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VIDEO STORIES FROM APRIL 2ND OF YEARS PAST


APRIL 2, 2005
FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE ELDERLY FROM BALCONIES OF WOODLANDS COPPERWOOD APARTMENT 4-ALARM FIRE
Lucia Reed thought a thunderstorm was raging outside her unit at the Cooperwood Apartments about 1 a.m. Tuesday when she was awakened by a loud bang.

“I heard an explosion around 1 a.m., and I got up and went to the kitchen,” Reed said. It wasn’t until she saw flashing lights outside and smelled smoke that she realized a fire was consuming her apartment complex.
“That’s when I knew it was time to leave,” Reed said. “I’m glad I was on the bottom and not the top floor.”

Reed lived on the first floor in wing C at the complex, an independent living facility for senior citizens. Fire officials believe the blaze that consumed 12 units, heavily damaged 24 and caused minor damage in another 118, started in a third floor unit in wing C. Four people were injured and an estimated 150 were forced from their homes.

Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s investigators located the area where the fire started by late Tuesday, but the cause had not yet been determined, said County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams. The fire started near an oxygen unit in one of the third-floor apartments, but it’s not clear whether the unit was responsible for the blaze.

The fire started about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, said The Woodlands Fire Department Battalion Chief Hampton Cottar.

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Seven people had to be rescued from their apartment balconies by firefighters after they became trapped by the quick-moving fire, he said.

Oxygen tanks used by dozens of residents in the complex may have caused the flames to spread more quickly than normal, Cottar said. The fire was contained within wing C.

Four residents were injured during the fire, said Montgomery County Hospital District EMS Director Allen Johnson. One remained in critical condition Tuesday at Memorial Hermann Hospital – The Woodlands suffering from smoke and fire-related injuries. Two others were in stable condition with smoke-related injuries and a third was transported for injuries he suffered tripping over a fire hose, Johnson said.

Amid the destruction, there were incidents of heroism. Off-duty Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy Jermaine Jenkins heard an explosion from his home, located next to the complex on South Panther Creek Drive, and kicked doors down on the floor where the fire was raging, rescuing several residents who may not have made it out otherwise, Williams said.

When firefighters and EMS workers first arrived on the scene, the first priority was getting everyone out of the building, Williams said.

Williams said this wasn’t the largest fire Montgomery County firefighters have battled in recent years, but it had the potential of being the most deadly.

“The fact that more people weren’t seriously hurt shows the quality of the fire service in Montgomery County,” Williams said. “They saved some lives this morning.”

Thirty-five pieces of fire-fighting equipment were used to battle the blaze, Williams said. Firefighters remain on the scene through most of the day Tuesday putting out hot spots.

The four-alarm blaze brought assistance to TWFD from the Conroe, Needham, Timber Lakes, Magnolia, South Montgomery County, River Plantation, Spring, Montgomery, Ponderosa, Klein and Grangerland fire departments.

Residents were evacuated from about 150 units at the complex, Williams said. By late Tuesday some residents in the A, B, and D wings of the building were allowed back into their units to get medications and other necessities. They should be able to move back in within a few days, Williams said, after the apartments are thoroughly cleaned.

The residents of the 35 units in wing C, most of which are single occupancy, will be displaced much longer. The structural integrity of the wing was to be tested Tuesday evening. Williams said if it is deemed safe enough, some residents may be allowed back into their apartments to retrieve some belongings, otherwise, the entire wing may have to be demolished.

The building had a common attic and was not equipped with a sprinkler system to help quell the flames.

“It didn’t have fire stops in the attic,” Williams said. “There was nothing to stop the fire from spreading.”

Since the buildings were built before International Fire Code regulations were in place in The Woodlands, the fire breaks and sprinkler systems currently required in The Woodlands and most local cities were not installed.

Williams said such safety measures would have greatly reduced the damage caused by the fire.

“Statistics show that in 90 percent of incidents or greater, fires are quelled by the first sprinkler activation,” he said.

The regulations now require all new construction of multi-family residences or remodeling projects that involved more than 50 percent of the building include the installation of fire breaks and sprinklers.

Those regulations, however, are not in place outside of The Woodlands and the municipalities in Montgomery County, raising questions about the safety of apartments elsewhere in the county.

