Public Safety
Public Safety news from McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley.
Public SafetyEnergy drink distributor files motion to dismiss wrongful death lawsuit
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Glazer's Beer and Beverage of Texas, an energy drink distributor accused in the death of a Weslaco cheerleader, has filed a motion to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit filed against it. The motion to dismiss was filed in the 370th District Court in Hidalgo County on Monday. An attorney representing Glazer's
Public SafetyDPS Shares Safety Tips as Texas Prepares to Host 2026 FIFA World Cup
As Texas gears up to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is urging residents and visitors to prioritize safety. With millions expected to attend, DPS emphasizes the importance of vigilance and proactive measures. Key safety tips include avoiding drinking and driving, eliminating distractions while driving, and being aware of surroundings. Additionally, DPS highlights the need to be alert for signs of human trafficking, especially during large events. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activities via iWatchTexas or call 911 if they witness potential trafficking situations.
Public SafetyTxDOT: FM 1425 in Mercedes closed for construction, expect delays
MERCEDES, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Transportation announced that a portion of FM 1425 in Mercedes is closed for road construction. According to TxDOT, construction will take place on both the northbound and southbound lanes of FM 1425 between Business 83 and I-2. TxDOT advises drivers to expect delays, plan ahead and take alternative
Public SafetyTerror in Mid-Flight: Accused of Attempting to Open Door on Frontier Plane
A passenger on a Frontier Airlines flight from Puerto Rico to Chicago was arrested after allegedly strangling an off-duty employee. Police also claim the suspect attempted to open the emergency exit doors of the plane and tried to enter the cockpit during the incident on the flight heading to Chicago on Sunday. According to the FAA, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in Miami, and the passenger was taken into federal custody. Frontier Airlines confirmed that the flight later completed the remainder of its journey to Chicago without incident. A criminal complaint obtained by NBC News alleges that the 51-year-old suspect told flight attendants he wanted to get off the plane and then attempted to open the rear exit door of the aircraft. When a flight attendant stopped him, he moved toward the front of the plane and tried to enter the cockpit, where he was again restrained by a flight attendant. Shortly after, an off-duty Frontier Airlines employee sat next to him on the plane, according to the criminal complaint. Following a scuffle, the suspect allegedly began to strangle the employee before being subdued by several other passengers. At that point, the flight made an emergency landing in Miami, and the suspect was arrested. Videos on social media captured both the incident and its aftermath, with the suspect being restrained by passengers in his seat as the plane descended toward Miami. The FBI is assisting with the investigation, and no further information was available at this time.
Public SafetyEnergy drink distributors seek to dismiss Weslaco cheerleader death lawsuit
The family of Larissa Rodriguez, a Weslaco cheerleader who died in October 2025 due to an enlarged heart linked to caffeine consumption, is amending their lawsuit against energy drink distributors Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, LLC and Glazer’s Beer and Beverage of Texas, LLC. The distributors have filed a motion to dismiss, asserting that the lawsuit is baseless and that the product had appropriate warnings. They argue that Rodriguez misused the drink and that any harm was due to her negligence. The family must prove the product was dangerous, as Texas law protects distributors from liability for defective products. A ruling date on the motion is pending.
Public SafetySuspect Barricades Himself in Chase Bank with People Inside in California; Two Hostages Released
BAKERSFIELD, California — Police are continuing negotiations on Wednesday with a man who barricaded himself inside a Chase Bank building in Bakersfield, California, on Tuesday, along with an undetermined number of people, according to police. Responding officers arrived around 1 p.m. at the bank building in downtown Bakersfield after a bomb threat call and discovered that a man had barricaded himself inside 'with several community members,' the Bakersfield Police Department stated in a release. The exact number of hostages remains unknown. Crisis negotiators and the FBI managed to secure the release of two individuals, and the remaining hostages are reported to be 'in good health,' said Municipal Police Sergeant Eric Celedon. No injuries have been reported. Some individuals were able to escape the building, according to authorities. The department's crisis negotiation team was in phone contact with the suspect. Officers established a perimeter around the building and nearby businesses, authorities reported.
