Latest news with #KHOU11
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Texas Family of 5 Killed in Head-On Crash: 'Their Absence Will Be Felt Forever'
Hermenegildo Cerda, 55, Veronica Cerda, 53, Veronica Denise Cerda, 26, Rebecca Cerda, 20, and Daniela Cerda, 18, were all killed in a deadly car crash on Saturday, May 10 Their pickup truck collided head-on with a pickup truck driven by Toriano Fair, 43 Fair survived the crash and sustained serious injuriesA family of five was killed and one person was critically injured in a head-on crash on Interstate 45 in Houston on Saturday, May 10, according to the Centerville Volunteer Fire Department. Hermenegildo Cerda, 55, was driving a 2023 Ford F-150, with his wife, Veronica Cerda, 53, and their daughters Veronica Denise Cerda, 26; Rebecca Cerda, 20; and Daniela Cerda, 18, as passengers. Their truck collided head-on with a 2016 Dodge pickup truck, killing all five passengers, according to the fire department's press release. The Dodge was driven by Toriano Fair, 43, who survived the crash but sustained serious injuries and was taken to St. Joseph Regional Hospital in Bryan, Texas. Firefighters responded to the scene at 3:17 p.m. local time, reporting a major vehicle accident near Leona, Texas, the Centerville Volunteer Fire Department said in its release. The Dodge pickup truck was traveling southbound on I-45 when it went off the roadway and struck a guardrail to its right. The vehicle crossed the cable barrier and the I-45, running into the center median before striking the northbound Ford, KHOU 11 reported, citing the Texas Department of Public Safety. Upon emergency personnel's arrival, both vehicles were engulfed in flames. Centerville Volunteer Fire Department and Leona Volunteer Fire Department arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire while also recovering the victims from the blaze. Multiple agencies arrived at the scene, including Leon County Sheriff's Office and Texas Highway Patrol — the latter of which is investigating the incident, per the outlet. "There were at least seven people there, everybody actively just doing something, somebody was dictating what we should do," Mujtaba Quadri, a bystander, told KHOU 11. "The fire was raging, I wish I was able to see the other people [in the truck] because I was on the driver's side, I only saw that one person," Quadri said. He added that he and other bystanders pulled Fair from the wreck and placed him on a stretcher made of blankets. "Just imagine how we are feeling, like we couldn't save them and imagine what he's going to have to go through knowing what happened, and it's devastating," Quadri said. "If I was in their situation, it would give me solace at least, to know that there were random strangers out there helping my family." On Monday, May 12, a family member created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family's funeral expenses. 'Their lives were heartbreakingly cut short in a devastating car accident that claimed the entire family,' the page description read. 'They were a close-knit and loving family, known for their warmth, kindness, and deep love for one another. Their sudden passing has left a deep void in the hearts of everyone who knew them, and their absence will be felt forever.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Representatives for the Texas Highway Patrol and the Leon County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for more information on Wednesday. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tesla-powered homes promise to keep the lights on in outage-prone Houston— but it comes with cons, too
A new development of 11 three-story detached townhomes in Houston holds the promise of energy self-sufficiency in a city where power can be unreliable. Each three-bedroom home is equipped with Tesla solar roofs and batteries. Don't miss It's the first of its kind in the U.S. — and the builder is promising that 'if the power ever goes out in Houston, for whatever reason, they've got you covered,' according to KHOU 11 reporter Ron Treviño. Texas is the only state that isn't part of the national power grid. Rather, it has its own power grid — but that means, if anything goes wrong, it can't draw on power from elsewhere. Couple this with an aging infrastructure and a propensity to be hit with severe weather events, and this leads to frequent blackouts that last days or longer. In fact, Texas experienced 210 weather-related outages between 2000 and 2023 — more than any other state, according to Climate Central. 'Because our power grid is so terrible and we lose power for days on end, we have people that have lost all their groceries,' Jaime Fallon, director of sales with NextGen Real Estate, told KHOU 11. How solar homes are tackling power outages The Oaks of Shady Acres offers energy self-sufficiency with Tesla solar shingles. These solar shingles work with Tesla's Powerwall home battery storage to make the homes self-sufficient. The homes also come with electric vehicle chargers. 'Residents benefit from free, clean energy while also profiting from surplus power sold back to the grid,' said a sponsored article about the project. As of late last month, five homes were still up for sale. Fallon claims that although the builder, Utopia Homes, is using Tesla technology, the backlash against Tesla CEO Elon Musk is not hurting demand. Utopia is a subsidiary of Goldman Investments, which calls Tesla a partner on its website. 'We have honestly had no issues with Trump and Musk backlash. In fact, I had over 150-plus people at my brokers' open. It was insane, people were very excited. Houston is an oil and gas place, so having the first Tesla-powered homes is unheard of,' Fallon told She said buyers are mostly interested in reliable power.
