Alleged kidnapper arrested after car crash

Elizabeth Ashley Ramon, 21, of Needville, was arrested and charged with kidnapping.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Sugar Land police are investigating a bizarre case that involves kidnapping and a quick-thinking victim.

According to Sugar Land police, at about 5:30pm Saturday, an officer was conducting a traffic stop on Highway 59 at University Boulevard when he saw another vehicle crash on a nearby feeder road. A female passenger jumped out of the vehicle and ran toward the officer.

The woman reportedly told the officer she had been kidnapped by her ex-girlfriend. The passenger said she caused the car to crash by grabbing the steering wheel.

Elizabeth Ashley Ramon, 21, of Needville, was arrested and charged with kidnapping.

Police say according to the passenger, Ramon didn't want their relationship to end, so she claimed she had a gun and told the victim that she was taking her to an unknown location for the night until she changed her mind about ending the relationship.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Local soldier surprises girlfriend with proposal at airport

A Houston soldier had a big idea when he popped the big question to his girlfriend.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A local soldier made sure his proposal was one to remember -- even getting the help of other passengers on his flight home.

Each of his fellow travelers gave a rose to Army Lieutenant George Dalton's girlfriend, Lauren Raabe before Dalton came in to ask the big question.

"Will you marry me," he asked.

She replied, "yes."

Dalton worked with his parents back here in Houston to get permission from American Airlines to have the roses at the gate when the flight arrived at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Dalton says all the planning kept him on edge.

"I've been nervous for the past couple of hours," said Dalton. "I haven't been able to eat or think about anything else."

Dalton is home from a tour in Iraq for two weeks. The couple says they will get married when his tour is complete in a few months.

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Driver critically injured after slamming into trees in Atascocita

  ATASCOCITA, TX (KTRK) -- A man is in critical condition after his pickup truck slammed into two small trees overnight.

It happened in Atascocita on Lake Houston Parkway near Upper Lake after midnight. Deputies say the truck drove into the median and over several bushes before it crashed into the trees.

It's not clear what caused the man to lose control.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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HISD considers drastic measures to deal with cuts

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- In Austin, the Texas Legislature will go into a special session starting Tuesday to vote on a school finance bill, and local school districts will have to wait longer to learn how big their budget gaps will be.

The Houston Independent School District is already considering drastic measures to deal with state cuts. The district currently has one of the lowest tax rates in the area and is now considering a possible tax increase. We found parents who say, even on a holiday, it's a nagging issue. "Being a teacher, I need to know what's coming up. We need to prepare just like anybody else," said teacher Blanca Flores Lopez. "I just want my kids to have a classroom with fewer students, but with the teachers being cut from some of the districts I know there's going to be an increase in class size and I'm concerned about that," said parent Katrina Johnson. Not knowing how the state will fund schools means HISD is back to square one, trying to balance their budget. The board of trustees doesn't know if state lawmakers will cut more or less from the already estimated state reduction in funding of $160 million. When the board met last Thursday, they were hopeful legislators would decide school funding. The estimated $4 billion in cuts statewide means all school districts face substantial cuts, but it is HISD, the state's largest school district, that faces losing the most. A check of several local school districts shows the pain -- Katy ISD is predicting a $50 million loss in state funding; Cy-Fair ISD anywhere from $65 to $116 million; Spring Branch ISD is expected to lose about $17.5 million; Fort Bend an estimated $74 million; and HISD has projected a $160 million loss in state funding. HISD Board President Paula Harris is pushing for one option. "Really encouraging the Governor the Lt. Governor and our Senators to push for the Rainy Day Fund," said Harris. "We'll probably adopt the budget with deficits, then after special session we'll have to go in and amend our budget." She says deeper cuts in state funding could push a vote by the board to raise taxes. HISD has the lowest tax rate among local school districts at $1.15 per $100 valuation. Katy ISD has the highest at $1.52. "We're quite obviously being penalized for our low tax rate from the state legislature. They are trying to tie our hands and we are trying to make the best for our citizens. We want to try and make the cuts fair," said Harris. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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New details in wreck that killed 2 kids

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We have new developments in the crash that killed a baby and a toddler and injured two other children. The SUV with the children inside had a total of 16 adults and kids -- that's more people than seatbelts.