“Most apartments outside the cities don’t have those features,” Williams said. “It makes no sense to build any new building without a sprinkler, even homes, but especially multi-family residences and commercial buildings.”

The Fire Marshal’s office was escorting people into the buildings where it was possible and allowing them to get medical items from their apartments, Williams said.

Some residents who remained at the scene Tuesday afternoon said they left with nothing more than the pajamas they were wearing.

“I had to go to Wal-Mart to get clothes because I got out in nothing but my bathrobe,” said Viola Cain, 89. Her son, who lives in the apartment across the hall in wing C, woke her up to get her out.

“I’m her caretaker, so I thought I ought to do my duty,” said James Cain.

“I’m just thankful they’re both alright,” said Judy Cooper, Viola Cain’s daughter.

Jennifer Starns said she was staying with her elderly mother in one of the buildings across from the one that caught fire. “The heat was so intense, I moved her plants across the apartment.”

During the rush to get out her mother fell, breaking her hand and hitting her head, Starns said.

Best Friends Veterinary Clinic is assisting Cooperwood residents with animals who are currently homeless said Hospital Manager Kim Barrett.

“We’ll be treating them. We will contact the owners and keep them until they get settled in,” she said.

During Tuesday’s efforts, firefighters were able to rescue four birds and three cats, she said. At least one animal did die in the fire.

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2006
CROSBY FIRE FATAL COTTON TAIL AND ST FRANCIS 419Z

 

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2012
INTOXICATED MOTHER KILLS CHILD IN CUT N SHOOT CRASH
Police say speed and alcohol were factors in a crash that critically injured the driver and killed her infant daughter.

Around 6 p.m. Monday, a white Chevrolet Tahoe was southbound on FM 1484 near Miller when the driver, 28-year-old Ashli Heil of Conroe, reached a curve and lost control of the vehicle. The SUV crossed into the northbound lane, almost striking another vehicle before hitting a cedar tree with the impact to the passenger door. The vehicle also sheared off a gas meter.

North Montgomery and Cut and Shoot Firefighters arrived and had to shut off the gas line before approaching the still running crashed vehicle, where Heil was injured and trapped along with her 8-month-old baby girl, Whilow, who was already deceased. The infant was strapped in her car seat, which was secured in the right rear passenger seat but was no protection from the tree that came inside the vehicle upon impact.

Heil was extricated and transported by PHI Air Ambulance to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston where she was listed as stable as of 10 p.m.

Becky Paschal was in the oncoming lane and noticed the Suburban, she said. The SUV didn’t navigate the curve, going straight across her lane and into the ditch before striking the tree.

Paschal said Heil’s Suburban would have hit her, had she not slowed her speed.

“In my profession, I drive so I was already watching way ahead of me, and I noticed it out of control ahead of time, and I slowed down – thank God,” she said.

Pascahl said the wheels were turned but the truck was going straight.

The vehicle had what appeared to be new Michelin tires.

The Texas Department of Public Safety and Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the crash. A DPS Trooper at the hospital with Heil reported alcohol was involved and DPS on the scene said excessive speed was a factor.

FM 1484 will be closed between SH 105 and Milmac remains closed as of 10 p.m. while the investigation continues and the gas company installs a new meter.

FM 1484 reopened at 2a.m.

4/2/21-UPDATE-JUDGE MICHALK SENTENCED ASHLI HEIL TO 20-YEARS TDCJ FOR MURDER ON MARCH 26, 2013

SHE IS ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE ON MAY 5, 2022

 

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2013
SPRING 2-ALARM APARTMENT FIRE
Multiple fire departments joined together late Tuesday to battle a blaze that broke out at an apartment complex in Spring that broke out when lightning struck the building.

Lightning hit the roof of the three-story apartment complex on Pruitt Rd and I-45 around 10:15 p.m. Residents said the impact shook the entire building and someone noticed the roof was on fire.

Neighbors then ran door-to-door warning others.

The South Montgomery Fire Department was first on the scene, but with the intense flames and the heavy rainfall, they decided to pull a second alarm for assistance.

Units from Needham, Conroe, The Woodlands, Spring, Timber Lakes, and Central Montgomery County arrived within the hour to help bring the fire under control.

In all, about four units were completely destroyed and four more units suffered heavy smoke and water damage. The remaining 16 units suffered minor damages.