Public SafetyRoma ‘port runner’ sentenced to 10 months in prison
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A man who raced across the Roma bridge to stop U.S. Customs and Border Protection from searching his truck was sentenced to 10 months in prison Tuesday. Officers stopped Jose Angel Barrera, 31, of Roma in October 2025, when he crossed the bridge in a white Toyota Tundra. An X-ray revealed
Public SafetyCameron County Sheriff Claims to Have Reduced Jail Overcrowding
Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Treviño provided an update on the overcrowding situation at the county jail and the measures implemented to reduce the inmate population. According to his explanation, his office has been working in coordination with local judges and the District Attorney's Office to decrease the number of individuals detained in the facilities. Additionally, Treviño noted that the state prison system has increased the transfer of inmates to state-run prisons to alleviate pressure on the county jail. The sheriff mentioned that, for now, no new inspection has been requested from the State Jail Standards Department, as they aim to stabilize the situation before seeking an official reevaluation. However, he clarified that law enforcement agencies continue to submit the necessary documentation to the District Attorney's Office for accused individuals to respond to charges in the judicial system. He concluded by stating, 'Local agencies are being contacted to make the necessary arrangements when their officers make an arrest.'
Public SafetyAuthorities Arrest Regional Leader of the Drug Trafficking Group Los Chapitos in Mexico
MEXICO CITY – Mexico's Security Cabinet reported on Tuesday the arrest of Gabriel 'N', alias Gabito, identified as the regional leader of the faction Los Menores, better known as Los Chapitos, a group targeted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In a statement, Mexican security authorities explained that Gabriel 'N' was captured in a coordinated operation in the municipality of El Rosario, in the state of Sinaloa, by elements of the National Defense, National Guard (GN), and state agents. According to the National Detention Registry, Gabriel 'N' was arrested on June 1 at 8:15 PM and is in the custody of the Attorney General's Office (FGR). They also indicated that the detainee is linked to crimes such as 'kidnapping, extortion, homicide, and drug-related offenses.' Additionally, he is accused of 'the homicide of six workers and four suppliers of a mining company that occurred in January of this year,' referring to personnel from the Canadian mining company Vizla Silver who went missing in the municipality of La Concordia, Sinaloa.
Public SafetyFormer Edinburg daycare manager 'never made an attempt to report the abuse': Docs
EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An arrest affidavit obtained by ValleyCentral details what led to the second arrest of a former Edinburg daycare manager accused of failing to report the alleged abuse of a 1-year-old boy. Alma Enriquez Garza, the former manager of Grandma's Daycare in Edinburg, has been arrested twice since the Edinburg Police Department
Public SafetyGrass Fire Causes Traffic Closures in Port Mansfield
The Willacy County Sheriff's Office reported that temporary closures are occurring at the entrance to Port Mansfield. Authorities stated that the fire was caused by an electrical transformer, and emergency crews along with the local Fire Department are working at the scene to control the situation and ensure the safety of drivers and residents. So far, no injuries or additional damages related to the incident have been reported. They advise people planning to travel through the area to take precautions and be aware of potential delays.
Public SafetyMan Arrested for Harboring Undocumented Immigrants in Texas, Border Police Say
EL PASO, Texas – A 25-year-old Mexican citizen was arrested by federal authorities after being identified as the operator of a stash house near El Paso, where he was hiding undocumented migrants in the United States, according to information shared by Rosario 'Pete' Vásquez, chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, on his official X account. The investigation revealed that the suspect was detained for harboring three migrants, including two unaccompanied minors. During his arrest, the individual confessed to hiding at least five migrants per week in the apartment, an activity he was engaged in regularly. According to his own statements, this operation would have generated approximately $18,000 over a three-month period. Authorities noted that what the suspect considered a quick way to make money ended with his arrest, and he now faces federal charges for trafficking and harboring migrants, offenses that can carry severe prison sentences in the United States. As for the three migrants found at the property, it was reported that they will be processed by immigration authorities and subsequently deported according to established procedures.
