Many drivers unaware of ‘Move Over, Slow Down’ law, AAA study finds

State law requires drivers to move over for stopped emergency responders and maintenance vehicles, but many people still don’t do so. The consequences can be deadly.

Nationwide, an emergency responder is killed every other week on average after being struck by a vehicle.

“Drivers who don’t move over or slow down really add another layer of unnecessary risk for individuals trying to do their jobs and just make it home safely at the end of the day,” said Joshua Zuber, a spokesman for AAA Texas.

AAA Texas and the Texas Department of Transportation are reminding drivers of the importance of heeding the state’s move over law.

It requires that drivers must either move over one lane or slow down by 20 miles per hour below the speed limit when approaching an incident on the side of the road where emergency or roadside crews are working.

Drivers could receive a ticket with a fine of up to $200 for not complying with the law. And if there’s a crash that causes an injury to a worker, drivers could face fines of up to $2,000.

A survey from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that at almost a quarter of drivers reported not being aware of the law.

“Among people who don’t comply with the move over law, about half thought this behavior was either somewhat or not dangerous at all to roadside emergency workers,” Zuber said. “And that shows that people may not realize how risky it is to be along the side of the road right next to fast-moving traffic.”

Texas has led the nation in the number of people struck and killed while outside of a disabled vehicle. AAA Texas encourages drivers to be alert on roadways and look out for vehicles that may be pulled over.

Have questions about transportation or traffic? Let us know, and your answer may be our next story. Find past answers on our traffic page.

Legality of search warrant in question in case of former SAPD officer Erik Rodriguez

Former San Antonio Police Officer Erik Rodriguez was in court Wednesday as his attorneys filed a motion to suppress evidence in his case that may have been obtained with an illegal search warrant.

Rodriguez is charged with bribery, misuse of public information and possession of child pornography.

His defense attorney Jaime Cavazos filed the motion over the seizure of Rodriguez’s personal cell phone.

The search warrant obtained by police was signed by a magistrate judge, who did not have the authority to do so.

“You’re asking me to disregard a search warrant that is not legal,” 226th District Court Judge Velia Meza said.

Prosecutor Oscar Salinas tried explaining that a second warrant was obtained signed by the proper judge and the phone wasn’t searched until after that second warrant.

But Meza told prosecutors that the seizure of the phone was still illegal.

“I want to know legally how you overcome the fact that a judge without authority to issue a warrant for the search and seizure of any similar device, how is that legal?” Meza asked prosecutors.

In January of this year, Rodriguez was arrested and indicted. He is accused of bribery and accepting money in exchange for providing information to a defendant in a domestic violence case.

He was also indicted on possession of child pornography charges.

Meza did not rule on the motion but is giving the prosecution a chance to respond and the defense to counter that response.

This issue has delayed the trial which was expected to begin in January 2022.

Related:

Indicted SAPD officer allowed to visit his children while awaiting trialSAPD officer indicted on bribery, child pornography, misuse of public information chargesSAPD officer slapped with new bribery charge for giving info to domestic violence suspect, officials saySAPD officer arrested, accused of accepting money in exchange for giving info to domestic violence suspect

Star-filled satire Don’t Look Up skewers targets big and small

Writer/director Adam McKay, who spent most of his career making comedy for comedy’s sake, has made one of the more interesting pivots in Hollywood, turning his comedic eye on real world topics. He took on the financial system in 2015’s The Big Short and the Bush/Cheney presidency in 2018’s Vice, using satire to make larger points. At first blush, his new film, Don’t Look Up, wouldn’t seem to be in line with the previous two….

Police find gun in backpack of Warren High School student, officials say

Warren High School parents were notified Wednesday that district police officers found a gun in a student’s backpack.

An automated call from Principal Melissa Hurst went out to parents notifying them of the incident, officials confirmed.

Initially, administrators were notified that the student was in possession of an illegal substance, according to the message.

When Northside ISD police searched the student’s backpack, they found the firearm. The student never brandished the weapon on campus, officials confirmed.

The student was also found with a vape pen, but its contents have not yet been tested.

