Man charged in wife's shooting death last month reportedly killed himself Thursday

Thomas A. Quinlan, 58, had been charged with murder in the December shooting death of his wife, Donna Quinlan

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man charged in the shooting death of his wife last month reportedly killed himself on Thursday.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office says shortly before 10am Thursday they were contacted by security reporting that Thomas A. Quinlan came into the April Sound Subdivision going to his home on North April Waters. Security officers knew of the emergency protective order in place against Quinlan prohibiting him from being at the house.

Quinlan was arrested on December 30, 2012, for the shooting death of his wife, Donna Quinlan.

Deputies say when they arrived Thursday, they learned that no one was in the home other than Quinlan and they could not make contact with him. SWAT deputies entered the home and say they found Quinlan dead of what is believed to be a self-inflicted wound.

Quinlan was released from the Montgomery County Jail on January 3 after posting the $500,000 bond set at the time of his arrest last month.

Deputies say the investigation continues.
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Deputies: Couple tied up in home, husband killed

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A husband was tied up and stabbed to death and his wife was found restrained in a closet last night in their Kelsey Meadows home in what appears to be a deadly home invasion.

Jaime and Sandra Melgar were attacked in their home in the 9500 block of Kelsey Meadows Court. The couple was discovered by relatives who showed up at their home for an anniversary celebration. They found the garage door open and went inside.

Jaime, 52, was tied up in a closet. He had been stabbed to death, officials said.

His wife, Sandra, 53, told investigators she blacked out in a bathroom and then woke up in another closet restrained, but alive.

Homicide investigators aren't saying if the home was ransacked or if anything appeared to be missing. They are still working to gather suspect information.

Sandra Melgar has been interviewed extensively by investigators. She is now back home.

"Ms. Melgar says they were in the bathroom together, her and her husband, and at some time she blacked out and the next thing she remembers is waking up in the closet tied up," said Sgt. Robert Spurgeon with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Meanwhile, neighbors and relatives are shocked by the crime and anxious to find out who's behind it.

"I think we're all in shock because nothing like this has ever happened here before. We don't know what happened, if it was it totally random, in which case it could happen to anybody," said a neighbor who we're identifying only as 'Ann.' "You see all the pretty Christmas lights and then there is police and a crime scene down the street."

An autopsy is scheduled for the victim today.

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Driver killed in METRO bus wreck in SE Houston

Police are investigating a wreck that killed a METRO bus driver in southeast Houston Tuesday evening.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Officials say a METRO bus driver was killed in a wreck in southeast Houston Tuesday evening.

METRO police and safety personnel are investigating the accident that occurred on the service road of the Gulf Freeway just north of Howard shortly before 7pm Tuesday.

Preliminary information shows METRO bus operator James Brooks lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a concrete traffic sign pole along the Gulf Freeway's feeder road. A witness reported to investigators that a vehicle made a right turn in front of another vehicle that was ahead of the bus. Brooks reportedly swerved to avoid rear-ending that vehicle, lost control of the bus and then struck the pole.

The bus was not in service and there were no patrons onboard the bus. Investigators state the bus was not equipped with cameras.

METRO staff sends its condolences to the family of 63-year-old Brooks, who had been part of the METRO family since 1983.

"While spending time with James' colleagues at the Polk Facility this morning it became very clear that he was loved and respected. He would always try to make people smile. He cared deeply about his own family and his METRO family," said METRO President & CEO George Greanias.

METRO officials are offering support to Brooks' family. Crisis counseling will be made available to all employees at the Polk Bus Operating Facility where Brooks worked.

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Person trapped under bus, killed in crash

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Authorities are investigating a fatal multi-vehicle accident involving a METRO bus in northwest Houston.

It happened just before 1:30pm Sunday in the 200 block of Interstate 45 North at Cottage.

According to a METRO spokesperson, a vehicle was stalled in a lane due to a flat tire. A second vehicle rear-ended it, causing a chain-reaction crash involving a total of four vehicles, officials said.

A pedestrian was struck in the crash and was reportedly trapped under a METRO bus. That man died at the scene, officials said.

Five others were injured in the string of accidents. Authorities said four were transported with non-life-threatenig inuries and the fifth was treated at the scene and released.

Investigators shut down the roadway for a couple hours while they investigated and cleared the wreckage. METRO police are investigating the incident.

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Uncle: Dad recalls crash that killed boys as blur

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The uncle of two young brothers killed by a suspected drunken driver who was then shot and killed at the crash scene says the boys' father was injured in the accident and remembers it only as a "blur."

Gabriel Barajas said his brother, David Barajas Sr., remembers trying to get to his sons after the crash near their Houston-area home and then recalls waking up in a hospital.

"He just said it happened so fast," Gabriel Barajas said.

