The McAllen
Safety
5 men charged in McAllen prostitution sting
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Five men were arrested on solicitation of prostitution charges, the McAllen Police Department announced Wednesday. Officers with the McAllen PD conducted a law enforcement initiative that resulted in the arrest of three men on Aug. 26, one man o...
2 arrested for smuggling marijuana into Cameron County jail
T he Cameron County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two people accused of smuggling marijuana into the Cameron County Carrizales-Rucker Detention Center. Victor Manuel Castillo, 27, and Alejandra Maria Guevara, 23, are charged with prohibited substance in a correctional facility, a...
Tiger Woods pleads no contest to reckless driving charge over rollover crash in Florida
STUART, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods pleaded no contest to a reckless driving charge and his driver's license was suspended for five years Wednesday following a March rollover crash in Florida, where he initially was accused of driving under the influence. Woods, still one of golf's m...
Body recovered from San Juan canal after suspected accidental fall, police say
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An investigation is underway after the body of a 59-year-old man was recovered from a canal on Tuesday evening in San Juan. San Juan police identified the man on Wednesday as Alejandro Quintero. Police believe he fell into the canal by accident....
Couple arrested at Mission stash house had more than $700,000 in cash, 180 pounds of cocaine, DEA says
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than $700,000 and 180 pounds of cocaine on Sunday, when federal agents raided a stash house in Mission. At 8:50 p.m. on Sunday, the DEA and the Texas Department of Public Safety raided a stash h...
Video shows fiery car crash into Hidalgo County Courthouse
A video has surfaced showing the fiery crash at the Hidalgo County Courthouse late Sunday evening. Surveillance footage shared with MyRGV.com shows multiple angles of the vehicle hurling toward the courthouse and going airborne before erupting in flames. An angle from inside the ...
Woman accused of delivering marijuana to Cameron County inmate
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A woman was arrested and charged after allegedly delivering marijuana to an inmate at a Cameron County correctional facility. Alejandra Maria Guevara, 23, was arrested in Brownsville on Tuesday and charged with bringing a prohibited substance in...
McAllen man killed aunt, pushed grandma after argument about hallucinating, records allege
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An offense report obtained by ValleyCentral alleges a McAllen man killed his aunt and pushed his grandma after an argument about him hallucinating. The incident happened Aug. 22 at a home on the 1500 block of Redwood Avenue. The McAllen Police D...
Affidavit at core of legal fight between Mission, fired police officer
D ocuments reveal that a high-ranking Mission police union member was fired because he failed to submit evidence, among other allegations. The officer’s attorney, meanwhile, said his client should have never been disciplined because those allegations brought against him were time...
Tony Romo pleads no contest to charge of operating while intoxicated and issues statement of apology
CBS NFL analyst and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has pleaded no contest to a charge of operating while intoxicated and has issued a statement apologizing for the actions that led to his July arrest. Romo was arrested July 23 following a traffic stop as he was drivi...
Senior UPS drivers retire after decades of accident-free service in Valley
B ROWNSVILLE — Four senior UPS drivers marked their retirement from the United Parcel Service last Friday in an informal ceremony at the company distribution center off Billy Mitchel Boulevard on the 119th anniversary of the company’s founding. The ceremony marked the departure o...
Driver injured after crashing into RV in Donna, police say
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A driver was seriously injured after crashing into an RV in Donna Monday night, according to the Donna Police Department. On Aug. 31 at approximately 11:40 p.m., Donna police located the crash at RV Station on the 200 block of W. Expressway 83. ...
UCLA ousts athletic director Martin Jarmond, taps former Lakers executive Tim Harris to replace him
LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA fired athletic director Martin Jarmond on Monday and replaced him with Tim Harris, the former longtime president of business operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. The shake-up was announced in a letter from Chancellor Julio Frenk to the university communi...
Brownsville ISD PD warn parents of 'Cat in the Hat' trend
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Independent School District Police and Security Services Department is advising parents to stay vigilant when it comes to the "Cat in the Hat" social media trend. According to the public service announcement, BISD police are awar...
Hidalgo County brush fire burns 1,500 acres, endangers cattle
A brush fire over the weekend burned roughly 1,500 acres of farmland on Saturday afternoon in northern Hidalgo County, endangering cattle and prompting a regional response, with both the McAllen and Edinburg fire departments aiding containment efforts. As of Monday, the brush fir...
Photo Gallery: Aftermath of suspected drunk driver crashing into Hidalgo County Courthouse’s entrance
E DINBURG — A BMW traveling southbound on Closner Boulevard here late Sunday night failed to stop and drove directly into the front entrance of the Hidalgo County Courthouse, the city said in a news release. The crash happened at approximately 11:35 p.m. and caused extensive stru...