“I share this information with you in the spirit of transparency but also to assure you that disciplinary and criminal action will be taken swiftly,” Hurst told parents in the message. “We will continue to remain vigilant to ensure or campus is safe.”

Read more:

Suspect who fatally shot man outside San Antonio bar last year sentenced to 30 years in prison

San Antonio police investigating after woman found dead in drainage ditch on West Side

20+ hogs caught on home surveillance camera destroying Texas neighborhood

Home surveillance cameras have caught many wild animals on video but one Fort Bend County homeowner was surprised to see just how many animals he captured roaming his neighborhood.

Glen Garner told KHOU that he went to check his home security footage after he saw damage to his yard.

When he pulled up the video, he said he was shocked to see 25-30 hogs rooting through yards along his street.

“You’ve seen one hog, OK. And then you see the whole family troop filing in. It’s just really bizarre,” said Garner. “They move really quickly. Looking back on our camera, they were in our yard less than a minute.”

Feral hogs are an invasive species largely introduced to North America in the 1500s by Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto. Since then, their numbers have skyrocketed due to the lack of predators and their relatively fast reproduction rate compared to other land mammals.

KHOU spoke with a hog trapper who works in the Fort Bend County area and he said the only way to control wild hog populations is to capture and kill 75% of the animals.

Feral hogs reproduce at an alarming rate with an average of five to six pigs per litter and one to two litters per year, according to Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, which estimates the feral hog population in Texas to be 2.6 million.

Feral hogs can be found in 99% of Texas counties and cause an estimated $52 million in damages to Texas agricultural enterprises each year, the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension reports.

Garner said that while there hasn’t been any structural damage caused by the hogs, the damage to landscaping has been extensive.

Related:

Skyrocketing number of feral hogs in US has become ‘pig bomb,’ experts say416-pound ‘nightmare’ hog shot in East Texas‘Pretty vicious’ 271 lb. boar caught in Northwest Side neighborhood

VOTE: Round 2 of KSAT News Now tasty tamale showdown; Six San Antonio restaurants go for top tamale spot!

Six San Antonio Tamale spots have advanced to the second round of KSAT News Now’s tasty tamale showdown! Hundreds of people voted in the first round as we went from 12 restaurants to six. Here are the final six.

Adelita’s Tamale and Tortilla FactoryDel Rio Tortilla FactoryDelicious TamalesRuben’s Homemade TamalesTamale Boy Tacos and TamalesTellez Tamales & Barbacoa

VOTING ROUNDS

Round 2 winners will be announced Dec. 20 and announced on KSAT News Now at 11 a.m. on KSAT.com, followed by voting for the third and final roundThe third and final round will feature the top three tamale locations! SCROLL DOWN TO VOTE.The winner will be announced on KSAT News Now at 11 a.m. on Dec. 23

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PREVIOUS STORY:

Sharing or making tamales during holidays is a time-honored tradition for many Texas families.

Whether it’s beef, pork, chicken, verdes or rojos, tamales are part of our heritage.

And, in San Antonio, there’s no shortage of restaurants that make delicious tamales, sometimes year-round.

The origins of tamales in Central America date back to the Mesoamerican empire around 8000 to 5000 B.C.

They were considered the food of the gods for many Indigenous civilizations, including the Aztecs and Mayans.

MORE: KSAT News Now’s previous Tasty Taco showdown and watch KSAT Explains deep dive into taco culture in San Antonio

They are made with masa or dough and can be filled with various items. Now we want to know what is your favorite home-grown tamale spot in San Antonio.

We’ve compiled 12 tamale locations in our area and want our viewers to vote for their top spots, and write-ins are allowed. The top six vote-getters will move onto the second round, and the third and final round will feature the top three tamale locations!

12 RESTAURANTS WE STARTED WITH

Adelita’s Tamale and Tortilla FactoryB&B Tamales and Food To GoDel Rio Tortilla FactoryDelicious TamalesLa Luz Tortilla FactoryMartinez Barbacoa Y TamalesMimi’s Barbacoa Tacos TamalesOlgitas MolinoRuben’s Homemade TamalesTamale Boy Tacos and TamalesTellez Tamales & BarbacoaTortilleria Los Hermanos