David Barajas, along with his sons, 12-year-old David Jr. and 11-year-old Caleb, were pushing the family's broken-down pickup truck down a dark, narrow road on the night of Dec. 7 and were just 50 yards from home when a car crashed into them.

"He told me ... he kept looking back, making sure nobody was coming, nobody was going to run into them," said Gabriel Barajas.

David Jr., 12, died at the scene while Caleb, 11, died at a hospital. Neighbors said they heard two gunshots minutes after the crash, which happened near Alvin, about 30 miles southeast of Houston. Jose Banda, the 20-year-old driver who plowed into the brothers, was found shot in the head. His death has been ruled a homicide.

Brazoria County sheriff's investigator Dominick Sanders said authorities were still trying to determine who shot Banda and to find the gun used to kill him. He said investigators believe Banda had been drinking before the crash, and they're awaiting the results of blood tests. Other toxicology tests have been done to see if Banda had any other substances in his system.

A week after the crash and two days after the brothers' funeral, Sanders said investigators were still hoping to interview the boys' father and mother for the first time. She was in the family's truck with two younger children when the crash happened. Gabriel Barajas said his brother has spoken with authorities.

"Right now they are mourning. The biggest thing was putting the boys to rest," said Gabriel Barajas, 39. Funeral services for Caleb and David were held on Wednesday.

Sanders has declined to say whether the boys' parents were tested for gunshot residue after the shooting or whether other forensic evidence was collected and tested. He also declined to explain why investigators hadn't yet spoken to the couple, but he said potential witnesses in such cases are sometimes given time to grieve and make funeral arrangements first.

Joel Androphy, a Houston attorney not connected to the case, said it's common for authorities to wait to speak with potential witnesses if these individuals have to deal with burying loved ones.

"You just have to wait until people are ready to talk to you," he said. "In many cases, people would think this would be disrespectful" to speak with them right away.

Gabriel Barajas said he and his family are aware of speculation that one of the boys' parents or some other family member might be responsible for shooting Banda.

"Words can't express how that is putting a damper on us. It's ugly," he said. "We're trying to mourn and we've got people saying `I heard this' at the funeral. I don't care what you heard. It's ugly. It hurts."

He offered his condolences to Banda's family, who has declined to comment about the crash and fatal shooting.

Gabriel Barajas said his family is having a difficult enough time dealing with the loss of his nephews. He said the boys' father can't sleep or eat and the boys' grandfather wants to take down his Christmas tree because there is nothing to celebrate this holiday season.

He said his brother has tried to talk about the accident but "falls to his knees, crying his heart out and he can't even finish the story and I don't push it because I don't want to hear it."

Gabriel Barajas said he and his family have been helped by the outpouring of support from friends and the community. He recalled his nephews as good boys who were curious and loving and who enjoyed being outdoors and playing football, basketball and soccer.

"It's a big loss," he said.

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4 killed in overnight rollover

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police said alcohol may have played a role in crash that killed four people overnight.

It happened on the Eastex Freeway feeder near Saunders in northeast Houston.

Police said the driver of a pickup truck lost control and the truck flipped multiple times.

Five men in their 20s were inside the truck. Three died instantly, including the driver, and a fourth person died at the hospital.

One man remained in the hospital this morning.'

Police suspect the driver may have been intoxicated.

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Wrong-way driver killed after slamming into big rig

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- One man is dead after driving the wrong way on the South Loop and crashing into a big rig Saturday morning.

It happened around 3am near Main Street in southwest Houston.

The driver of an 18-wheeler says a Cadillac Escalade was traveling about 90 mph the wrong way on the South Loop when it clipped her big rig and then slammed into another semi.

The SUV burst into flames and the 36-year-old driver was killed at the scene. No one else was in the vehicle with him.

Police do not believe the drivers of the big rigs were injured. It's unknown if the driver of the SUV was impaired at the time of the crash.

The accident caused the interstate to be shut down for hours while crews cleared the scene. It remains under investigation.

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2 young brothers killed after being hit by car

  ALVIN, TX (KTRK) -- A man and two children are dead after a late night accident in Brazoria County.

The two boys were with their father, pushing a disabled vehicle on County Road 144 near Alvin around 11:30pm when a vehicle ran into them.

The case took a strange turn for police when they discovered the man in car had been shot in the head.

As friends and family mourned Saturday, investigators swarmed the area, searching for answers -- anything to explain what happened.

"Nobody knows nothing but the people who were there, and two of them are gone," family friend Pete Villanueva III said.

According to the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, the Barajas family was driving home when they ran out of gas.

Deputies said 12-year-old David and 11-year-old Caleb helped their father, David Sr., push their truck home.

"Another vehicle came up behind them -- and, of course, this was in the dark, early hours -- and struck the vehicle from behind, striking all three," BCSO Criminal Investigator Dominick Sanders said.