It happened Sunday afternoon at Garrett and Beltway 8. But even if not all the children were buckled up, there's a chance no one will be charged with a crime. We hear a lot about buckling kids up in car seats, certainly for good reason, but that same law has a surprising stipulation that may apply to this deadly wreck. And there was another issue -- the traffic lights weren't working at the time. It's Edward Randall's job to notice things. He works overnight security at a construction site and one thing he notices often is when the traffic signals at the East Beltway feeder road and Garrett go dark. "They cut on and off through the night and sometimes for two to three hours," said Randall. Tonight, they are functioning fine, but yesterday afternoon there was a problem. According to Harris County Sheriff's Office investigators, CenterPoint Energy was working in the area and cut power around 12:30pm, so the traffic lights were out. Just one hour later, the roadway was littered with beach toys and two children were dead. Laura Abrego was just eight months old and 3-year-old Valeria Mendoza was also killed. Authorities say the SUV carrying 16 people -- a dozen of whom were children -- was heading northbound on the feeder when it collided with a pickup. The two who died were ejected, believed to not have been restrained. According to a little known section in the transportation code, it may not be against the law. "It does nothing to protect children," said KTRK Legal Analyst Joel Androphy. The child passenger safety seat requirement, it reads, does not apply when transporting a child in a vehicle in which all seats equipped with safety seat systems or seatbelts are occupied. It's likely more than just the two who died were not restrained, but the parents, according to our legal analyst, may be protected. "This law basically says if you have too many kids and not enough seats you can basically put the rest (of the kids) on someone's lap," said Androphy. Both vehicles should have treated the intersection as a four way stop since the traffic lights were out at the time, but investigators say neither did. They also say they don't think alcohol or speed was a factor in this accident, but it is still under investigation. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Toddler, infant killed in Harris County crash

This SUV collided with a pickup and flipped. Two children died in the accident. The cause is under investigation.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two young children died in an accident in northeast Harris County on Sunday.

The accident happened around 2pm on Beltway 8 at Garrett Rd.

Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies said a Chevrolet Suburban and a Chevrolet Colorado collided after the traffic signals were out and neither driver stopped at the intersection. It should've been treated as a 4-way stop.

A three-year-old child and an eight-month-old baby were both killed in the crash, according to officials.

Two other children, ages two and four, were taken by LifeFlight to an area hospital for treatment.

Investigators said there were about a dozen or more people in the Suburban when the accident happened.

Garrett Rd. was shut down both ways, and Beltway 8 at Little York was also closed. Traffic was backed up for miles as deputies investigated the scene.

HCSO says it is still investigating. No word yet if any charges will be filed. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Houstonians honor veterans on Memorial Day

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houstonians turned out to honor the nation's war dead in special ceremony at Houston's Veterans' Cemetery on this Memorial Day.

This is the day we pay tribute to the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. Ceremonies are taking place throughout the Houston area and the nation.

Hundreds of people of all backgrounds gathered at this ceremony. They are drawn together with one goal -- to pay their respects to the brave men and women who died in the name of freedom.

A cannon salute kicked off the ceremony where Houstonians honored the fallen men and women of all US military branches -- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. This holiday is an especially emotional one for the parents, children, and friends of those who have recently been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

There are many elements of the ceremony that are performed every year, including the riderless horse procession, the presentation of the colors and the singing of the National Anthem.

While everyone at the ceremony looks forward to those traditions, many of them honor the sacrifices made by military members, not just on Memorial Day, but every day, by reaching out to the families who are left behind. Many of those organizations, like the Gold Star Moms, are represented, as are military members who've served alongside those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Retired Marine Matt Duffy said, "I spent 10 years active duty in the Marine Corp, and 10 years active duty in the Texas State Guard, and I have a lot of friends that sacrificed. It's just a great day to come out, and cry, and think about all of their sacrifices."

Following the service, visitors fanned out all over the cemetery to visit gravesites. Some visited grandparents and great-grandparents who served many years ago but whose service will never be forgotten.

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