Deputy shoots Channelview man during disturbance

  Crystal KobzaCHANNELVIEW, TX (KTRK) -- A deputy-involved shooting is under investigation in northeast Harris County after a man was shot in the chest.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office tells us the Precinct 3 deputy constable was responding to a domestic disturbance call off Sheffield Terrace at Pennygent near Channelview just after 10pm when he discharged his weapon, hitting the suspect.

"It's just shocking to see the officer just shoot the man in the middle of the street," witness Keri Agee said. "The cop pulled out his gun and shot him. I watched him shoot him right in the middle of the street."

Agee says she was in her front yard hanging Christmas decorations when she saw the Precinct 3 deputy arrive at her neighbor's home.

"I looked back and saw the officer fire two shots, and I went and called 911," she said.

Agee tells us the suspect and the deputy were yelling at one another prior to the shooting and the suspect had started taking off his clothes in the middle of the street.

Seconds later -- in the midst of ordering the suspect to the ground -- the deputy fired the shots.

HCSO officials are investigating what exactly led up to the shooting.

"I honestly think he was trying to show the cop he didn't have anything on him," Agee said. "And he said, 'I don't have anything, you don't have any papers on me, you don't have anything on me, leave my house.'"

Shirley Pruett, who also lives nearby, says she also heard the commotion and was terrified after hearing gunfire.

"What I heard very loud and clear was somebody repeat, 'Shoot, shoot, shoot,'" Pruett said. "And then I heard pow, pow, pow."

The deputy involved was not injured. Authorities tell us he has been with the department for four years.

The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital. His condition is not known at this time.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Suspected shoplifter shot by deputy dies at apartment

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There's new information in the fatal shooting of a suspected shoplifter at a Houston Walmart. Two women have now been charged, but the investigation is far from over.

The shooting happened just after 10pm Thursday at the Walmart off the North Freeway and West Road. The woman killed was found in a car at an apartment complex off Greens Parkway.

Authorities say a total of three women were stealing from the Walmart -- Tiasa Andrews, charged with robbery and assault of a public servant; Yolanda Craig, charged with robbery; and Shelly Frey was shot and killed by a Harris County Sheriff's deputy working security when the trio tried to get away.

"I was right there by my stairway when I heard all the screaming," witness Angel Gaines recalled.

Gaines didn't expect such commotion outside her apartment so late Thursday night, but she soon discovered one of her neighbor's relatives, bleeding to death, in a parked car.

"She said some security officer shot her at Walmart on West Road," Gaines said. "She needed help or something. She was trying to find somebody to help her."

According to investigators, a uniformed Harris County deputy, Louis Campbell, was working an extra job at Walmart Thursday night when two loss prevention officers alerted him to potential shoplifters -- women stuffing merchandise in their purses.

Harris County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Deputy Thomas Gilliland said, "He confronted the suspects at exit of the store before they left. One female wouldn't stop, struck the deputy with her purse, ran off."

Deputy Campbell followed the women to their car in the store parking lot to try to stop them.

"When the vehicle took off, he was standing between the door frame and the driver. I think it knocked him off balance and in fear for his life, being run over, he discharged his weapon at that point," Deputy Gilliland explained.

The driver kept going, arriving at her apartment, where Gaines and her neighbors heard that screaming, wishing they never had.

"You know, there could have been another way around it, of getting her to stop, anything but pulling the trigger," said neighbor Calvin Mitchell.

Gaines said, "I just wish the officer didn't shoot her. I wish he would've just shot her tires or something just to slow her down."

Deputy Campbell is on three days paid leave as is standard protocol. He's been with the Harris County Sheriff's Office for 26 years. The Harris County Sheriff's Homicide Unit, Office of the Inspector General and the Harris County District Attorney's Office will investigate this incident. The case will be turned over to a grand jury.

Walmart offered the following statement: "This is a tragic situation and we recognize this is a difficult time for all parties involved. We're committed to working with law enforcement and providing any information we have as they determine the facts of the case. Because this is an active investigation, any specific details of the incident should come from law enforcement.

We hire off duty officers to provide security to some of our stores. While we have policies in place for our associates to disengage from situations that might put them or others in harm's way, off-duty officers working at a WM store are authorized to act in accordance with their department's code of conduct."

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Deputy thrown from motorcycle in wreck in NE Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- An off-duty deputy was thrown from his motorcycle early this morning in northeast Houston.

It happened around 3:30am on the Eastex Freeway near Crosstimbers. The Precinct 6 constable ran into a stopped car.

Authorities say they believe the woman in that car may have been drunk. She told them she was trying to turn around on the freeway.