No one was injured.

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2013
MAGNOLIA GAME ROOM BUST
After months of investigation, the Montgomery County Precinct 5 Constables Office obtained a search warrant and moved in closing down the Sweepstakes Internet Café located at Hazy Hollow and FM 1774. One arrest was made and several machines and cash were seized.

According to Montgomery County Precinct 5 Lt. Buchanan the employees were paying out cash to winners on the games.

Gamerooms are not illegal in Texas! The problem is many are operated in violation of Texas gambling law. There is an exception in Texas gambling law for “amusements.” This exception is what makes such things as pinball machines and those crane machines that grab toys, etc legal. By law, amusement machines can only award the player with the right to replay or with non-cash merchandise prizes with a wholesale value of 10 times the amount of a single play or $5, whichever is less. Prizes can accumulate, however. A Texas court has ruled that gift certificates are the equivalent of cash and this is what gets many game rooms in trouble.

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2015
MR GORDY BUNCH DETAILS OUT WHY HE IS AGAINST THE ROAD BOND
Thursday night hundreds turned out for a Woodland’s area debate on the new Montgomery County Road Bond issue which will go before the voters in May. It appeared the biggest concern was The Woodlands Parkway Extension going from Woodlands Parkway and FM 2978, through the woods to SH 249. Many asked why this is being done. Officials said most of the parkway will be done by developers which led to more questions as to why the extension was actually on the bond.

Gordy Bunch who was on the Road Bond Committee resigned just over a month ago. His letter of resignation explains his reasons. Thursday night he explained more of what he found of the Committee and his reason for the resignation. He also spent almost ten minutes explaining to MCPR what he has found faulty in this road bond. Below is the interview.

We are still working on the debate video and it will be posted later this afternoon. It will be unedited and is the entire almost two-hour debate in High Definition.

BUNCH RESIGNATION LETTER:

To my fellow members:

When an individual makes a mistake, he or she usually gets a chance to make amends.

When a company makes a mistake, it often suffers the loss of customers and business, but it retools and tries to earn back customer loyalty.

When a government makes a mistake it costs taxpayers millions of dollars and negatively impacts its citizens and is usually irrevocable.

The latter is certainly true of the Road Bonds issue approved by the Montgomery County Commissioners Court this morning. The committee failed in its first quest for approval of a plan to Keep Montgomery County Moving. Our recommendation was for a $365 million bond issue which would help to mitigate the impact of extending Woodlands Parkway, the main and most vital artery of my home community, beyond its original function, which was to provide convenient egress and ingress for its residents within its 28,000 acres and to and from its surrounding environs.

The fact that the Commissioners Court, for reasons known best to them, refused to agree to include $15 million to mitigate the substantial traffic increases that would result from an expansion of this vital artery into territories it was never designed to serve, is a mistake in judgment and leadership. Map after map (see example below) clearly shows Woodlands Parkway ending, as it does today, at FM2978.

Given the negative impact on the community, which I also represent on The Woodlands Township board of directors, and the nearly 90% opposition to The Woodlands Parkway expansion I have heard from those I represent, I cannot continue to promote an issue that dismisses the genuine concerns of 110,000 residents, who live and raise their families in close to 35,000 homes within our boundaries. Quality of life is paramount to residents throughout Montgomery County. However, The Woodlands cannot suffer an intrusion by contiguous communities where more than 1,005,003 people will reside within a 15-mile radius of here as soon as 2018. Even a small percentage of traffic increase onto already overcrowded Woodlands Parkway is unsupportable. If you do not add lanes to widen Woodlands Parkway you will have ensured a state of perpetual gridlock, not to mention creating the prospect of increased danger and more accidents.

I consider the 2015 Road Bonds plan ill-advised and therefore I cannot support it. I hereby tender my resignation from the committee, as I prepare to work with other leaders and residents of The Woodlands to actively oppose this bond issue as it is currently configured.