Hidalgo County Courthouse closed after suspected drunk driver crashes into entrance
A BMW traveling southbound on Closner Boulevard in Edinburg late Sunday night failed to stop and drove directly into the front entrance of the courthouse, the city said in a news release. The crash happened at approximately 11:35 p.m. and caused extensive structural damage to the...
Smuggler pleads guilty in Starr County marijuana case
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man who smuggled nearly 500 pounds of marijuana through Starr County pleaded guilty on Wednesday. The Texas Department of Public Safety arrested David Garcia, 27, of Zapata after a high-speed chase in May. When his silver SUV finally stopped, tr...
Commentary: A futuristic guide for our era
“R ed alert! Shields up! Fire phasers! The USS Enterprise is picking up massive gravitational fluctuations! The gravitational field is too high! We need more power to the shields! Impact in three minutes!” Intense scenes like this one attract Trekkies or Trekkers (loyal Star Trek...
Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen arrested on drunken driving charges
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen was arrested Sunday on drunken driving charges. Allen, 34, is facing preliminary misdemeanor charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated — endangering a pe...
Kenedy County brush fire fully contained; 2,003 acres burned
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A brush fire that spread across more than 2,000 miles in Kenedy County over the weekend is fully contained, according to a Monday evening update from the Texas A&M Forest Service. The weekend blaze destroyed approximately 2,003 acres. The fire s...
Missouri's William Jewell College running back dies after experiencing medical emergency during game
William Jewell College junior running back MicahJo Barnett died after experiencing a medical emergency on the sideline — and shortly after scoring a touchdown — during the Missouri-based Division II school’s season opener against Fort Lewis College on Saturday, police and school ...
McAllen city staff, first responders attend disaster recovery training
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — McAllen city staff and first responders attended a two-day training course on how to prepare for disaster recovery. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's MGT-482 Disaster Recovery Public Assist...
Tadej Pogacar requires surgery on broken clavicle after head-over-handlebars crash in Spanish Vuelta
XERACO, Spain (AP) — Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar was sent hurdling head-over-handlebars in a frightening crash that forced him to pull out of the Spanish Vuelta on Saturday. The Slovenian suffered a concussion and broke two bones, one of which will require sur...
LaFleur says he fully anticipates Packers keeping Josh Jacobs while charges are pending
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur says there are no plans for the team to release running back Josh Jacobs, who faces two misdemeanor charges stemming from what police have described as a physical confrontation with his girlfriend. “I fully anticipate hi...
Letters: Shock gloves
Electric shock gloves will be given to ICE agents at a great cost to taxpayers. I can only hope these agents suffer from itchy noses while wearing these gloves. Mary Hogan Mission Help stop wildfires Turns out illegal campfire users, teenage fireworks pranksters, lightning strike...
Tony Romo facing three more citations in connection with his arrest last month
Tony Romo is facing three more citations in connection with his arrest last month that got him placed on leave from his role as CBS’ lead analyst on NFL games. Romo was arrested July 23 in Wisconsin on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence. The case against t...
Former Cameron County District Attorney's Office employee arrested
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Authorities arrested a former employee with the Cameron County District Attorney's Office on Friday, according to District Attorney Luis V. Saenz. Claudia Garcia is a former employee of the DA's Office, according to Saenz, and was arrested Frida...
Former Cameron County DA employee charged with bringing drugs into jail
Claudia Garcia Robert Johnathon Vargas A former paralegal with the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office has been charged with bringing drugs into a correctional facility. In a brief news release, the DA’s office said Claudia Garcia and Robert Johnathon Vargas were arrested F...
Bond set for student accused of school threat against IDEA Elsa
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A student has been released from custody following an alleged threat against IDEA Elsa. Christopher Alessandro Ayala, 17, was arrested by the Elsa Police Department on Wednesday and charged with terroristic threat causing serious bodily injury. ...
Packers running back Josh Jacobs facing misdemeanor charges of battery, criminal damage to property
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is facing misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property stemming from what police described as a physical confrontation with his girlfriend. Jacobs was arrested May 26 after police were called to his home to investigate ...
Suspects accused of unauthorized card transactions in McAllen
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Two people are wanted on credit card abuse charges for multiple unauthorized card transactions over the past month, according to the McAllen Police Department. McAllen police issued arrest warrants for suspects Elisa Yvette Colombel and Cindy Th...