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Deputy: Boy burned while playing with flammable liquid

An 11-year-old boy was burned while he reportedly was playing with flammable liquid in north Harris County.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Deputies say an 11-year-old boy was seriously burned in north Harris County while he and his friends were playing with a flammable liquid.

The incident happened near Aldine ISD's Grantham Academy in the 1500 block of Sandydale Lane.

Deputies believe the boy was initially taken to Memorial Hermann, where he was stabilized, but was transported by ground to Galveston Shriners Burn Hospital. They say the boy suffered second-degree burns on 50 percent of his body.

Detectives say this began when four children were playing, lighting newspapers on fire during a football game that isn't affiliated with the school.

Deputies say one of the boys began pouring rubbing alochol when somehow, the flames got on another boy. The boy then started running down the street on fire. That's when neighbors came out and tried rolling the boy on the ground.

"It's heartbreaking. You don't wish that on anyone, you don't," one neighbor told us. "He may have been in shock because he didn't have a reaction. He just had a dead stare. He just wasn't reacting to anything."

Parents and children at the scene are very upset.

Investigators are still talking to the boy's friends to determine exactly what happened.

No other details were immediately available.

Stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for the latest details.

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Harris Co. Sheriff's Office deputy indicted for possession, delivery of ecstasy tablets

Jesus Martinez, a Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy, has surrendered to federal authorities following the return of a federal indictment alleging he aided in the possession of a controlled substance, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Harris County Sheriff's deputy is off the job, accused of aiding in the possession and delivery of ecstasy tablets in the Houston area.

Jesus Martinez, of Humble, has surrendered to federal authorities following the return of a federal indictment that on or about July 23, Martinez allegedly aided others in the possession of MDMA, aka ecstasy, a schedule I controlled substance.

Harris Co. Sheriff Adrian Garcia released a statement Friday which read in part, "Every single one of the employees at the HCSO is expected to obey the law and play by the rules. If an employee becomes involved in criminal behavior then they should know that we will do everything in our power to make sure we find them the jail cell they deserve. Mr. Martinez owes an apology to his colleagues, his coworkers, and the residents of Harris County... His actions have tainted the good work of our deputies who risk their lives every day to keep Harris County safe."

Martinez, 30, had been employed with the HCSO since 2007 and was assigned to the patrol bureau.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years imprisonment as well as a $1 million fine.

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Off-duty deputy injured in motorcycle accident

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- An off-duty Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office deputy was taken to the hospital Sunday after a motorcycle accident on Houston's south side.

According to Houston police, the FBCSO deputy was on a motorcycle working an extra job doing traffic for a funeral.

Police said an Isuzu Rodeo failed to yield the right-of-way and struck the off-duty officer on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. at Bellfort Street.

Officials said the vehicle dragged the deputy across a couple lanes of traffic and hit two other vehicles in the process.

The deputy suffered only minor injuries and was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital for treatment.

It was unclear if anyone else was injured.

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Harris County deputy constable accused of sexual assault of a child

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It was his duty to uphold the law. But now, a Harris County Precinct 5 deputy constable is behind bars, accused of sexually assaulting a child.

Deputy Jeremy English was arrested Friday outside of a hospital. Authorities say a teen is accusing him of sexually assaulting her when she was 14-years old.

That teenager is a relative of the deputy constable. Now instead of reporting to work like he was suppossed to, English found himself in a court of law where a judge outlined the charges against him.

As a Precinct 5 deputy constable, English is supposed to uphold the law. Now he's accused of breaking it. The 28-year-old peace officer went before a judge to face three counts of sexual assault of a child and one count of online solicitation of a minor.

The alleged victim is now 17, but prosecutors say she was a minor -- just 14 years old when she and English first engaged in sexual activity. Investigators say she told a relative. The allegations were then reported to the authorities. Harris County Sheriff's Office investigators arrested English Friday afternoon while he was working his second job as a security officer at North Cypress Medical Center.

No one answered the door at English's northwest Harris County apartment. English has worked patrol for Precinct 5 for almost four years. The charges against him may put his career in jeopardy.

"Right now, Deputy English is relieved of duty without pay pending the outcome of the investigation. We will help the sheriff's department any way we can with their investigation," said Lt. Warren Steffenauer with the Precinct 5 Harris County Constable's Office.

English's bond has been set at $80,000. We called his wife for a comment and are awaiting a response.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Deputy fatally shoots suspected burglar

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Harris County Sheriff's deputy shot and killed a suspected burglar in northwest Harris County Monday morning.

A woman was home with her three-year-old son when someone started banging on her door. The woman ran with her son to a neighbor's home to call 911.

Deputies showed up and two suspects ran out while a third jumped from a second floor window. A deputy fought with one suspect whom the officer shot and killed. The other suspects got away.

