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.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local » HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Law enforcement sources tell Eyewitness News the FBI has arrested seven people connected to a local hospital. A federal strike force has charged 91 people in seven different cities. All of them are in the medical industry and they're all accused of Medicare fraud schemes.
We watched 12 six people involved in that health care fraud crackdown appear in federal court Thursday afternoon. Seven of them have ties to one of the city's oldest hospitals, in Houston's Third Ward, and the most prominent is the facility's own president.
Riverside General Hospital has had its fair share of problems lately, even some "difficult times" as its president, Earnest Gibson III, puts it on the hospital's website. But perhaps there's no time more scandalous a time than now.
Riverside General's at the center of a nationwide health care fraud investigation.
"Charges have been brought against 91 defendants, including doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals for their alleged participation in fraud schemes involving nearly $430 million in false billings," U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said.
In Houston, investigators allege Gibson, his son, Earnest IV, William Bullock and five others linked to the hospital and its satellite offices were part of an elaborate Medicare scheme involving programs connected to the treatment of mental illness.
They're accused of money laundering, submitting false claims to the government for services that weren't needed and bribing Medicare beneficiaries with cigarettes and food.
"It's a shame, it's injustice to this community. That's what it is," Gibson told us.
"Are you guilty of Medicare fraud?" we asked.
"Absolutely 1,000 percent no," he replied.
"Why would they charge you then?"
"Because this is crazy accusation."
Court documents allege Riverside General's director and co-conspirators submitted approximately $158 million in fraudulent claims between 2005 and 2012.
"Such activity not only siphon precious taxpayer resources, drive up health care costs and jeopardize the strength of the Medicare program, it also disproportionately victimizes the most vulnerable members of our society, including the elderly, disabled and impoverished Americans," Holder said.
The judge has set the Gibson's bond at $75,000. Also as part of their bond condition, the judge requested that all the defendants get jobs not related in the health care field. But Gibson's attorney Catherine Baen says her client has helmed Riverside General Hospital for three decades and they will fight that stipulation.
"There was an investigation done on this long ago, an internal investigation I believe, and it showed no wrong doing and Mr. Gibson is not guilty," Baen said.
Many of the defendants will return to court next week for a hearing, though for long time community activists like Pastor James Nash, they are hoping the historic hospital survives.
"That hospital is an icon, and in that community it's very much needed," Nash said.
A spokesperson for Riverside told us, "The hospital is waiting on legal counsel at this time. We do support Mr. Gibson and his leadership for 30-plus years."
All the defendants are scheduled for another hearing in a week.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local » HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Ten people have been arrested in a raid on a sexually oriented business. On Thursday, the Harris County Sheriff's Office says deputies executed a search warrant on Babes at 10610 West FM 1960 in northwest Harris County.
The raid was in response to numerous complaints and information that the club was operating as a sexually oriented business without a permit as required by Harris Co. SOB regulations.
Ten suspects were arrested, including the club's manager and several employees.
Deputies say this is the second time this year they have targeted this club for similar violations.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »
Javier Aragon, 26, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapons. GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- A man in Galveston is locked up, accused of attacking people with a machete at a birthday party. Investigators say Javier Aragon got into a fight early Thursday morning at a home on 46th Street. That's when they say he grabbed a machete and tried to cut several people there.
Guests used chairs to block the slashes. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Aragon, 26, fled the scene. He was arrested later and is facing two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapons. Bond has been set at $160,000 total.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »
Cell phones, telephones, cell phone and laptop batteries and rechargeable batteries are just a few of the items accepted by CompuCycle HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Houston electronics recycling company will provide jobs and training to people living with disabilities thanks to a partnership with Easter Seals. The campaign kicks off next week. Through the WhatIF campaign, CompuCycle will offer permanent employment positions to Easter Seals Greater Houston's clients, and Easter Seals will provide initial training courses to its clients to teach necessary job skills including recycling, refurbishing electronics and basic computer proficiency.
Easter Seals serves clients with cerebral palsy and all other kinds of disabilities.
"Our clients have a difficult time finding employment, and often, an even harder time maintaining these jobs," Easter Seals Greater Houston CEO Elise Hough explained in a release. "What's most exciting for us is that through comprehensive training, our clients will have job skills that aren't only applicable to their work at CompuCycle, but for the rest of their lives."
The 60-day WhatIF campaign builds upon the question, "what if unused electronic waste could create jobs for those living with disabilities?" From September 15 through America Recycles Day on November 15, corporations throughout Houston are invited to host their own e-cycling drives or donate their corporate and community e-waste with the goal of garnering 500,000 pounds of electronic waste in 60 days.
