LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A man was arrested early Sunday after he ran from police and crashed his car during a drag racing incident, Laredo police said.

Officers responded to a call about drag racing at the 6000 block of Narciso Drive at about 12:07 a.m. on June 23. The caller reported two cars possibly doing donuts.

When officers arrived, they saw a black Dodge Charger. Officers tried to stop the car, but it did not pull over and sped away. Soon after, it crashed into a gray Chrysler 200.

Officers say they went up to the driver, identified as Diego Kaleb Benavides, 19, and smelled a strong odor of alcohol. Benavides showed signs of being drunk, according to the officers.

At about 1:29 a.m., Benavides was arrested and charged with evading arrest with a car, a third-degree felony; driving while intoxicated, a Class B misdemeanor; and causing an accident that damaged another vehicle, also a Class B misdemeanor.

The investigation is ongoing.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A man was arrested early Sunday after a fight led police to find a rifle and live bullets in his car, Laredo police said.

Officers working the Iturbide Bar Detail saw a fight involving several people and cars in the street at the 200 block of Flores Avenue around 1:50 a.m. on June 23. As officers got closer, they saw two men running toward a parked 2024 gray Ford Mustang with Texas plates.

The driver of the Mustang sped towards the officers, who managed to stop the car.

Inside, officers found a male driver and a male passenger. They also saw a black rifle in plain view against the center console, with magazines containing live rounds.

The driver, identified as James Alexander Villarreal, 19, showed signs of being drunk. Villarreal was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, a Class B misdemeanor, and unlawfully carrying a weapon, a Class A misdemeanor.

The investigation is ongoing.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A woman was arrested early Sunday, June 23, after police say she stabbed one person and hurt another during a fight at home.

Officers answered a call about a traffic issue in the 400 block of Riverhill Loop at about 3:47 a.m. When they arrived, they found two people with injuries, according to the Laredo Police Department.

Police said their initial investigation showed that a fight and argument led Allison Herrera, 21, to grab a sharp object. She allegedly stabbed one person and hurt the other.

Herrera was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a first-degree felony, and assault causing bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor. Both charges are related to family violence.

The conditions of the victims were not available. The investigation continues.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Gilbert Jerry Mendez has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing his father, Samuel Mendez Sr., and his brother, Samuel Mendez, Jr.

The sentencing, held at the 49th District Court on Tuesday, June 18, involved concurrent sentences of 30 years for each murder, to be served at the same time.

Family members spoke directly to Mendez. He pleaded guilty on June 10 after being in custody since his arrest in 2021, nearly three years after the crime.

During the hearing, Mendez’s aunts shared how deeply the crimes have affected their families. Mendez appeared visibly moved, wiping away tears and looking down as his family spoke in court.

The case dates back to October 2021, when Laredo Police responded to a shooting at Olive Street’s 200 block, finding both victims with fatal gunshot wounds. Mendez was arrested four days later and charged with murder and aggravated assault.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - On Thursday, June 20, at about 4:54 p.m., Laredo police went to the 8300 block of Tejas Loop to find two vehicles reported stolen from Bexar County: a 2019 sandbox trailer and a 2017 Freightliner tractor. Officers found the vehicles parked along the road.

Soon after, officers detained a man and a woman, along with four undocumented people. The male driver was identified as Martin Torres, 34, and the female passenger as Jazlyn Marie Waters, 19.

While on the scene, officers saw a suspicious blue GMC Sierra with fake tags. They stopped the truck and identified the driver as Alvaro Osiel Juarez Garza, 21. The Auto Theft Task Force found the GMC Sierra had a VIN that did not match the vehicle, showing it was also stolen.

Martin Torres was arrested and charged with four counts of smuggling people and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle. Jazlyn Waters was arrested and charged with four counts of smuggling people. Alvaro Osiel Juarez Garza was also arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Recent rains are significantly boosting river levels in the area, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For the past three weeks, river levels near Bridge 1 have consistently measured below 3 feet. On Thursday, June 20, however, levels are projected to rise to 4 feet, potentially reaching 9 or 10 feet by Friday, June 21 — surpassing the 7-foot action level.

Officials anticipate the levels to decrease by Saturday, June 22, returning to a range of 6 to 5 feet.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Out of our sister city in Nuevo Laredo, a man driving a truck fell into a sinkhole while out on the road.

According to El Mañana de Nuevo Laredo, an 81-year-old man was behind the wheel when he fell into a large hole in the road.

The Mexican news publication says there was a strong current of water inside the sinkhole.

Reportedly, the man was able to make it out alive.

According to Mexican first responders, the man only had non-life-threatening injuries and they were able to use a tow truck to recover the vehicle.