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Liberty Co. deputy constable critical after accident

  LIBERTY COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- A Liberty County deputy constable is in extremely critical condition after a wreck Tuesday afternoon.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office says the Precinct 2 deputy constable was transported via LifeFlight to Memorial Hermann Hospital and was "unconscious and unresponsive." People in the other vehicle were being treated for their injuries as well.

LCSO says the deputy constable pulled into the path of an oncoming vehicle on Highway 90 about a mile west of Devers and his vehicle was T-boned on the driver's side.

The injured deputy constable has been identified as 43-year-old Duwayne Marcolesco. He is a resident of Daisetta.

We worked on this story with one of our Houston Community Newspaper partners, The Cleveland Advocate.

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Funeral to be held today for deputy shot, killed

 Deputy Ronnie Brewer was shot and killed last week in northeast Houston.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Funeral services will be held today for a Harris County precinct 4 deputy constable who was shot and killed last week in northeast Houston

The funeral will take place at the Greater Jerusalem Community Church in east Houston. Deputy Constable Ronnie Brewer was off duty last week when he was allegedly shot and killed by Lee Eldridge Sonier.

Sonier claims Brewer did not pay him for a sex act with his accomplice, Judy Wallace Hambrick.

Both Sonier and Hambrick are charged with capital murder. Sonier turned himself into authorities on Friday.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) 

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Funeral to be held this week for deputy shot, killed

 Deputy Ronnie Brewer was shot and killed last week in northeast Houston.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Funeral services are scheduled Wednesday for a Harris County precinct 4 deputy constable who was shot and killed last week in northeast Houston

The funeral will take place at the Greater Jerusalem Community Church in east Houston. Deputy Constable Ronnie Brewer was off duty last week when he was allegedly shot and killed by Lee Eldridge Sonier.

Sonier claims Brewer did not pay him for a sex act with his accomplice, Judy Wallace Hambrick.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) 

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HCSO: Deputy at fault in fiery wreck

 HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Harris County officer was recovering Saturday afternoon from minor injuries sustained in a fiery car crash the night before.

Around 10:30pm Friday, a Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy supervisor was stopped at a red light eastbound on F.M. 1960 at Sugar Pine when a car next to him reportedly ran the red light.

The deputy said he tried to go after the car. Just as he began driving through the red light, a car was coming through the intersection northbound on Sugar Pine.

Officials said deputy hit the side of that car, and then came to a stop against another car in the southbound lanes and caught fire.

Responding officers put out the car fire and the deputy was transported to Northwest Houston Medical Center with minor injuries, authorities said.

The other driver involved also suffered minor injuries, but he refused to be transported.

No one was injured in the third car.

According to investigators, the deputy did not turn on his emergency lights to begin chasing the red light runner, so the accident was deemed his fault.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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Suspect in deputy constable killing turns himself in

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police say a 31-year-old man wanted for the fatal shooting of an off-duty Harris County deputy constable has turned himself in to authorities.

Lee Eldridge Sonier turned himself in late Friday after negotiating his surrender through community activist Quanell X. Sonier is charged with the capital murder of 47-year-old Ronnie Earl Brewer, a Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable.

Quanell X explained, "He was thinking about running, fleeing. I talked to the brother and explained that's the worst thing he could do."

Investigators say Brewer was shot after getting into an argument with Sonier, accused of being a pimp, over money following sex with a prostitute.

Also charged with capital murder is the alleged prostitute, Judy Lucille Hambrick, who is currently jailed.

On Tuesday, police questioned Sonier, 31, Hambrick, 40, and another woman. Sonier and the unnamed woman were released pending further investigation. Hambrick remained in custody and was charged with theft of a firearm. Police say she admitted to stealing Brewer's weapon.

According to a probable cause affidavit released Friday, Hambrick performed a sex act on Brewer in his car early Tuesday morning. Afterward, police say Sonier argued with Brewer and shot him.

Houston police would not talk publicly about the case; neither would prosecutors. But HPD did send out a press release around midday Friday asking for the public's assistance to find Sonier after a noon time surrender did not happen as planned.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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Two charged in death of deputy constable

 Judy Hambrick is one of two people charged with capital murder in the shooting death of an off-duty officer

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two people are being charged with capital murder in the shooting death of an off-duty officer in northeast Houston.

The district attorney is filing capital murder charges against Judy Hambrick and Lee Sonier for the shooting death of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Ronnie Brewer. He was shot in an apparent robbery Tuesday while off-duty.

Police say Hambrick admitted to stealing Brewer's gun and she was charged with theft earlier today.

We'll have more on this developing story on ABC13 Eyewitness News.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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