Those donations will be used in place of a grant or cash donation in order to provide the capital to fund and maintain the training and employment program.
CompuCycle will collect, audit and process the waste and then donate net proceeds from the equipment to the program instead of paying it back to the corporation.
Eventually, CompuCycle hopes to expand this long-term program on a national level.
Clive Hess, president of CompuCycle, describes the initiative as a "win-win for everyone."
"Corporations can responsibly dispose of equipment that they no longer need, or don't know what to do with, using CompuCycle, a certified company, to safely refurbish the equipment," he said in a release. "Through dropping off these goods with us, these businesses are also simultaneously donating to a terrific initiative, and helping to create jobs for employable people living with a with disability."
For more information on how your business can help the WhatIF campaign, contact Kelly Hess at 832-483-9317 or khess@compucycle.net. For a list of accepted products, visit www.compucycle.net.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local » HOUSTON (KTRK) -- An admitted drunk driver is now going to prison for a crash that killed two people in west Harris County. Eric Quiroz pleaded guilty to charges in court Tuesday. He was charged with intoxication manslaughter for a crash on Highway 6 and Pine Forest last November.
Deputies say Quiroz ran a red light and hit another car. A passenger in his car and a person in the other car were killed.
Quiroz will serve 14 years in prison under the plea agreement.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local » Cell phones, telephones, cell phone and laptop batteries and rechargeable batteries are just a few of the items accepted by CompuCycle HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Houston electronics recycling company recently announced that it will provide jobs and training to people living with disabilities, thanks to a new partnership with Easter Seals. CompuCycle will offer permanent employment positions to Easter Seals Greater Houston's clients and Easter Seals will provide initial training courses to its clients to teach necessary job skills including recycling, refurbishing electronics, and basic computer proficiency.
Easter Seals serves clients with cerebral palsy and all other kinds of disabilities.
"Our clients have a difficult time finding employment, and often, an even harder time maintaining these jobs," Easter Seals Greater Houston CEO Elise Hough explained in a release. "What's most exciting for us is that through comprehensive training, our clients will have job skills that aren't only applicable to their work at CompuCycle, but for the rest of their lives."
CompuCycle and Easter Seals representatives are seeking corporate electronic waste donations in place of a grant or cash donation in order to provide the capital to fund and maintain the program.
Through the new initiative, corporations will donate their electronic waste to Easter Seals Greater Houston. CompuCycle will collect, audit and process the waste and then donate net proceeds from the equipment to the program instead of paying it back to the corporation.
Eventually, CompuCycle hopes to expand this long-term program on a national level.
Clive Hess, president of CompuCycle, describes the initiative as a "win-win for everyone."
"Corporations can responsibly dispose of equipment that they no longer need, or don't know what to do with, using CompuCycle, a certified company, to safely refurbish the equipment," he said in a release. "Through dropping off these goods with us, these businesses are also simultaneously donating to a terrific initiative, and helping to create jobs for employable people living with a with disability."
If you or your corporation are interested in donating end-of-life electronic waste in support of this program, contact CompuCycle online or call 713-869-6700.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »
GALVESTON, TX -- Six people are missing in the Gulf of Mexico after they abandoned their sinking fishing boat in the waters off Galveston, Texas, the Coast Guard said Monday. The Coast Guard had been searching for them ever since the boat's captain sent a mayday call Sunday afternoon, saying the vessel was sinking and that the six people onboard were planning to escape in an orange life raft, said Coast Guard command center controller Elvie Damaso. However, around 6pm Monday, the Coast Guard suspended its search for the day. It says it will and said it will continue sending out the radio broadcast for ships in the area to be on the lookout for them and then decide whether to resume actively searching for them on Tuesday.
Eyewitness News received a copy of the distress call:
"We have an onboard emergency. We are taking on water sir," the unidentified boat captain told the Coast Guard.
Damaso says authorities are not sure if the boat is called Scallywag or Skylark because the quality of the line was poor.
Coast Guard officials need the public's help in trying to work out who was on the boat and where it came from, Petty officer Richard Brahm said.
"We weren't able to get it from the captain before the boat went down," Brahm said.
Damaso said at least three boats, a helicopter, a plane and two cutters are involved in the search for the missing fishermen in a stretch of water roughly the size of Delaware. The boat went down somewhere off the coast of Galveston, about 50 miles southeast of Houston.
"All my electronics are down and I couldn't give you an exact location," the boat's captain said in the distress call. Brahm said authorities couldn't be more specific about where to search for the boat because the distress call was received by several communication towers.
