JULY 31, 1979
WOODWAY SQUARE 7 ALARM FIRE
Thom Dickerson, a former reporter for KTRK Channel 13 passed away Friday. He was 65-years-old. Thom was with ABC 13 for 25-years, besides just reporting he hosted the Outdoors report which covered hunting and fishing stories across the State of Texas.
A service to remember and honor his life will be next Saturday, October 11, at 2pm at Carl Barnes funeral home in the Heights. Thom Dickerson was 65 years old.
THOM REPORTED ON ONE OF THE MOST HISTORICAL HOUSTON FIRE ON JULY 31, 1979.
WOODWAY SQUARE APARTMENTS. AFTER ONE UNIT CAUGHT FIRE WIND BLEW EMBERS ACROSS OTHER BUILDINGS CEDAR SHINGLE ROOFS SPARKING ADDITIONAL FIRES. EVEN HOMES IN THE AREA CAUGHT FIRE. THAT FIRE LATER CAUSED THE HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL TO BAN CEDAR SHINGLE ROOFS. THE SAME ROOFS THAT WERE BY MOST DEED RESTRICTIONS THE ONLY ONES ALLOWED.
JULY 31, 2004
HARDIN COUNTY JAIL BREAK
JULY 31, 2007
CPL ZACHARY ENDSLEY RETURNS TO SPRING
SPRING, TX, USA
U.S. Army
CPL, COMPANY B, 1ST BATTALION, 4TH INFANTRY, HOHENFELS, GERMANY
ARGHENDAB DISTRICT, ZABOL, AFGHANISTAN 07/23/2007
Army Corporal Zach Endsley 21, was known as a quiet, witty “jokester” who was full of creative talent. He was a free spirit, and he was never afraid to try new things and he knew exactly what he wanted to do. He had a quiet nature, and a quick wit. Zach was a 2004 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, Texas. He enjoyed computer games, music and drawing ad was a talented artist, even winning a poster contest in high school. Zach used laughter and pranks to entertain others and the quiet enjoyment and entertainment often came in the form of guitar music as Zach and his friends would often come home from work and gather in the living room strumming guitars.
Zach was also active in the youth group at Crossroads Baptist Church, where the family was involved in the worship ministry. Friends, neighbors, community and church members tied yellow ribbons around tree trunks and set out flags in honor of Corporal Endsley.
As a teenager, Zach joined the Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer support organization of the U.S. Air Force, and belonged to the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at Oak Ridge High School. He was fascinated by guns and liked shooting them and taking them apart. After graduation, he enrolled in Montgomery College, but his interest in studying waned. He had a desire to be where the action was. This desire led Zach to explore military service as a career. He showed an initial interest in the U.S. Marines but surprised his family by enlisting in the U.S. Army in December 2005. He got a high score on a military placement test which put him in a coveted position to choose his job in the Army. He chose the Infantry. He understood the danger of war and he didn’t want to just go over there and build stuff or blow stuff up. He wanted to be where the action was. His enthusiasm also inspired a neighbor and friend to join the Army as well.
Although he was excited to be stationed in Afghanistan Zach sensed his family feared for his safety, and sought to keep his communication brief often leaving out details in his attempt to protect loved ones from worry.
Private First Class Endsley was assigned to 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, Hohenfels, Germany. He died July 23, 2007 in Arghendab district, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using indirect fire.
Zachary was born July 3, 1986 in Houston, TX. Zachary Endsley is survived by his mother, Melinda Carroll; stepfather, David Carroll; father, Terry Endsley; brother, Aaron Endsley; two stepsisters, Katie Petty and Kimberly Worthington, and their families.
