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Niskayuna man arrested in connection to 1994 cold case

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

Editor's note: Niskayuna Police documents spell Smerk's first name "Stephan," while Fairfax County Police spelled it "Stephen."SPRINGFIELD, Va. (NEWS10) -- A Niskayuna man has been arrested in connection to a homicide that took place in 1994, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Stephan Smerk, 51, was charged with second-degree murder. Get the latest news, weather, and sports delivered right to your inbox! On November 20, 1994, Robin Lawrence, 37, was found stabbed to death in her home on Reseca Lane in Springfield. During the preliminary investigation, detectives were able to recover evidence from the scene and a DNA profile was developed, however, at the time, there was no match in any system for the recovered DNA.For decades, detectives from the Cold Case Unit continued their efforts to review evidence and identify a suspect. Many years later, a DNA match was found, and detectives determined that Smerk was working in the area at the time of the murder. Man arr...

Man driving stolen Kia dies in crash while fleeing from police

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

JENNINGS, Mo. – A man died overnight after crashing into a building while fleeing from police in a stolen vehicle.According to Sgt. Tracy Panus, a spokeswoman for the St. Louis County Police Department, the chase began shortly after 1:20 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Jennings Station and West Florissant roads. Police claim a patrol officer noticed a Kia Optima traveling northbound on Jennings Station and attempted to make a traffic stop. The driver did not stop and sped off. Local health agency discusses rising COVID cases in St. Louis Police claim the officer turned off the vehicle's sirens. About a minute later, the officer found the Kia had crashed into a building at Jennings Station and Fairhaven Drive.The driver of the Kia was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not been released.Investigators determined the Kia, which had been reported stolen on Sept. 10, struck a utility pole before hitting the building.

Challengers seek rewrite of Missouri abortion-rights ballot measures, calling them misleading

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Abortion advocates asked a judge on Monday to rewrite what they call misleading descriptions of several constitutional amendments on abortion rights that voters could see on Missouri’s 2024 ballot.Missouri is among several states, including Ohio, where abortion opponents are fighting efforts to ensure or restore access to the procedure following the fall of Roe v. Wade last year.In part, one of the Missouri petitions would amend the state's constitution to ban government infringement on the “fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which entails the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care."Decisions on abortion, birth control and childbirth are some examples of reproductive care protected under the proposed amendments. Local health agency discusses rising COVID cases in St. Louis In Missouri, summaries of proposed constitutional amendments are provided on ballots to help voters underst...

Denver police investigating separate fatal shootings of two homeless people

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

The Denver Police Department is investigating after two people were found shot to death on the South Platte River Trail in the last week.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Man killed in overnight shooting near Ruby Hill Park Crime and Public Safety | Denver police officer charged in 2022 LoDo shooting pleads not guilty Crime and Public Safety | Crash on northbound Santa Fe causing delays; two lanes blocked Crime and Public Safety | Woman dies after overnight shooting in north Denver Crime and Public Safety | Fired McAuliffe principal Kurt Dennis sues DPS, alleging district violated his free speech rights A woman was found dead at 12:25 a.m. Wednesday on the South Platte River Trail, under Interstate 70 in the area of East 45th Avenue and North Washington Street, and a man was found dead at 12:36 a.m. Saturday on the trail near the intersection of South Platte River Drive and West Florida Avenue.Ea...

Colorado deputies fired for using Taser on handcuffed man, falsifying reports about incident

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

Two Las Animas County sheriff’s deputies who shocked a handcuffed man with a Taser as he tried to watch a traffic stop were fired in late August after an independent investigation found they had no legal basis to detain the man, used excessive force and wrote false reports, according to a report made public Monday.Nathanial Espinoza, accompanied by his attorney Kevin Mehr, speaks to members of the media outside the Alfred A Arraj United States Courthouse on May 2, 2023, in Denver, Colorado. Espinoza’s father, Kenneth Espinoza, was shocked with a Taser multiple times in the body and face by officers with the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office (LACSO) during a traffic incident in Trinidad, Colorado. The attorney and Espinoza announced the filing of a federal lawsuit against the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office and the deputies involved in the Nov. 29, 2022 assault. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)The 69-page internal affairs report also recommen...