Daily Mirror
04-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Brit nurse stabbed to death in US had alleged 'row with roommate over cats' before death
Elizabeth Tamilore Odunsi, who moved from the UK to Texas to study nursing, was stabbed to death in her US home but she was allegedly attacked following a row with her roommate over their cats A British student nurse, 23, who was stabbed to death in her home - just days before she was due to graduate - was "brutally murdered" allegedly over a disagreement with her roommate about their cats. Elizabeth Tamilore Odunsi, known as Tami and from London, was stabbed in her home in Houston, Texas, where she had been studying. The Houston Police Department said officers were called to an apartment complex for a welfare check when they saw blood on the patio on April 26 and then the body of Tami was found. A local report has since suggested a disagreement about pets could have led to the " murder". Her body was found lying on the kitchen floor and she was covered in multiple stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Police added that a man with at least one stab wound was taken to hospital in a critical condition but cops have since confirmed to The Mirror that he was then arrested on suspicion of murder and was booked into jail. Homicide detectives reportedly told local news outlet KHOU 11 the dispute that allegedly turned deadly stemmed from an argument between the suspect and victim about their pet cats. The Houston Police Department was not able to confirm nor deny this report but it told The Mirror there had been "ongoing disputes" between the two. The suspect, believed to be a 40-year-old man, allegedly attempted to take his own life by stabbing himself around six times after the alleged altercation. The suspect and the victim had allegedly been roommates for around two months before Tami was stabbed to death, detectives told KHOU 11. Her devastated family has raised over £56,000, through a GoFundMe page set up by her sister Georgina Odunsi, to bring Tami home and "give her the peaceful and dignified farewell she deserves". It reads: "With heavy hearts, we share the devastating loss of our beloved sister, daughter, and friend, Tamilore Odunsi—known to her TikTok family as Tami Dollars or TD. "Tami was a beautiful soul, full of light, ambition, and kindness. She was just 23 years old. A devoted Christian, she was a God-fearing young woman who found strength and joy in her faith. She had a deep love for her church community, where she was actively involved and always eager to serve others with humility and grace. "She moved from the UK to the United States to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, dedicating herself to a life of care and service. Tami had a special love for children and always dreamed of making a difference in young lives through her future work in healthcare. Outside of her studies, she brought joy to others through her love for creating content and expressing her vibrant personality." Tami regularly posted on TikTok while studying nursing at Texas Woman's University and her final video was on April 21 where she talked about being close to graduation. The university has said it was "deeply saddened" over her death. They said in a statement: "At just 17, Tami moved alone from London to Houston, bravely adapting to a new country, a new culture, and a new academic system - all just months before the pandemic began. She made a tremendous impact on our university community, and her legacy will continue to inspire us."
