Today is
Saturday September 21, 2024
(SELMA, Texas) -- A man initially interviewed as a witness at the scene of a murder has now been arrested over a year later in the apparent road rage slaying, authorities in Texas announced.
Jacob Daniel Serna, 29, was arrested on Thursday for the murder of Joseph Banales, according to police in Selma, located about 20 miles outside of San Antonio.
The case began on April 15, 2023, when Selma police said they responded to a single-car crash and found Banales shot in the head and slumped over his steering wheel.
Banales, a nursing student and Army ROTC member at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, was declared dead at the scene, police said.
Witnesses said Banales tried to merge into another lane and almost hit a dark blue or black sports car with a loud exhaust system, according to the probable cause affidavit. The sports car slowed down, then spend up along the driver’s side of Banales’ car, witnesses said. Then Banales’ car swerved into another lane and crashed into the center median, and the sports car fled, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Banales was on the phone with his girlfriend at the time; she told police she heard what sounded like a loud exhaust system driving by quickly, then a crash, the document said.
Serna and his wife were at the scene when officers arrived, police said. Officer dashboard camera captured Serna standing over Banales’ body, the probable cause affidavit said.
Serna -- who drove a blue Ford Mustang sports car -- and his wife were interviewed several times, and their stories changed over time, according to police.
Initially, Serna’s wife told police she saw a blue sports car -- similar to the color of their car -- in the lane next to Banales, the probable cause affidavit said. Serna told police he didn’t see anything and his wife saw the crash, according to the probable cause affidavit.
This July, police interviewed Serna’s wife again. The Sernas are now separated, according to the probable cause affidavit, and she said her husband had sped up to get a better look at the potential suspect's car, but the suspect's car was driving too fast, and that’s when the crash happened, the document said.
On Thursday, police interviewed Serna’s wife again. She admitted her husband shot the victim after her husband "became angry that Banales had nearly changed lanes into his blue Mustang," police said in a statement on Friday.
She said her husband pulled his pistol out of the glove box, loaded the weapon and fired, according to the probable cause affidavit.
She said she made her husband turn around and drive back to the scene, according to the probable cause affidavit.
During the investigation, police zeroed-in on cellphone records to help determine "who could have been driving a blue sports car at the crime scene," police said in a statement.
The probe, which included searching license plate reader databases, "revealed only one vehicle matching the description of a blue sports car with loud exhaust" -- Serna's car, police said.
"Google Geo-Fence records show Serna’s Google activity pinging in the area at the same time investigators believe the shooting happened," police added.
Serna has been booked into the Bexar County Jail, police said.
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(CODY, Wyo.) -- A 60-year-old woman was walking off-trail in Yellowstone National Park when she suffered burns from scalding water in a thermal area by Old Faithful, park officials said.
The woman was walking with her husband and their dog in a thermal area near Mallard Lake Trailhead on Monday afternoon "when she broke through a thin crust" over the extremely hot water, suffering second-degree and third-degree burns to her leg, the National Park Service said.
The woman, who was visiting Yellowstone from New Hampshire, was taken to a park medical clinic and later flown to a hospital for further treatment, officials said.
Her husband and dog were not hurt, park officials said.
"Visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and trails in hydrothermal areas and exercise extreme caution," Yellowstone National Park said in a statement. "The ground in these areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface."
Park spokesperson Linda Veress urges visitors to "follow the beaten path.”
“In thermal areas, boardwalks take you to amazing places, protect the park, and keep you safe," Veress told ABC News. "People have been severely burned and killed after leaving the boardwalk or reaching into hot water."
Pets aren't allowed on boardwalks or hiking trails, or in thermal areas, park officials noted.
The incident is under investigation, park officials said.
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(NEW YORK) -- The widow of Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau, Meredith Gaudreau, announced her pregnancy with their third child at Monday's memorial service for Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau.
"John and I had the best six months as a family of four. These will forever be the best six months of my life," Meredith Gaudreau said at the service. "There's specifically one week that I will cherish forever -- it will be my favorite week of my life out of those six months. We're actually a family of five. I'm in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby."
She called the pregnancy a "total surprise."
"John was beaming and so excited," she said. "His reaction was just immediately kissing me and hugging me."
Their first child, daughter Noa Harper Gaudreau, was born Sept. 30, 2022. Their second, son Johnny Edward Gaudreau, was born Feb. 22.
"Noa, our oldest, hasn't even turned 2 yet. In less than three years of marriage, we've created a family of five," Meredith Gaudreau said at the memorial service. "It doesn't even sound possible, but I look at it as the ultimate blessing. How lucky am I to be the mother of John's three babies? Our last one being a blessing and so special despite these difficult circumstances."
"To my babies, daddy loves you all so much and you have the best daddy in the world," she said.
On Aug. 29, Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were riding bikes in Salem County, New Jersey, when they were struck and killed by a driver suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, according to police. The suspected driver was arrested and charged with two counts of death by auto, according to police.
Matthew Gaudreau's wife, Madeline Gaudreau, is also pregnant with their first child.
"This last week has felt like I’ve been trapped in a nightmare I can’t wake up from," Madeline Gaudreau said at the memorial service. "I feel numb, angry, sad, blessed all at once. Some days the thought of this new reality is debilitating. But mostly, I just miss Matt."
"The 14 years we spent together will never be enough, but I will cherish those and carry them close to me, especially on the extremely hard days," she said.
"He was born to be a dad," Madeline Gaudreau said. "The moment we found out about our son Tripp, it consumed his every day. He was downloading apps, ordering books, finding the best diaper brand, making sure I had the best vitamins and asking for tips from John. I will never forget the tears he had in his eyes when he first heard Tripp’s heartbeat."
"I know Matt will surround his son for the rest of his life," she said through tears.
She said she hopes her son and Meredith Gaudreau's baby, Johnny, have the same bond their dads did.
To Meredith Gaudreau, she said, "I promise that I will always be there for you and the kids."
Madeline Gaudreau also made a point at the service to urge people to not drink and drive.
"Please do not put another family through this torture," she said.
The Gaudreau brothers died the night before their sister, Katie, was set to get married, according to their former coaches.
The brothers were "always side by side" and "absolute best friends," Meredith Gaudreau wrote on Instagram two days after their deaths.
"I don't think John could live a day without you so I'm comforted knowing you are of course together in heaven," she said in a message to her brother-in-law.
"Matty, thank you for loving our babies like your own and for being such an amazing uncle and godfather," she added, pledging to take care of his wife, Madeline, and their future son.
"Please continue to take care of John like you always have. I got Madeline and Tripp," she said.
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