Todd Helton teams up with organization to eliminate $10 million in medical bills for Colorado residents

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

DENVER — Retired Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is teaming up with the organization RIP Medical Debt to help eliminate $10 million in medical bills for residents around the state.The program is set to start later this month, with recipients around Colorado receiving letters that notify them their medical bills have been paid in full. Medical expenses have been among the leading causes for bankruptcy in the United States.Helton, who retired in 2013 and is the franchise’s all-time leader in many statistical categories, said in a release Monday that he drew inspiration from his friend and philanthropist Ryan “Jume” Jumonville.“(He) recently took care of $100 (million) in medical debt for the people in his home state of Florida,” Helton said. “I … wanted to do something similar for the people of Colorado.”Helton worked with Jumonville in 2004, when the tandem donated money to health care programs in order to help University of Tennessee system employees.RIP...

Dusting of snow on high peaks a reminder that skiing may be only a month away

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

Several high peaks in Colorado received noticeable dustings of snow overnight including Pikes Peak, the peaks of the Tenmile Range in Summit County, the Arapahoe Basin ski area and Capitol Peak, a fourteener near Aspen.Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park was closed for about two hours Monday morning due to snow and ice.The peaks of the Tenmile Range received a dusting of snow Monday, as seen from Copper Mountain. (Provided by Copper Mountain Resort)Breckenridge ski resort received snow across its five peaks, according to spokeswoman Sara Lococo, as did Bald Mountain, a 13,700-foot peak just east of town. Elsewhere in the Tenmile Range there was snow on Crystal Peak and Pacific Peak, a pair of prominent thirteeners that are visible from Copper Mountain resort.Overnight low temperatures in Summit County this week will be in the 30s, according to the National Weather Service.Monday’s snow came 38 days before the 10-year average date for Colorado’s first ski are...

Fred Leon Black Jr Pronounced Dead Following Pedestrian Crash on Herndon Avenue [Fresno, CA]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

Pedestrian Hit-and-Run Accident on Blackstone Avenue Left 59-Year-Old Man DeadFRESNO, CA (September 11, 2023) – Sunday evening, a pedestrian crash on Herndon Avenue claimed the life of Fred Leon Black Jr.The incident happened on August 27th, at around 10:00 p.m., near the intersection of Herndon and Blackstone Avenues.According to reports, Black tried to cross Blackstone in the center of the street while using a wheelchair. He ran into a car that had stopped him as he approached the northbound lanes.Upon arriving at the scene, officials found a 59-year-old man down on the highway with life-threatening injuries. Paramedics later pronounced him dead due to the extent of his injuries.Meanwhile, the driver stayed and cooperated with the officers at the scene.Furthermore, emergency crews closed off the surrounding area briefly during cleanup and preliminary duties.The police have ruled out drugs and alcohol as factors in the collision.Sweet James sends out their warm and sincerest sympat...

Aaliyah Renee Gil Killed in Rollover Incident near Cesar Chavez Park [Phoenix, AZ]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

20-Year-Old Woman Dies and Two Hospitalized Following a Deadly Rollover CrashPHOENIX, AZ (September 11, 2023) – Early Saturday morning, officers were dispatched to a rollover crash that killed Aaliyah Renee Gil.The incident took place near Cesar Chavez Park at 35th Avenue, just south of Baseline Road, shortly after 1:15 a.m., September 2nd.According to the investigation by the Phoenix police, the collision involved two vehicles, one was driven by 20-year-old Aaliyah Renee Gil.Furthermore, the police stated that Gil was headed northbound on 35th Avenue when she veered over to the southbound lanes and struck a vehicle. Also, one of the vehicles overturned as a result of the collision.Unfortunately, Gil succumbed to her injuries and authorities pronounced her dead. Two other people were transported to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening wounds.Both directions of the roadway were temporarily shut down to allow for cleanup and preliminary duties.Moreover, the authori...

In India, Vietnam, Biden looks past Russia to imperfect partners

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:45:40 GMT

By Josh Boak | Associated PressHANOI, Vietnam — President Joe Biden on Monday wrapped up a five-day diplomatic sprint through Vietnam and India that put a spotlight on imperfect partners that he believes will be crucial for global stability in the years to come.The whirlwind visit demonstrated that as Russia’s war on Ukraine plods on with no end in sight, Biden appears to have become more willing to look past differences with complicated allies that he badly needs to keep close for the sake of stability in the Indo-Pacific, Middle East and beyond.Biden closed out his Asia trip in Hanoi on Monday by spotlighting new business deals and partnerships with Vietnam after celebrating the Communist government’s elevation of the U.S.-Vietnam relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.“My message today is quite simple: Let’s keep it up,” Biden said of his desire to keep strengthening the nations’ partnership during a meeting with CEOs. “We ...