JULY 31, 2013
CONROE POLICE SHOOT AND KILL SHOPLIFTER AFTER HE ATTACKS OFFICER
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On July 31, 2013, at approximately 7:20 pm, Conroe Police dispatch received a call from Walmart loss prevention officers, located at 1407 N. Loop 336 W, advising that they were attempting to detain a shoplifting suspect. The suspect ran from loss prevention officers, who pursued him. An off duty Conroe Police Sergeant observed loss prevention officers chasing the suspect. The Conroe Police Sergeant asked the loss prevention officer what had occurred, and the loss prevention officer advised that the suspect had stolen items from the store. The Conroe Police Sergeant assisted loss prevention in the chase and pursued the suspect into a wooded area southwest of Walmart. Once in the wooded area, a violent struggle between the suspect and the sergeant ensued. During the struggle, the suspect began choking the sergeant to the point the sergeant feared he would lose consciousness. The sergeant, fearing for his life, then fired his weapon, striking the suspect. The suspect, who died at the scene, was identified as 19 year old Russell Rios. The Conroe Police Sergeant was treated and released from an area hospital with minor injuries. He will be placed on administrative leave, per agency protocol, until the conclusion of the investigation.
073111 GENE CAMPBELL BODY
At approximately 2:45 p.m., Tuesday, July 26, 2011, deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported abandoned vehicle in the 13900 block of Homestead Rd. When deputies arrived on the scene, they located a 2004, dark green Chevrolet Trail Blazer, bearing Georgia license plates, abandoned in the business parking lot just north of Greens Bayou. Upon inspecting the vehicle, deputies discovered that the front passenger door window had been broken out and that a substantial amount of blood was visible inside the vehicle. Homicide investigators were contacted and responded to the scene.
The vehicle was registered to Amber Elkins, who currently lives in the Spring area. Homicide investigators spoke with Elkins’ family and learned that she was last seen on Sunday evening, July 24, 2011
On Sunday, July 31, 2011 at approximately 3:30 p.m. Equusearch along with Harris County Sheriff’s Office located the body of Amber Chantel Elkins on Gene Campbell Road in East Montgomery County.
Her boyfriend James David “JD” Clark was arrested and charged with the murder.
JULY 31, 2013
3RD DAY OF NICOLE BAUCUS TRIAL-WRONG WAY FATAL DRIVER
Just after 5:30 pm Day 3 of the wrong way driver trial of Nicole Baukus wound down. The day had several experts testify including Woodlands Trooper Mike Chapman. Chapman who has been with DPS starting out in the Drivers License has progressed rapidly. After becoming a trooper he was certified in all six categories of accident investigation and is an also an instructor for other troopers in crash investigation.
He explained how from the “Black Box” in the victims vehicle he was able to determine they reacted one half second before impact with only enough time to let off the accelerator. At that point they were moving more than 200 feet per second.
Texas Ranger Wendi Wakeman demonstrated on prosecutor Warren Diepraam how she swabbed Baukus for DNA when she arrived at the Montgomery County Jail with Trooper Jay Smith after being released from the hospital.
A analyst from DPS explained how she removed the air bag from the Baukus vehicles drivers side and found Baukus’s blood on it as well as the arm rest and the left sock embedded in the floor board of her truck.
One again the number 21 came up. This time it wasn’t in reference to the number of drinks Baukus had but the chances of the DNA not being hers. The analyst said the chances were 1 in 2 sextillion that the blood was not a match for Baukus. When asked what that number even looked like she said there were 21 zero’s after it. (2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000).
Dr. Field with Hermann Hospital took the stand telling of the injuries he treated on both Baukus and Porras. He said Porras, upper jaw was shattered as was the bone and him losing all his upper teeth when the dashboard hit him in the face. He also spoke of his other neck injuries and having to continue going through surgeries. Dr. Field said Baukus had some fractures in her foot and other abrasions. At the time he did not think anyone had told Baukus that she had killed two people as she was laughing. He was shocked when he broke the news to her and she laughed.
Video from “On the Rox” was also released today. We have edited it down from over 6 hours on 15 cameras to one camera in 20 minutes showing her taking each drink. Also at the 16 minute mark you see her leaving the club staggering across the parking lot.
The trial will begin at 9 am Thursday and MCPR will once again be there.