Gordy Bunch

The Woodlands

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2015
WOODLANDS ROAD BOND FORUM

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2016
18-WHEELER PURSUIT
About 130pm Saturday DPS Troopers attempted to stop an 18-wheeler on a traffic offense on Interstate 45 near The Woodlands. The driver, driving the truck for JR Cartage Inc, refused to stop and led DPS, Montgomery County, Walker County, Huntsville Police, and Madison County Officers on a three-county chase that ended just before the Madisonville exit. This exit is also the exit for Buc-ee’s. The truck was running at close to 60 mph and attempted several times to strike pursuing vehicles. Several times he was able to avoid spike strips by going onto shoulders. In Walker, County Troopers were able to spike the front tires causing part of the left front fender to become dislodged and fall onto the freeway. As the chase continued a DPS helicopter moved in to assist. With heavy traffic, officers created a rolling roadblock to keep motorists behind the truck fr safety measures. The driver who has not yet been identified has been transported to the Montgomery County Jail. The chase which lasted over an hour went a total of 66 miles. Many law enforcement vehicles were seen at the popular Buc-ee’s filling theirs near empty.

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2016
DOLIVER STREET HOUSE FIRE

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2017
I-45 TRIPLE FATAL CRASH
At approximately 3:30 am Sunday morning the Harris County Toll Road Office began receiving calls of a wrong-way driver at Hardy Toll and the Airport Connector. Units started moving in that direction in an attempt to locate the black Dodge Charger. Additional reports were received at Louetta and also Cypresswood. Units attempting to catch up requested dispatchers notify Montgomery County. It was then at 3:43 am that the Dodge came off the Hardy entrance ramp heading northbound onto I-45 southbound lanes. Almost immediately the driver struck a white Mercedes head-on. MCHD, South Montgomery County Fire, Spring Fire, and Cypress Creek EMs responded to the scene. Cypress Creek Medics determined the driver ie Charger was deceased. In addition, MCHD Medics determined the driver, a 49-year-old male from Spring and his wife 53 were both deceased in the Mercedes.
According to the family on the scene, the deceased male from Spring had been celebrating with his wife and family his birthday which is Monday. They just finished breakfast at the IHOP on Rayford and I-45. Several vehicles of family members got onto the freeway along with the deceased. Many of the family members witnessed the aftermath. Some stopped, others exited and returned to the scene. All had planned on a big birthday party for the deceased male Sunday Afternoon at Topgolf. They now will be picking up family members who were on flights coming in for the celebration. Some still in the air and not knowing of the death of their family members. The male and female will be identified later today. DPS is continuing the investigation and has not yet identified the driver of the Charger. The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office is assisting in the investigation.

 

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2019
ROLLING HILLS STRUCTURE FIRE
Just before 2 pm North Montgomery County Fire Department was dispatched to a large structure fire on Rolling Hills Drive in Cut and Shoot. The first unit arrived on the scene with heavy fire and called for additional trucks. It was found the first fire hydrant they were about to hook to was a dead plug with no water. The next one was close to 4000 feet away. North Montgomery County trucks and Conroe Engine 2 dropped the hose as additional tankers were also called in. The two large structures on the property were destroyed as were a shed and horse trailer. The Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating. Cut and Shoot and Montgomery County Precinct 2 Constables were called in for traffic control after several vehicles were seen driving over the firehose which is illegal.

 

 

 


APRIL 2, 2020
WOODLANDS ROBBERY SUSPECT PURSUIT AND CRASH
On April 1, 2020, at about 6:50 PM, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to May Valley Park located at 11598 May Valley Drive in The Woodlands, Texas in reference to a robbery. When Deputies arrived, they made contact with the two victims who stated a male wearing all black approached them and demanded their wallets and phones while pointing a black pistol at them. The victims said they dropped their property and ran for help. A witness who saw the incident took the below photograph as the suspect was fleeing the scene. Today, about 1:15 pm Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a suspicious person call in The Woodlands at May Park. It was reported the same scooter from Wednesday was at the location. While en route one deputy spotted a Yamaha Majesty scooter matching the description in Wednesday’s robbery in The Woodlands. He attempted to stop the bike which accelerated to speeds of 90 mph. As the bike turned into the Sterling Ridge Shopping Center the driver hit the curb, went over the curb and struck a tree. His helmet landed close to 50-feet away. Medical Personnel at the medical facilities started CPR. Woodlands Fire and MCHD responded to the scene. The male was transported in critical condition to Memorial Hermann in The Woodlands. According to Montgomery County Lt. Scott Spencer, the suspect from the pursuit and the robber from Wednesday are believed to be one of the same.

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