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Nursing Student Killed Days Before Graduating Was Allegedly Stabbed by Roommate Over Dispute About Their Cats
Tamilore Odunsi was found with multiple stab wounds and pronounced dead in her Houston apartment on April 26, days before she was supposed to graduate Police said Odunsi's roommate, Chester Lamar Grant, is responsible for her death, and allegedly tried to kill himself after stabbing her Grant and Odunsi got into an argument about their cats days before he allegedly killed her, police said. The student, who moved from the U.K. to get her nursing degree, had only been living with Grant for about two months before her death The man who was living with nursing student Tamilore Odunsi, who was brutally stabbed to death days before her graduation, allegedly killed her following a dispute over their pets. Odunsi's roommate, Chester Lamar Grant, is suspected to be responsible for the fatal stabbing and allegedly attempted to kill himself after the altercation, Houston police told local CBS affiliate KHOU 11. On April 26, police conducted a welfare check at the student's Houston apartment. They entered the unit after seeing blood on the rear patio, and, once inside, they found Odunsi, 23, with multiple stab wounds and Grant, 40, with at least one. Odunsi was pronounced dead at the scene. Now, police said that days before the stabbing, the roommates got in an argument over the cats that they kept in the apartment, eventually leading Grant to stab Odunsi, KHOU 11 reported, citing authorities. After stabbing Odunsi, Grant tried to end his own life by stabbing himself six times, including once in his neck, detectives told KHOU 11. He and Odunsi had only been living with each other for about two months at the time of the incident, per the outlet. Following the April welfare check, Grant was hospitalized in critical condition. On May 3, he was booked into jail and charged with murder, according to jail records viewed by PEOPLE. He is next expected to appear in court on Monday, May 5. A spokesperson for the Houston Police Department (HPD) was not available to respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Saturday, May 3, or Sunday, May 4. Originally from the United Kingdom, Odunsi documented her experience as a British student studying in the United States on her TikTok account @tamidollars. She gained over 30,000 followers for her study tips and other school-related content. In the weeks leading up to her death, Odunsi was counting down the days to her college graduation on TikTok. In her final video, posted five days before her death, she shared her excitement about the milestone, dancing alongside text that read: '23 years old,' 'BSN grad in 2 weeks,' 'Vacations booked,' 'Summer is 14 days away,' 'Starting to look human again.' 'I'm readyyyyyyyyyyyyy 🙂↕️,' Odunsi wrote in the caption. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Following Odunsi's death, a GoFundMe fundraiser was created to raise money to return her body to her family in the U.K. and cover funeral expenses. As of May 4, the fundraiser has surpassed its £40,000 goal, raising a total of £54,530 (over $72,000). According to the fundraiser, Odunsi — who was described as "a beautiful soul, full of light, ambition and kindness" — moved to the United States to 'pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, dedicating herself to a life of care and service." Her death, the page says, is 'an unimaginable loss at a moment that should have marked the beginning of a bright and promising future.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
12 Houston Fire Academy Cadets Share Racist Memes, Messed Around and Found Out at the Worst Time
Houston City Council Member Julian Ramirez called the behavior of 12 Houston Fire Training Academy cadets 'regrettable and very disappointing' after they circulated racist content in a private Instagram group chat. They were even bold enough to continue their racist behavior online even after receiving warnings to for that they paid the ultimate price. Once officials confirmed the group resumed sharing 'rude' and 'crass' things anyway, they decided enough was enough. Just six days before their scheduled graduation after an eight-month training program, the cadets were terminated following an internal investigation. HFD sources did not specify the chat's contents, but they said it contained 'inappropriate memes and images.' In a written statement, Chief Thomas Munoz addressed the situation, saying how, 'Racism and hateful behavior have no home in Mayor Whitmire's administration or the Houston Fire Department.' During the first week of the academy, cadets are ordered to undergo anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training. According to reports, the department was tipped off about the racist social media group by a fellow cadet in the most recent graduating class. Afterwards, the cadets were required to complete yet another round of anti-discrimination training. The financial impact of the decision is also significant. The city spends approximately $100K — each — to train individual cadets, KHOU 11 reports. 'The city has invested so much money in these cadets and then they made mistakes, were warned about it and continued on their course of action and had to be fired,' Ramirez said, per ABC 13. '$1.2 million could pay for a lot of things we need,' he added when asked about the city's tight budget. Ramirez wants the city to explore possible legal avenues to reclaim training costs when cases of misconduct arise. 'There should be a mechanism for the city to recoup its investment when the cadet messes up in that fashion,' Ramirez said. HFD said, per KHOU 11, only 27 cadets made it to the graduation swearing-in on April 24. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