JULY 31, 2014
EAST MONTGOMERY COUNTY FLOODING
FLOODING IN EAST MONTGOMERY COUNTY, NORTH LIBERTY COUNTY, EAST SAN JACINTO COUNTY AFTER A STORM CELL PARKED OVER THE AREA FOR ALMOST 4 HOURS
JULY 31, 2015
CONTROLLED BURN IN SPRING
The controlled burn at Spring Stuebner and Kuykendahl continues to burn, The fire was set close to 8 am according to the contractor for the new shopping center. Close to 2pm the fire hit the remaining piles with the high winds and erupted. Smoke could be seen from the Greenspoint area. As a large black cloud rose into the air fire calls started to come in for a house fire in North Hampton and several others. Also the new apartments at Northcrest and Spring Stuebner were reported to be on fire. All those calls we unfounded as people were seeing the smoke and reporting where they thought the fire was. One caller said it was two blocks from her home when in fact it was close to a mile and wasn’t a house as she reported. There were no structures in the proximity of the blaze.
Spring Stuebner was closed for over an hour as fire units stood by waiting on Harris County Environmental to respond and determine if there in fact were any permits held by the contractor.
The intense heat could be felt on Spring Stuebner and at times smoke would block vision on Spring Stuebner.
Spring Fire Department will continue to monitor the situation.
JULY 31, 2019
KINGWOOD HOSPITAL PURSUIT
Just before midnight, a Pizza Delivery Woman was delivering to Kingwood Hospital. As she exited her vehicle to get the pizza a male who had been transported to the hospital from an earlier crash in Splendora, exited the hospital, jumped into her car and drove off. She immediately called Houston Police who responded. Having vehicle tracking on a phone Houston Police determined the vehicle was stopped on Sorters Road in Montgomery County.. They notified Montgomery County who responded to the location. As Montgomery County Precinct 4 deputies approached the KIA sped off. A pursuit ensued ending when the driver turned into private property across the street from the Porter Fire Station on Sorters Road and crashed into a picnic table under a covered patio. The driver fled on foot. Deputies sealed the area off and started searching. They
were assisted by Houston Police, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and DPS including a DPS Helicopter. Harris County responded with two K-9 units and was able tl locate the male. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail wearing a hood after he attempted to spit on deputies. The vehicle suffered heavy front end damage and was towed by Valentin Towing.
JULY 31, 2021
DOG RESCUED FROM 120 DEGREE CAR OWNER ARRESTED
Saturday afternoon Montgomery County Precinct 2 Constables, who were approved by Montgomery County Commissioners on Thursday for the new Animal Cruelty unit were dispatched to the Big Rivers Waterpark in New Caney. Some patrons in the park alerted off-duty officers from Splendora and Patton Village who were working extra jobs at the park of a dog in a car. The officers went to check and found a Honda Elantra with a Pit Bull mix inside the vehicle. The windows were cracked some and the doors unlocked. Officers attempted to remove the dog when it started barking at them. They were finally able to get the dog out which drank almost two containers of water. They alerted Animal Control. Aaron Johnson, the Director of Montgomery County Animal Control was in the office and responded immediately. The temperature inside the vehicle was 120-degrees. The dog’s temperature was 110. Deputies recovered the dog close to 6 pm and waited for the owner to return to the vehicle. They learned the last time it was checked on had been just afternoon. Deputies contacted the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office who accepted charges on the female owner. The female said she was visiting from Tennessee. She was accompanied by her teenage son. CPS was contacted and will place her son until she bonds out of the Montgomery County Jail. Leaving a pet in a hot or cold car for an extended period of time can be considered an act of cruelty, which is punishable by jail time and a fine. The most dangerous aspect of leaving children and pets in vehicles is their inability to escape of their own accord. Within minutes, a child strapped into a car seat or a dog can be subject to the scorching heat of 120 degrees or more. The inside of a car can become significantly hotter than the outside temperature, even if the windows are rolled down. The bottom line is you can never bet on the outside temperature or your attempt at hurrying to save you from being charged with neglect. In 17 years, 650 children have died due to being neglected in a vehicle. Many of those deaths occurred in Texas. A body temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit can start damaging internal organs. Death can occur in as little as 20 minutes. Pets are similarly affected. They can’t sweat to regulate their body temperatures the way humans can, and they can suffer from internal organ damage and heatstroke if body temperatures rise above 106. Leave your pet at home if you can’t bring it with you when you get into town.