(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local » HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two people are in custody, accused of stealing a dog from a northwest Houston pet store worth thousands of dollars. Police are withholding the names of the two people arrested until they've been charged. Police say the two were behind the theft of an English bulldog valued at $3,000. The dog was stolen from Pet City Houston on Bammel Westfield.
A tip led authorities to the suspects at an apartment complex in the 1300 block of Greens Crossing.
Pet City Houston Manager Samatha Stack says the theft was captured on store surveillance video, which showed a woman bringing two small children along for the theft.
"They are doing wrong to the dog and they are doing wrong to the kids," Stack said. "That's just, it's horrible parenting."
Store workers say the woman brought her two daughters along with two males. Surveillance footage clearly shows one of the suspects holding the expensive puppy while the little girls pet the dog.
"I turned to the guy. I asked him, 'well how can I help you? Is there a puppy you'd like to see today?'" Stack said. "He pointed to the dog and said I'm just waiting to see if they take that one."
The video then shows the mother leave the two male suspects behind, walk out of the store, load her kids into the getaway car and back it close to the door.
Within minutes, the suspects take off with the bulldog puppy as the manager runs after them.
"I ran back inside and was yelling, 'call the cops! Call the cops!'" Stack said.
Now this puppy is without his sister, who is still at the pet store, and the store is out thousands of dollars.
"Our main concern isn't the fact that we've lost money," Stack said. "It's the fact that these dogs, of all dogs to takes these are the ones that need the most care."
The dog appeared to be unharmed and was returned to store owners. Reporter Sonia Azad, who's covering this story today for Eyewitness News, says the two people arrested admitted their involvement in the thefts.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »A few roses have been left outside Hi-5 Souvenir and Surf Shop, where the crash happened. Workers inside rushed to help the victims. They showed us surveillance video of what happened and it's very chilling.
There are still orange marks covering the sidewalk on the 1300 block of Seawall Boulevard. Those marks trace the path of that tragic accident that killed two men who were walking a dog outside Hi-5 on Wednesday night.
"I heard the screech of the tires, you know, screeching," said eyewitness Ron Narido.
He works at Hi-5. He says he was just steps away from the victims when a red car lost control, sped onto the sidewalk and hit the pedestrians from behind.
"The other guy here was holding the dog, and one person is right over here, and he got hit," Narido told Eyewitness News.
Police say the impact of that crash instantly killed the dog, its owner 42-year-old Steven Hunt, and 43-year-old Joseph Owen. Both were from Galveston.
Narido told us it all happened so fast.
"They didn't have a chance to jump, or go to the side, because it was so fast," he said.
Investigators say Matthew Shelton, 27, was the driver of that red car. Shelton is charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter.
"We don't know why he lost control, however we do believe alcohol or other intoxicants played a factor," said Lt. Michael Gray with the Galveston Police Department.
Shelton and his passenger were also injured during the crash. Police say those two are at a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
As for Narido, he and his co-workers say they are still very shaken up after witnessing that tragic crash.
Police tell us they are still trying to find out what the suspect was doing and where he'd been before the crash. They are asking anyone with information to call Galveston police.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local » HOUSTON (KTRK) -- More than a hundred officers are participating in a warrant roundup targeting people who hurt children. Authorities in Montgomery County are searching for two hundred people with outstanding warrants. Most of them are accused of crimes against children.
The roundup is part of National Child Abuse Awareness Month. Authorities are going after people with both felony and misdemeanor warrants.
More than 20 municipalities and law enforcement agencies are participating.
(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local » HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two men are accused of charging healthcare professionals to park at a Medical Center parking garage for nearly two years despite not having the authorization to do so. Jose Guadalupe Luna, 30, and Ramon Valdes are charged with aggregate theft. According to court documents, the two men illegally collected money on a monthly basis from UT Health employees to park in the Prairie View A&M University College of Nursing parking garage next door to the UT Health parking garage at 6436 Fannin.
Police say Luna admitted to using his position in the UT Health parking office to activate parking cards to the Prairie View garage, but not enter them into the billing system. They say Luna would then give the cards to Valdes to give them to the employees that would pay $100 a month to park in the other garage -- about $50 cheaper a month than the UT Health garage. Valdes would collect the monthly fee from employees, police say.
Both men told police that they started the scheme after coming upon rough financial times and that they stopped the scheme when some people became suspicious.
Luna told police that he profited about $2,000 per month and would split the profits with Valdes.
UT Health alleges it lost nearly $30,000 in revenue.
Bond has been set at $58,839.96 for each defendant.
(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Firefighters on Houston's south side are trying to find out what caused a Porsche to catch fire with two people inside.
Firefighters say the fire started in the rear of the car. The exact cause is unknown.
(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)