David Jr. died instantly and Caleb died at an area hospital.

Their mother and sister were in the disabled truck at the time. They were not hurt, officials said.

David Sr., was injured and rushed to the hospital. He was recovering Saturday night.

The accident happened just 50 yards away from the family's home.

Deputies arrived at the scene and found the car that hit the Barajas family smashed on the side of the road. Jose Banda, 20, was slumped over in the passenger seat with a gunshot wound to the head.

He later died at an area hospital.

There's no word at this point if that Banda was shot before or after the accident. Investigators found no weapons nearby and they haven't identified any suspects in Banda's death.

"We don't want to jump to any conclusions at this point until we've done a thorough investigation," Sanders said.

This case remains under investigation. Please stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for updates.

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Man sought in apparent road rage wreck that killed one woman

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- An argument between strangers took a deadly turn on the road on Thursday mornning, and now police are trying to find the man responsible.

Houston police have released a surveillance video of a man wanted for questioning in the death of Samantha Dorsey. Dorsey, 23, was killed in an accident at 7800 Westheimer about 7am Thursday.

Police say at about 6:45am, Dorsey and her friends were leaving the Walmart on Dunvale at Westheimer when they were involved in a verbal altercation with an unknown man. This altercation spilled out onto Westheimer, where the two parties apparently continued to argue as they drove inbound on Westheimer.

Witnesses said it appeared the man, driving a gold Mustang with a red pinstripe, threw out what appeared to be a bottle at the vehicle Dorsey and her friends were driving in. This action may have caused the driver of the other vehicle to lose control. The vehicle ultimately struck a traffic pole, causing Dorseny to be ejected from the vehicle.

She died as a result of her injuries. The other two occupants of this vehicle were taken to the hospital, treated for minor injuries and released.

The driver of the gold Mustang left the scene. He was described as a black male, about 6 foot 2 inches tall, about 25 years of age, with short hair tied into little spikes as if he was going to grow dreadlocks or braids. He had no facial hair and had slits shaved into one of his eyebrows, possibly his left one. He was also described as having a New Orleans accent.

Anyone recognizing the male in the surveillance video or with any information in this incident is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

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At least two killed in fiery NW Harris County crash

  Pooja LodhiaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- Deputies are investigating a crash that left at least two people dead Sunday night in northwest Harris COunty.

Emergency crews were called to North Sam Houston Parkway West and Highway 249 around 8:30pm.

Deputies confirm at least two people died in what appears to be a one-car accident.

According to witnesses, three people were in the now-crumpled sedan. There were witnesses who say a baby was in the back of the vehicle, though that's not yet been confirmed.

Witnesses tell us they saw a car weaving back and forth on the feeder road to Beltway 8. They believe the man and woman inside the car were having an argument.

Suddenly, they saw the car jump a curb and crash head-on into a pillar.

They say the car looked like a pancake folded in half. The people were trapped inside.

"It hit the pillar sideways and my brother stopped his car and jumped out and he pushed it over and he was trying to help them get out but you couldn't open the doors or nothing like that, so we couldn't do anything but call 911 and let them do their jobs," witness Percy Hines told us.

Hines also said the car was on fire.

We will update you further as we get more information on this story.

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Two people killed in wreck in N. Harris County

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Deputies are working a double fatal accident in north Harris County.

It happened on Airline at West Hambrick. Investigators say a head-on collision killed a passenger in one of the cars and a female pedestrian.

Three others were taken to the hospital. There's no word on their conditions at this point.

Authorities are working to figure out what caused the accident.

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Two killed in overnight wreck in NW Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A crash in northwest Houston left two people dead and sent a third to the hospital.

Two vehicles crashed on the Northwest Freeway near Magnum around 2am. It's unclear which driver caused the crash.

The survivor's condition is unknown.

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Police identify teen killed in deadly shooting in southeast Houston

  crystal KobzaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- A fifteen-year-old was gunned down during a neighborhood game of basketball in southeast Houston Friday night. And now, Houston police have more details about what may have led to the shooting, but say questions still remain.

It happened inside the park at an apartment complex on Sabo near Almeda. Police say there was a fight between two people at the time of the shooting, but they are still investigating whether the teen who was shot was involved in that fight.

Police have identified the victim as 15-year-old Thomas Williams, Jr. On Saturday, a small memorial was put up where Williams lost his life.

Witnesses with whom we spoke Saturday afternoon say they heard at least six gunshots. One witness tells us he heard the first five gunshot and then saw the suspect jump on Williams and shoot him a sixth time.

He tells us he just moved into the apartment complex, but after witnessing this shooting, he is considering moving for the safety of this family.

"My entire life, I have never seen something like that happen," said resident Juan Garcia. "To me, they are just kids. There are kids playing. There is a playground here and they just come and hang out here."