Public SafetyLarissa Rodríguez Case: Beverage Distributors Deny Responsibility for Death
In the case of Larissa Rodríguez, her parents allege that she consumed energy drinks before suffering a fatal cardiac event. Distributors Glazer’s Beer and Beverage and Glazer’s Beer and Beverage of Texas filed a formal response to the lawsuit, claiming they provided adequate warnings regarding the product linked to her death. They deny the allegations and assert that the lawsuit lacks legal basis, stating they acted only as distributors, not manufacturers. The Rodríguez family seeks over $1 million in damages following Larissa's death at 17 in October 2025. The case is still pending in the 370th District Court of Hidalgo County.
Public SafetyDrug supplier facing life in prison in connection with string of fentanyl-related deaths in Cameron County
Eric Castillo is facing life imprisonment after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to a series of fentanyl overdoses that resulted in eight deaths in Cameron County. The state district judge indicated that Castillo could receive a life sentence. He was charged with distributing controlled substances, including THC, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. His arrest is connected to an outbreak in October 2023, which saw 12 overdoses, primarily affecting victims from Harlingen. Castillo's sentencing is scheduled for June 22, 2026.
Public SafetyEnergy drink distributors deny allegations in Weslaco cheerleader death
Distributors of an energy drink linked to the death of 17-year-old Weslaco High School cheerleader Larissa Rodriguez are contesting allegations from her family. Rodriguez passed away in October 2025 due to an enlarged heart, which a coroner attributed to stress and high caffeine intake from Alani energy drinks. The family’s lawsuit claims the drinks were 'dangerously formulated and inadequately labeled.' The distributors, Glazer's Beer and Beverage, LLC, argue the lawsuit is baseless, stating they only sold the product and had no knowledge of any issues. They maintain the drink had appropriate warnings and assert that Rodriguez's death was caused by her own misuse of the product. A court date for the case has not been established.
Public SafetyCameron County woman pleads guilty after kidnapping daughter during custody dispute
A 31-year-old woman from Cameron County, Lillian Maria Crouch, has pleaded guilty to interference with child custody after kidnapping her daughter during a custody dispute. In July 2024, she abducted her 4-year-old daughter, Rilee Crouch, from South Padre Island and took her overseas. The pair was discovered in December 2024 in Panama while attempting to enter Turkey with false documents. U.S. Marshals apprehended them and returned them to the U.S., where Rilee was reunited with her father. Lillian is scheduled for sentencing on June 29, 2026, and is currently out on bond.
Public SafetySeveral hospitalized following five-vehicle crash in Edinburg
A five-vehicle accident in Edinburg resulted in several individuals being hospitalized. The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Monday at the intersection of Closner Avenue and Monte Cristo Road, involving a white semi-truck, a truck tractor carrying watermelons, and three additional vehicles. While minor injuries were reported, multiple people were taken to the hospital. First responders remained on-site to manage the situation. Northbound Closner Avenue was temporarily closed but reopened just before 7 p.m.
Public SafetyBrownsville city commissioners approve nearly $500, 000 in safety upgrades for busy intersection
Brownsville city commissioners have approved nearly $500,000 for safety upgrades at the intersection of Coffee Road and Paredes Line Road. This initiative aims to enhance traffic signals in response to increased commuter flow in this busy area. The upgrades are part of the ongoing Coffee Road widening project, which started in March. City Engineer Carlos Lastra stated that the improvements will facilitate smoother and safer driving conditions. The replacement of traffic signals is set to begin in mid-July and is expected to take about 10 months, during which drivers may face detours and delays.
Public SafetySPI mother who took child overseas during custody dispute pleads guilty
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A South Padre Island mother who took her child on a months-long international trip during a custody battle pleaded guilty to her charge on Monday. Lillian Maria Crouch is charged with interference with child custody, a state jail felony. She was charged in July 2024 when the child was first reported