driver at a high rate of speed, documents said. The witness told investigators Gallegos’ truck didn’t follow the road’s curve and jumped a curb.

The witness said the truck almost hit a tank memorial in front of the Fort Bliss Cassidy Gate, documents said. Gallegos swerved and avoided the memorial and hit a traffic light with the front passenger side, the witness said.

Documents said the truck’s speed made it tail whip before coming to a stop in the middle of the intersection.

The witness and his passenger got out of their vehicle to help. Documents said the witness helped Gallegos get out of the truck and escorted him to a nearby curb. Gallegos pushed the witness toward the truck and allegedly said, “Help them.”

The witness noticed the front right passenger, Cesar Chavez Guillen, was unresponsive. The second witness checked for Guillen’s pulse and didn’t feel anything, documents said. The first witness helped another passenger get out of Gallegos’ truck.

When officers arrived, Gallegos allegedly said he drove the truck. Investigators wrote that the officer smelled an alcoholic beverage on Gallegos’ breath and body.

Documents said Gallegos allegedly slumped over and became unconscious. Fire and medical services transported him to a hospital. FMS also transported the conscious passenger after complaining about chest and leg pain, documents said.

Officers met with Gallegos at the hospital and the surviving passenger. The passenger allegedly told investigators Gallegos was “extremely intoxicated but was distracted on his phone” when the crash happened.

Gallegos allegedly said he didn’t remember when officers asked if he was distracted or where he was coming from, documents said. He also said he didn’t have anything to drink, investigators wrote.

Documents said Gallegos kept his eyes shut due to his injuries and could only open one eye. As seen in his mugshot, his right eye was swollen shut. Investigators write his left eye was blood shot at the hospital.

An officer issued a search warrant for Gallegos’ blood sample, documents said. Officers then transferred him to the El Paso Police Department’s Headquarters for a deadly crash investigation.

According to documents, at EPPD headquarters, Gallegos admitted to drinking several beers.

Gallegos allegedly said he drank two beers at home. At 9:30 p.m., he drove to his friend’s house, where he had five to six more, documents said. He then allegedly drove Guillen and the other passenger to Pockets Billiards and drank five more beers. Documents said after midnight, Gallegos allegedly drove to Tequilas Discoteque, where he drank one more beer and a shot of liquor.

According to documents, Gallegos said they left Tequilas after 1 a.m. to drive to one of the passengers’ homes. He said he didn’t remember how the crash happened, investigators said.

UPDATE (Aug. 17, 2026) — The El Paso Police Department said an 18-year-old man was arrested and charged with intoxicated assault and manslaughter with a vehicle after Sunday’s deadly crash.

According to a news release, around 2:16 a.m., Jose Angel Hernandez Gallegos allegedly drove on Gateway North at a “high rate of speed.” He reportedly lost control of his truck and crashed into a signal light on Cassidy Drive.

Police said a passenger in the truck, 33-year-old Cesar Chavez Guillen, died from injuries caused by the crash.

Authorities arrested Hernandez Gallegos and booked him into the El Paso County Detention Facility under the following charges:

EPPD said this crash marked the 37th traffic fatality compared to 37 at this time last year.

The crash closed a nearby gate at Fort Bliss for several hours, according to officials.

Police did not provide an update on the others injured in the crash.

UPDATE (11:57 a.m.) — According to officials with Fort Bliss, the Cassidy gate is fully open after being closed for several hours due to a deadly crash.

Military officials are asking those using the gate to be cautious as TxDOT crews are finishing “temporary” repairs on a traffic light at the intersection of Cassidy and Gateway North Boulevard.

As more information becomes available we will update you on air and online.

UPDATE (6:49 a.m.) — One person is dead and two were taken to local hospitals with serious injuries after a crash at Gateway North and Cassidy in Northeast El Paso.

Special Traffic Investigators are investigating the crash. Police say there was only one car involved.

Officials have not revealed the cause of the crash, once more information becomes available we will update you on air and online.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Police are reporting a crash at Gateway North and Cassidy in Northeast El Paso.

Police reported the crash at around 4 this morning.

They say all lanes are closed.

We are still finding out how many were involved and if anyone was injured.

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

UPDATE (4:36 p.m.): El Paso police said all lanes have reopened.

The El Paso Fire Department said the vehicle fire didn’t injure anyone.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso police said a vehicle caught fire on Loop 375 East (Transmountain) at Mile 19 Tuesday.

Mile Marker 19 is between LP 375 at Tom Mays Park and Museums.

El Paso police said drivers should be prepared to stop because the fire caused backup.

There isn’t a clearing time set.

Monday, a car caught fire near the same area.