According to police, they are still looking for the suspect who shot and killed Williams. Last night at the time of shooting, there were numerous eyewitnesses, many of them also teens who were gathered back at the complex Saturday.

If you have any information on who the suspect involved in this shooting is, you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

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Toddler killed in tragic driveway accident

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- On Friday afternoon, a home in northwest Harris County became the scene of a deadly accident, a type of accident that's more common and more deadly than many realize. It's an issue that's changing how cars are made here and around the world.

The father is too distraught to talk about what happened. He returned home Friday night surrounded by friends, who asked that we give him time to grieve.

Investigators say the three-year-old's father didn't know she was nearby when he began backing his truck out of their driveway in the Lakewood Forest subdivision.

"Our little grand-baby played with her. She was a beautiful little girl. I know she was really their darling, their precious. I don't know how they're gonna go on," neighbor Janet Giesen said.

It was early afternoon. Investigators say there was at least one other adult at the house. It's not clear how the child got outside. The father got in the truck to leave, detectives say, and didn't see the little girl right behind the rear of the truck.

"There's nothing to indicate at this point there was anything reckless in nature, anything similar to that," Harris County Pct. 4 Constable's Office Deputy Michael Combest said.

Authorities say the father screamed for help. A neighbor came running, one who just Friday finished a refresher course in CPR and other emergency techniques.

The house is only a mile and a half from St. Luke's Hospital at The Vintage. They piled into the very same truck that hit the girl. The neighbor apparently drove the father and daughter there. The child, though, was pronounced dead at the hospital.

"It breaks our hearts. I mean it could happen to anyone, anyone. It was all an accident," neighbor Loren Zuber said.

These types of accidents are all too common. To avoid "back overs" the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers several tips: Actively check mirrors while backing up Teach children not to play in or around carsAlways walk around your vehicle and check before backing upTeach children to move away from a vehicle when a driver gets in or it is startedRoll down the windows while backing up so you can hear what's going on outsideInvestigators say there will be no criminal charges filed here. They consider this a horrible accident. (Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Passenger killed, driver jailed after Rosenberg crash

  ROSENBERG, TX (KTRK) -- Rosenberg police are investigating a one-vehicle accident this morning that killed the passenger and sent the driver to jail.

The crash happened around 1:30am in the 3300 block of Avenue H.

According to police, the vehicle was eastbound on Avenue H when the driver tried to turn right onto Millie Street and struck light pole, causing severe damage.

The passenger, identified as 25-year-old April Humphrey of Rosenberg, was taken to Oak Bend Hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Investigators say the driver, 21-year-old Jonathan Sepulveda, also of Rosenberg, suffered minor injuries. He was arrested for traffic violations, though the exact charges against him were unclear.

This case remains under investigation.

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Pedestrian killed by oncoming vehicle in Stafford

  STAFFORD, TX (KTRK) -- A pedestrian was run over and killed in Stafford last night.

The accident happened around 9:30pm at Cravens and Stafford streets. The victim has been identified as a 52-year-old Asian man, but investigators haven't released his name.

It's not clear what led up to that man being run over and killed.

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Passenger killed in crash, driver facing charges

The driver of this car is facing charges after crashing into an overpass pillar in northwest Houston and killing one of his passengers

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A driver faces charges after crashing into an overpass pillar and killing one of his passengers Sunday morning.

It happened around 3am on 43rd Street and Highway 290.

Police say the driver lost control and hit the overpass.

A 20-year old woman in the back seat died at the scene.

The driver and another passenger were sent to the hospital with minor injuries.

Police say the driver is being tested for drunken driving and could face charges of vehicular manslaughter.

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Worker killed in accident at industrial facility in SE Harris County

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A worker has been killed in an accident at an industrial facility.

The industrial accident happened at around noon at Stolthaven Houston, Inc. at 15602 Jacinto Port Bl. in southeast Harris County. One 40-year-old male was confirmed dead by the Channelview EMS.

The medical examiner will determine the cause of death. No other details were immediately available.

Stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for the latest on this story.

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Driver killed after losing control, flipping car in SE Houston

Police say the driver died after losing control and flipped his vehicle overnight.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police say a driver died after he lost control of his vehicle and flipped over in southeast Houston.

The accident happened Monroe near Meldrum.

Police say a man in his 20s lost control of his Mustang and crashed into a chain link fence. The car then flipped over and the man died inside.

Authorities aren't sure what led to the crash and say they're still investigating. No one else got hurt.

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One teen killed, 4 others injured after car plunges off Seawall

  GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- A car full of teenagers plunged over the edge of the Seawall in Galveston and killed one of the people inside yesterday.

The accident happened on the far east end of Seawall Boulevard early early in the morning. Police say there were five people in a Mustang when it ran off the road, went over the edge and landed on the beach.

One of them died. The four other victims were taken to the hospital. The crash is under investigation.

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