Weslaco launches community health program to bridge gap in care
W ESLACO — The Weslaco Fire Department has partnered with Knapp Medical Center to launch a new patient-centered initiative focused on addressing social isolation while making care more accessible. The Community Healthcare Program will include home visits and follow-up phone calls...
Former National Guard soldier jailed for drunk driving crash seeks shock probation
Bianca Farmer T he 29-year-old former Georgia National Guard soldier who was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to intoxication manslaughter is requesting shock probation after spending over 160 days in jail. On March 16, Bianca Farmer was convicted of intoxica...
ICE agent Christian Castro released from custody
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent arrested in connection with the shooting of a Venezuelan man during an immigration operation in Minneapolis was released from custody early Thursday morning. Christian Castro walked out of the Carriza...
Roger Goodell says NFL is looking into whether to punish 49ers owner Jed York following his arrest
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Commissioner Roger Goodell said the NFL is looking into whether San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York will be punished for violating the league's personal conduct policy after he was caught in a prostitution sting in Ohio. “It’s being reviewed under the pe...
Suspect hospitalized after Edinburg police shooting
E DINBURG — Police here and the Texas Rangers are investigating a Wednesday afternoon police shooting. Edinburg Director of Communications and Media Roxanne Lerma was joined by Lt. Luciano Ozuna and Lt. Gabriel Vela-Reyna for a brief news conference near the scene of the shooting...
Suspect in critical condition after officer-involved shooting in Edinburg
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A suspect is in critical condition after an officer-involved shooting in Edinburg. Shortly after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Edinburg police responded to a disturbance call on the 2000 block of Joy Street. When police arrived and knocked on the door, p...
Student, 17, accused of making threat against IDEA Elsa Academy
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Elsa police arrested a 17-year-old student accused of making a threat against IDEA Elsa Academy. Elsa police did not identify the student, who is facing a charge of terroristic threat causing serious bodily injury. The student remains in custody...
Edinburg pastor facing new charges of child grooming
Jorge Ivan Gonzalez Martinez A n Edinburg pastor who was initially arrested in July following a victim’s outcry has now been charged with child grooming. Jorge Ivan Gonzalez Martinez of Mission was arraigned Tuesday on two counts of child grooming and given a $100,000 bond, accor...
English soccer star Raheem Sterling charged with dangerous driving after highway collision
EASTLEIGH, England (AP) — Former England forward Raheem Sterling has been charged with three offenses including dangerous driving after being involved in a collision on a highway, police said Wednesday. The charges relate to an incident on May 28 when a Lamborghini was involved i...
Slowdown on I-2 westbound between Main St. and Hutto Rd in Donna
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A slowdown on I-2 westbound from the Main St. exit to the Hutto Rd exit in Donna is causing traffic to back up. ValleyCentral reached out to the Donna Police Department but has yet to receive a response....
49ers owner Jed York texted woman he believed was a prostitute before his arrest in police sting
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York used an alias when he sent text messages over two days to a woman he believed to be a prostitute before he was arrested in a sting operation in Ohio, according to a police incident report obtained Tuesday. The report f...
Valley Storm Team: Emergency Management leader reminds everyone to stay alert
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — As hurricane season reaches its peak in the Rio Grande Valley, Chief Meteorologist Bryan Hale sits down with Cameron County Emergency Management Coordinator Tom Hushen to discuss the importance of being prepared before a storm threatens. From or...
ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50,000 in July, the highest monthly total of Trump’s second term
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people during July, the highest single monthly arrest total during the second Trump administration, according to new figures. The spike in immigration arrests shows that the administration has conti...
LeBron James and the PGA Tour to stage a two-day event at Firestone geared toward youth
ATLANTA (AP) — LeBron James' growing passion for golf now includes a partnership with the PGA Tour announced Tuesday that will bring a two-day tournament to Firestone Country Club in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, next summer to connect youth with aspiring professionals. The LeBron...
Texas police reveal no criminal findings and close case into death of Bills' DT Ed Oliver's son
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A police investigation into the death of Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver’s 1-year-old son has resulted in no criminal findings and the case is now considered closed, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Texas announced on Monday. The closing of the ...
Injuries reported in Raymondville-area crash
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — First responders are at the scene of a two-vehicle crash near Raymondville. The Willacy County Sheriff's Office reports that the crash occurred at the intersection of FM 490 and FM 1420 and caused injuries. The extent of the injuries is unknown....
Weslaco mother, daughters arrested following alleged assault of Harlingen officer
A mother and her two daughters were arrested Saturday for allegedly assaulting a Harlingen police officer following a traffic stop. Lily Mata, 59, of Weslaco, was arrested and charged with driving while license invalid without financial responsibility and had her bond set at $2,5...